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MACHINE DREAMS

Alexei Taylor, Author
Noor Al-Mahruqi, page 2 of 2

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Joey the Mechanical Boy

 

This is not a story about machines. This is a story about humanity; specifically one human being known as Joey the Mechanical Boy. You can probably think of several reasons why he is known as the Mechanical Boy. His story is one of a kind. Joey’s story has taught me a lot about what it means to be human. Bruno Bettelheim’s psychoanalysis on Joey carried a powerful message. Technology may affect our way of living but it cannot overpower our humanity. However, to what extent does technology control our lives? Can technology in some ways dehumanize us? Can machines become more powerful than human beings?

 

The following video is a poetic interpretation of Joey created by Ian Andrews. It provides a brief introduction on who Joey is or how he is perceived by Andrews.

 

The story of Joey the Mechanical Boy is unlike any other story I've read before. Whether Joey was a real boy or not, his story can create revelations to whoever reads it. Bettelheim sends a powerful message that helps the reader understand the true essence of children like Joey. He operated as a machine. He was complicated and mysterious. He looked like a real normal boy on the outside which can be easily understood but on the inside, no one could ever understand how he really works or what he was thinking.

 
What fascinated me is how Bettelheim aimed to turn Joey into a human being, but how can you make a machine human? or how does a human being become a machine? Bettelheim does this through understanding Joey's perspective and helping him understand what it means to be human.
 
The journey of this is essay begins with understand why Bettelheim did this, what were the reasons behind him writing this article?

 This will then lead you to understand matters from Joey's point of view. From the historical time he was born in, throughout his childhood and under the care of Bettelheim.
 
Thirdly, I will go into the ways in which Bettelheim tries to humanize Joey. Is he successful? Does Joey's perspective change? and why does Bettelheim does this in the first place?
 
Navigating through this essay will be easy as the argument grows as Joey grows. Through the situations he experiences, the thoughts he had and the things he said. You will understand who Joey really is and why he is so special. By the end, you will know why it is so important that Joey becomes human. However, if you are interested in one of the pages, you can go to the page and explore the other sections later. 
I've created a collage as a background to my essay which consists of Joey's drawings when he was under the care of Bettelheim as it was a vital element in his development. Through this will learn that art is a way in which we can recognize our humanity.

Throughout the entire path, there is a song you can play at the bottom of every page which is by The Judy's (a band in the 80's) who wrote a song about Joey and who they think Joey really is.

 

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