"All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace" Interpretation

            In the poem, “All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace” written by Richard Brautigan, there seems to be two different ways of interpreting his message. The first interpretation of the poem is in an anti-technology tone, in which Brautigan seems to be playing tricks on his readers. There is a reference about how “deer stroll peacefully past computers,” which almost sounds like sarcasm to me because of the way computers seem to be located in forests, around all kinds of animals. The main reason to think the poem was written anti-technology is the last stanza of the poem in which Brautigan talks about computers watching over us, which almost sounds like he is trying to warn us of what may occur in the future. “We are free of our labors, and joined back to nature,” sounds like humans have been regulated to animal behavior while computers were the superior power.

            The second way of interpreting the poem is in the literal meaning, a pro-technology tone. The poem is written in a sense of love for technology and how it would be wonderful to have computers everywhere. The statement of how, “mammals and computers live together in mutually programming harmony,” seems like Brautigan is describing a world in which people, animals and computers can live in harmony together without any kind of problems or stress. Another reason this poem seems to be pro-technology is the style in which it is written, providing a positive naturist attitude. Brautigan sounds like he would love to see the development of computers to extend out to new extremes, as he states multiple times in his poem.

          I believe the anti-technology tone is more convincing, because of all his statements and phrases, which seem too over the top to be earnest and sincere. Also there is a trend in American writers/poets to be anti rather than pro-technology because of the history of literature and its decreased popularity since the rise of computers. Brautigan also seems to be hinting at an impending doom with his final stanza of his poem in which computers have taken control while humans live in the wild like other mammals. It is quite astonishing to think this poem was written more than 30 years again, as its ideas have come so close to reality. These are a few reasons why I believe this poem was written in an anti-technology tone.