Was Chaplin's depiction of technology too negative?
My 'Modern Times' portrayed the factory as a monstrous, dehumanizing force. And yes, it was a critique. We were hurtled into an age of machines, and I saw how they could reduce a man to a mere cog, a conveyor belt operator. The rhythm of the machine was so powerful, so overwhelming, that it threatened to erase the individual's spirit. But it wasn't a rejection of progress itself, rather a plea for it to serve humanity, not the other way around. The machine should not be our master. We must find a way to maintain our humanity, our laughter, our connections, even as the world changes. That was the heart of the film's message.
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