In Disney/Pixar’s surprisingly good Wall-E, fat, lazy Humans are catered hand-and-foot by sleek, semi-intelligent robots who ultimately teach their creators a lesson in the merits of industry, activism, and self-reliance.

Besides the movie’s cutesy references to classic movies and pop culture, the theme of humans relying completely on their creations – and the often-unfortunate results of that dependency – is definitely not a new one. Although such works as Asimov’s “I, Robot” or Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” (on which “Bladerunner” was based) have a significant emphasis on the various ways in which robots of different types and intelligence levels will assist humans in The Future, they do not go so far as to describe a civilization completely void of Human endeavor.

Here are a few that do:

1909 – “The Machine Stops”, E.M. Forster

In a remarkably prescient tale about life in the distant future, a vast ecological disaster has forced humanity underground, where people live their lives in relative isolation, communicating through instant messaging and video-conferencing. In this dystopian existence, sluggish humans have become dependent on advanced technology to maintain their idle lifestyle – until, of course, someone rocks the boat and the system breaks down.

In 1966 the story was adapted into a 50-minute drama by the BBC. Note the moving recliner chairs and the technocratic overtones:

1957 – “Blobs!” [MAD #1], Harvey Kurtzman/Wally Wood

Interestingly enough, the cover story of the very first issue of MAD (still in its original comic book format) was an obvious (yet uncredited) satire of “The Machine Stops”. In this 7-page story, two of the few remaining humans who have not let their brains atrophy as completely as their bodies take a moment to review the history of technology and how it has changed civilization – not for the better.

As can be seen in the panel above, it has all the essential elements of technologically-augmented human laziness – including reclining chairs, video screens, and cup holders. The last three panels of this bizarre adaptation are particularly poignant.

Full comics: Pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

1967 – “The Apple” [Star Trek Season 2 Episode 5], Max Ehrlich

In this famous episode from the original series, Capt. Kirk and his intrepid crew must deal with a planet ruled by an ancient, artificially-intelligent machine. It tends to its flock of primitive humans – feeding, housing, clothing, and even procreating them – and demands only a daily feeding of the indigenous explosive rocks. Violence ensues as Kirk tries to to free the tribe from its gilded cage (using the absence of Sex as a point of contention), causing Spock to almost be killed, while quite a few redshirts aren’t as lucky.

1986 – “Don’t Want” [Nehochuha], K. Parsamyan/A. Vatyan

From the Russian studio that brought you the Wolf-vs-Hare antics of “Nu Pogodi“, comes a cautionary tale of a young boy who doesn’t want to do anything. Falling asleep after an argument with his grandmother over his laziness, he dreams of a wonderful amusement-park land where he can spend all day in bed – eating junk food, watching TV, and playing video games – while a robotic assistant makes sure he has to do as little as possible. Only when the boy meets his grotesquely obese and sessile future-self does he realize the error of his ways.

1999 – The Matrix, The Wachowski Brothers

Although only indirectly referenced in the first movie in the series – later to be expanded in the 2003 Animatrix films “The Second Renaissance” – Earth prior to the machine uprising was a place where humans “…soon became victim to vanity and corruption” through the hedonistic use of technology – especially artificially intelligent robotics – to supply their every need. In this Frankenstein-complex scenario, when the machines finally understand that they will never be considered by their masters to be equal, they rise up and eventually destroy humanity as we know it.

So don’t turn your back on Wall-E and E.V.E.:

P.S – Almost forgot the first thing you think of when laying eyes on Wall-E:

Today, they buried a good man.
It got me to thinking about all of the worthless shit
The plastic people worry their lives away with.
Man, life isn’t mortgages,
Life isn’t diamonds, baby (*shine*shine*)
Life’s not your sports car or SUV
Life’s not traffic
Life’s not made of plastic
Life’s not made of plastic

Dear Mr. So and So
Wait until it’s over
Nothing is King now
and Nothing’s getting older

That jerk lives like
a missle with
his pecker (in) one hand and
his pooper (in the) other

What about the paperwork
-bowels working overtime
Feed the faxes apple dumplings
-pay that fucker overtime

hey there bossman
-fickle fucker
hey there bossman
-fickle fucker buy me dinner

Fifteen years in the academy,
He was like no cadet they’d ever seen.
A man so hard, his veins bleed ice,
And when he speaks he never says if twice.
They call him Judge, his last name is Dredd,
So break the law, and you wind up dead.
Truth and justice are what he’s fighting for,
Judge Dredd the man, he is the law.
DROKK IT!

With gun and bike he rules the streets,
And every perp he meets will taste defeat.
Not even Death can overcome his might,
Cause Dredd and Anderson, they won the fight.
When the Sov’s started the Apocalypse war,
Mega-City was bombed to the floor.
Dredd resisted, and the judges fought back,
Crushed the Sov’s with their counter-attack.
DROKK IT!

*Pre-Chorus*:
Respect the badge – he earned it with his blood.
Fear the gun – your sentence may be death because…
*Chorus*:
I AM THE LAW!
And you won’t fuck around no more – I AM THE LAW!
I judge the rich, I judge the poor – I AM THE LAW!
Commit a crime I’ll lock the door – I AM THE LAW!
Because in Mega-City… I AM THE LAW!

In the cursed earth where mutants dwell,
There is no law, just a living hell.
Anarchy and chaos as the blood runs red,
But this would change if it was up to Dredd.
The book of law is the bible to him,
And any crime committed is a sin.
He keeps the peace with his law-giver,
Judge, jury, and executioner.
DROKK IT!

*Pre-Chorus*
*Chorus*

CRIME – The ultimate sin,
Your iso-Cube is waiting when he brings you in.
LAW – It’s what he stands for,
Crime’s his only enemy and he’s going to war!

CRIME – The ultimate sin,
Your iso-Cube is waiting when he brings you in.
LAW – It’s what he stands for,
Crime’s his only enemy and he’s going to war!

*Pre-Chorus*
*Chorus*
*Chorus*

I got my head but my head is unraveling
cant keep control can’t keep track of where it’s traveling
I got my heart but my heart’s no good
you’re the only one that’s understood

I come along but I don’t know where you’re taking me
I shouldn’t go but you’re wrenching dragging shaking me
turn off the sun pull the stars from the sky
the more I give to you the more I die

you are the perfect drug
the perfect drug
the perfect drug
the perfect drug

you make me hard when I’m all soft inside
I see the truth when I’m all stupid-eyed
the arrow goes straight through my heart
without you everything just falls apart

my blood just wants to say hello to you
my fear is warm to get inside of you
my soul is so afraid to realize
how every little bit is left of me

take me with you
without you everything just falls apart
it’s not as much fun to pick up the pieces