Technology has come a long way during the 19th century, and has impacted the lives of every single person on earth. Most of our technological advances have been positive and have helped in developing our society as we know it today. However, technological progress also has downfalls. Things have been created in recent years that could ultimately destroy all of mankind. This theme is discussed in two works, Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. and Dr. Strangelove which was produced by Stanley Kurbick. In the novel Cat's Cradle, the world could have been destroyed by a substance called ice - nine. In the movie Dr. Strangelove, the world is ended by the Doomsday Machine. Both of these things were created by man, as technology progresses. Both of these works try to show what can happen if such things as ice - nine and the Doomsday Machine are placed into the hands of someone who does not understand how much damage they can actually do, and how powerful these creations are. This conc!
             ept is best explained by Vonnegut. He said in Cat's Cradle. What hope can there be for mankind.. when there are such men as Felix Hoenikker to give playthings as ice - nine to such short - sighted children as almost all men and women are. If destructive works of technology falls into the wrong hands the world could be over.
             In the novel Cat's Cradle, Felix Hoenikker creates a substance known as ice - nine. If this substance were to be exposed, the entire world would freeze. Hoenikker only made a small amount of ice - nine right before he died. The substance was divided and given to his two sons. Nobody seemed to know Hoenikker very well let alone his children. Hoenikker was described as being â as different as a man from mars. Hoenikker was smarter than the average person, and seemed to have brilliant ideas. Hoenikker's ways explained why his children were so unusual as well. At the time of Hoenikker's death, nobody knew that ice - nine actually...