They say that if you want to be a good futurist, you should read science fiction. It is hard to argue that forward thinkers like George Orwell and Margaret Atwood and called a lot of things right in Animal Farm, 1984 and the Handmaids Tale.
The Tin Men was written in the mid-20th century and is a satire on the rising machine intelligence of the era. The book is an insightful look into corporate bureaucracy (still relevant today) and the ethics of big data, artificial intelligence and automation (also relevant today).
It is quite wonderful to see how so many of the issues Frayn posed in this 1960s novel echo the current debates we are having around data privacy (Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal, anyone?) and the rise of the machines.
A great read if you would like to reflect on your own humanity and the increasingly blurred boundaries between man and machine.
One thought on “The Tin Men”