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In "The Flying Machine," the ethics of technological improvement with no clear goal in sight is called into question. Written in 1953 in the midst of the Cold War and nuclear proliferation, these were important questions when Bradbury was writing, and they continue to be important questions today. How can technology be developed responsibly, and who would be accountable for this type of responsible development? Should inventors consider the possible negative ramifications of an invention, or should they proceed by only focusing on the benefits of it?
It raises the important question of how, and if, technology should be monitored and regulated. While there are risks and drawbacks to developing the Flying Machine, the contraption also creates a lot of beauty and releases it into the world. Bradbury's story introduces the concept of weighing the rewards and drawbacks of technology, as well as the negative sides of censorship, which in this case result in the death of the inventor of the Flying Machine. We rarely hear of the invention process being stopped because of negative externalities. Should that be reported and talked about more often? These are ideas that Bradbury would like for us to debate.
If inventors do not think about these possible side effects or choose to move past them, is it then the government's responsibility to step in and censor ideas? It would be seen as very controversial for a government to halt progress simply because they believed that it had the possibility to create evil (and that possibility was not guaranteed). This story forces us to examine censorship from all angles, especially because the censorship ends in the tragic death of the inventor. Is it really protecting society in this case?
The story also examines the idea of beauty. The Emperor adores his invention that allows him to watch the controlled, fake motions of the people living in his Empire. They walk as they should walk, the birds fly as they should fly, and everything operates under his control in this idyllic toy-like microcosm. He finds great beauty in it, and he revels in the idea that he controls all of the actions of these people. The device does not force him to be vulnerable. He is able to maintain constant control.
The beauty produced by the Flying Machine trivializes the Emperor's possession, but it also scares the Emperor because he cannot control it or account for all of the unexpected consequences that the machine could produce. Does beauty need to be controlled in order to be in its ultimate form, or are the most beautiful things unpredictable? These are questions that "The Flying Machine" forces us to ask ourselves.
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