Anti-Science Visionary

Image: Frank R. Paul, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

H.G. Wells is well known for his early science fiction. While providing exciting stories and thought-provoking scenarios the reader may believe that Wells was a science and technology optimist. But upon further reflection they might note that the stories and novels carried an undercurrent of foreboding. They were essentially a warning siren for scientific apocalypse, though he changed his mind later and found a way to use science and technology to enable his utopias, Wells was at the start of his writing career a science and technology pessimist. Looking at the short story Lord of the Dynamos Wells's early attitude towards technology and science can be examined.

In the story Lord of the Dynamos the two main characters attend to three dynamos that power the electric railway. Holroyd is the lead electrician, described by Wells as “a heavy, red-haired brute with irregular teeth”. Apparently, a typical representative of the working class. His assistant is Azuma-zi from the mysterious East. Dark-skinned and curly haired he hadn't any friends in London and was berated and sometimes beaten by Holroyd for his superstitious beliefs.

Holroyd was especially proud of the big dynamo once saying to Azuma-zi, '”Look at that,” said Holroyd, “where's your 'eathen idol to match 'im?” and Azuma-zi looked. For a moment Holroyd was inaudible, and then Azuma-zi heard. “Kill a hundred men. Twelve per cent, on the ordinary shares,” said Holyroyd, “and that's something like a Gord!”' He continued to brag about the big machine telling Azuma-zi how many different ways a man might be killed by it, even giving Azuma-zi a small shock to impress.

Azuma-zi became so fascinated by the big dynamo that he started to watch and listen to it as if it were alive. He became convinced that the machine was a god, a replacement for the gods he had left behind in his homeland. Azuma-zi resented his treatment by Holroyd and talked with his god, the dynamo, telling it the many ways Holroyd abused him. Holroyd continued to abuse Azuma-zi especially when he caught him bowing to the dynamo. One night after being abused by Holroyd, Azuma-zi believed he heard words from the dynamo, words in his own language. This led to a fight with Holroyd in which Azuma-zi forced Holroyd into the machine where he was electrocuted.

Later, Azuma-zi himself is electrocuted by the dynamo while fighting with the scientific manager that came to investigate Holroyd's death. Wells ends the story with these words, 'So ended prematurely the Worship of the Dynamo Deity, perhaps the most short-lived of all religions. Yet withal it could at least boast a Martyrdom and a Human Sacrifice.'

The above synopsis doesn't do justice to the actual story, it is not able to reproduce the mood and brooding atmosphere and leaves out many steps that lead to Azuma-zi's madness. But hopefully the synopsis describes the short story well enough to indicate Wells attitude to technology.

It should be noted that both Holroyd and Azuma-zi worship the dynamo in their own way. Holroyd brags about the power of the big dynamo. His attitude reflects the attitude of many people in Well's day to technological progress. Holroyd was proud to serve the machine even though the working conditions were dismal. Wells describes the noise of the dynamos as being overwhelming in the “... confusing, unsteady place”, a place that was “enough to send anyone's thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.” Until a strike by the system's engineers was settled Holroyd and Azuma-zi were employed to tend the machine continually, sleeping and eating in a small shed between the dynamo house and the gate of the plant. Even under those conditions, which had to be detrimental to his health, Holroyd was still proud of the big dynamo.

Azuma-zi's response to the big dynamo was more mystical than practical. He became convinced the Great Machine was worthy of his worship. It's power was apparent, it overwhelmed all his senses. He felt it as well as heard its power. Eventually, the big dynamo became his god, replacing the gods of home, trading the superstitious for the super technological. Azuma-zi became convinced that the dynamo had chosen him as a disciple and that it would protect him from Holroyd and others if only he remained acceptable to his new lord.

One, Holroyd, approached the dynamo through the western tendency to worship power and greed, the other, Azuma-zi, approached the dynamo through the eastern tendency to mystic worship and servitude. But they both ended sacrificing their lives to a mere machine without the possibility of transcendence.

In this story Wells made it clear that for many the worship of technology would only lead to enslavement without reward. The end result would be death in service to the machine. All the rhythms of our lives would be tuned to the machinery, machinery that never rested, never slept and needed the same of its attendants. It was not the same as the rhythms of human life, the repetitions of work and rest, sleep and wakefulness. Wells was warning that if we did not control our desires for the power and riches that the new technologies brought, many would find themselves in servitude to the machine instead of the machine's masters. 

Wells was also warning us that those that profited from technology, those that weren't directly involved in keeping it operating like the scientific manager, would use others to see to it that the machines received all the attention they needed. And if some of those attendants fell, the scientific managers would find replacements to tend the machines and keep the power and riches flowing to themselves and others of their kind.

If Wells was a technological optimist it isn't apparent in his earliest science fiction. There he is a pessimist about the ability of technology to bring rewards to the many. The few may benefit but the vast majority would be enslaved. Enslaved by their own desire for technology, oblivious to its costs and its failure to make their lives more livable and human.