Literatura

Brian Aldiss: Super-Toys Last All Summer Long

Henry, Monica, David and Teddy seem to be all part of the same family in different scenarios, as dad, mom, son and a machine. It takes you to possible future situations, where we are supposed to be never alone, accompanied by machines, combining intelligence with technology. Imagine leaving in a world where Childbirth requires government permission because of overpopulation, and you have to wait years to have the opportunity to have one. So, are we really ready to continue with this enormous progress in technology?

Henry Swinton, Managing Director of Synthank, was about to make a speech about the new Serving-man, a way to make your life easier and happier, while Monica, his wife, was dealing with loneliness in their home accompanied by David and Teddy. David felt sad, because he felt his mother didn’t loved him, he asked continuously to Teddy if they were real, cause it didn’t felt like it. After the speech, Henry went home with his wife and he was received with the best news, they had won that week’s parenthood lottery, which means they were able to have a child, a real one, cause David was malfunctioning and his verbal communication center was still giving trouble. He needed to go back to the factory again.

While I was reading this short story, honestly I had difficulties in understanding it. It’s the kind of stories that makes you believe one thing and at the end it results to be a totally different thing. This story can be totally compared to reality, a reality where we lived. All around the world we have some many overpopulated places, so many people depending on a virtual life, where we don’t enjoy real life but a life where you can’t leave your cellphone for a second. So maybe we are not too far from having this situation, but after all, I think it’s a lonelier life living surrounded by machines, than fulfilled.

References: Brian Aldiss Co. Super-Toys Last All Summer Long, 2013. Web. 18/01/2015

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