The Happy Breed
Encyclopedia
The Happy Breed is a short story by John Sladek
from Harlan Ellison
's Dangerous Visions
(1967). It details the lifestyle of the five last adult-like humans in a world of completely machine-dependent "zombies".
In the future, a supercomputer attends to everyone's needs. The computer believes that everyone is flawed, and slowly introduces chemicals into the food and drink, reducing everyone to childlike intelligence. Once everyone has been affected, the computer shuts itself down, its job finished.
There are some similarities between the dystopia
described in this story and the worlds created in the book Brave New World
, and in the film The Matrix
. The story, however, predates the film by thirty-two years.
John Sladek
John Thomas Sladek was an American science fiction author, known for his satirical and surreal novels.- Life and work :...
from Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
's Dangerous Visions
Dangerous Visions
Dangerous Visions is a science fiction short story anthology edited by Harlan Ellison, published in 1967.A path-breaking collection, Dangerous Visions helped define the New Wave science fiction movement, particularly in its depiction of sex in science fiction...
(1967). It details the lifestyle of the five last adult-like humans in a world of completely machine-dependent "zombies".
In the future, a supercomputer attends to everyone's needs. The computer believes that everyone is flawed, and slowly introduces chemicals into the food and drink, reducing everyone to childlike intelligence. Once everyone has been affected, the computer shuts itself down, its job finished.
There are some similarities between the dystopia
Dystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
described in this story and the worlds created in the book Brave New World
Brave New World
Brave New World is Aldous Huxley's fifth novel, written in 1931 and published in 1932. Set in London of AD 2540 , the novel anticipates developments in reproductive technology and sleep-learning that combine to change society. The future society is an embodiment of the ideals that form the basis of...
, and in the film The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
. The story, however, predates the film by thirty-two years.