LITR 4632: Literature of the Future

Sample Student Final Exams 2011 Essay 1

Heather Mills

To Be Technological or Not To Be Technological…Is That Even a Question?

          Science fiction, although very entertaining, brings up many issues regarding technology in a positive and negative light as well as remind us of the causes of too much and not enough active physical participation in our own individual future wellbeing.  I know that I am not the only person who has ever wondered whether or not technology creates advancement in thinking or does technology actually begin to reduce and hinder other skills and mental processes that will eventually end our free thinking and free will.  How much technology is too much technology and will technology be the cause of what is feared most which is a dystopian society always looking for their own personal utopia rather than a utopia for all?

          In regards to what we have read this semester, I believe some of the best examples of the concerns over technological advances are in the short stories by William Gibson.  William Gibson’s stories present a high tech futuristic atmosphere unknowingly attempting to find the more simplistic low tech of the past.  In the short story, “Johnny Mnemonic” there is a clear distinction between a person of high tech and a person of low tech.  Those who are of the high reside in areas such of those equivalent to the upper class of today and the low reside in areas such as the sewers or what is considered the underground or the slums.  In another of Gibson’s short stories particularly, “The Burning Chrome” the difference between high tech and low tech is presented differently but the outcome is not.  Low tech is presented as actuality or reality and the high tech is presented as a “matrix” and development outside of what is real.  Both stories present the underlying need for more and the means an individual will attempt to attain those goals or personal utopia.    

In “Johnny Mnemonic” one of the negative aspects of the advancements of technology is the repercussions of those experiments or advancements not completely gone right.  Basically the residue and continued existence of those beings that were used as guinea pigs or subjects to further research.  These beings are considered part of the low tech side and as an example of this Gibson presents us with a not so common dolphin or as described by Johnny, “he was surplus from the last war.  A cyborg.  A junkie” (10).  The character of Johnny is not so different than that of the dolphin or unfamiliar to the individuals of today’s society.  Many individuals undergo plastic surgery or go under the knife for money and Johnny is no different where money is concerned and maintains this way of thinking even in the end.

In a different short story by Richard Goldstein titled, “The Logical Legend of Heliopause and Cyberfiddle” we see a different type of negative impact that technology has created on the world with the loss of nature in the form of trees, plants and animals.  The interesting placement of the character Bummer as the tree or wood keeper for me signified that there is always hope and the possibility to ignite the small flame of change and a better fulfilling life; especially with the life a person already has.  But actual reality has been replaced by virtual reality in this story much like that of the short story by Thomas Fex Averill, “The Onion and I” where living in a virtual world although possible is not humanly possible.  As humans we need sensation.  If not we would not have five senses; sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.  These five elements are a part of what makes us human and without them we are much like machines.     

I noticed that many of the characters of Gibson’s stories go to great lengths to get what they believe are the ultimate means to attain money and power; however, in one particular case Gibson brings up the topic and questions the significance and necessity of why we do what we do for technological advances and does the ends justify the means.  In “Hinterlands” the main character Toby questions whether or not the technological advancements are necessary and worth the pain, suffering and addiction and all for one small sliver of information.  Toby states,

“We'll probably never know what she met out there; we'll probably never know the details of the transaction. We might be sorry if we ever found out.”  In the next paragraph he expresses his anger at the situation he is in and states, “Damn Leni, damn that Frenchman, damn all the ones who bring things home, who bring cancer cures, seashells, things without names who keep us here waiting, who fill Wards, who bring us the Fear.”  On a personal note, I would probably be at war with myself as well especially considering that one of those trips could possibly bring about the end to disease and a better existence for the world.  That would be a tough decision on my part; lose a piece of myself for the greater good or ignore my conscious and carry on as if nothing ever happened and the world did not rest on my shoulders.  I especially enjoyed the conflicting emotions that Gibbon makes his reader feel as they read this particular story.  It definitely makes you feel human.  What really amazed me is that as an individual I never realized how important a single decision is and that there is always a war for balance.    

In an essay by Josh Hughey titled, “Technology, Destroyer of Men” he states, “it is either critical of current advancements and how they will ultimately destroy the world, or if the world is worsened for reasons not our fault, it is critical of the new inhuman technology that could be created to remedy the problem.  As much technology as there is in literature of the future, and as much good as some of it does, it seems to be some form of technology or desire to achieve it that eventually leads to our downfall our demise.”  After reading the short stories assigned to this course this semester I have often asked the same question and wondered whether or not the authors were shouting at us a warning that is not so distant in our immanent future.  Most of the stories are very relatable to our current society and situations that are present today.  Technology appears to be growing at an alarming rate; however, will we be able to maintain control over ourselves or lose a piece of our individuality in the price?  Personally, I believe it is a price too high to pay!  I know I brought up many questions and ideas that I do not know the answers to; but after reading these short stories I believe in order to take the next step we need to question or motives more often before taking action.  As many of these authors have pointed out it, we are ever on the brink of a dystopian society but instead of attempting to gain a utopian society as a whole we are much too focused on our own personal utopia.