Podcast & Propaganda Poster – The Machine Stops & Wall-E

Blessed is the Machine!!-

This poster is a visual representation of my ideological stance regarding The Machine in E.M. Forster’s The Machine Stops. I designed it using Canva and AI tools, incorporating propaganda elements to convey a powerful message. The primary propaganda element I wanted to emphasize is deification—portraying the Machine as a god-like entity, holy and above the law. To reinforce this, I included the quote: “Blessed is the Machine” (Forster, p. 22). This phrase sets the tone, suggesting that questioning or opposing the Machine is tantamount to treason. This idea subtly instills fear in viewers, implying severe consequences for anyone who steps out of line. Two other propaganda techniques I incorporated are fear and bandwagon. For instance, the crowd of people saluting the Machine demonstrates conformity, implying that if everyone else is worshipping it, you should too. The element of fear arises from the lack of dissent in the poster—no one has dared to challenge the Machine. This raises the unsettling question: what might happen if someone did? The religious undertones amplify this fear, as challenging deeply held beliefs often provokes anger and resistance.

The statue in the poster bears another significant quote: “Thanks to the Machine” (Forster, p. 10). This phrase anchors the monument as sacred, elevating the Machine to the status of a revered leader. Surrounding the statue, I included cogwheels to symbolize productivity, further emphasizing the Machine’s centrality to society’s functioning. In designing this poster, I aimed to give the monument an otherworldly, divine aura, representing the Machine as a supreme force. The colours blue and orange play a key role, evoking emotions of hope and symbolizing bravery, loyalty, trust, and confidence. Together, these elements combine to create a striking visual statement about the Machine’s god-like control and the dangers of blind reverence.