The Machine Stops

I just read "The Machine Stops", a short story by E. M. Forster, a book telling about the reality of the human race in the far future (at the time of the story's conception, 1909), where society has relied on technological advancements to the point of living through it and their lives revolving around it. The story fixates on the relationship between a mother (Vashti) and her son (Kuno), the two having different opinions over their existence within The Machine, Kuno believes it to be restricting and unnatural, while vashti thinks thoughts such as the ones he partakes with, are abominable. As the story continues, we are introduced to the world through the eyes of Vashti, the mundane reality of day to day "living", where she is completely content with being in the same room everyday pressing a button for each wheam she could have ever had right to the time where, finally, and as the title suggests, The Machine Stops. This story has been an odd one to read, different themes and subjects in the writings are so similar to our own reality, that it is hard to believe the author wrote them over a hundred years ago! I had a few things that stood out to me when i read the book, i am sure i do not remember most of them though, one, is the "atheistic" viewpoint society had, while all are thinking highly of the fact that they do not believe in the superstition, and that The Machine has eradicated such "stupidities" long ago, society has gone on to treat the machine itself as a god, praying to it (though it cannot understand nor care) and thanking it, which, in a few ways, reminds me of us. This book is a chilling sci fi read that i am going to keep on my read list.