A conflict type where the protagonist struggles against machines, algorithms, automated systems, or the unintended consequences of human invention.
Man vs. technology pits a character against the tools and systems that humans have created but can no longer fully control. This could mean fighting a rogue machine, resisting a surveillance state, grappling with the dehumanizing effects of automation, or confronting a digital world that has replaced genuine human connection. Unlike man vs. nature, the threat here was built by people, which adds a layer of irony and moral complexity. The question at the heart of this conflict is always some version of: what happens when the things we create outgrow our ability to control them?
We live in an age where algorithms shape what we see, automation reshapes how we work, and screens mediate nearly every relationship. Man vs. technology stories feel urgent because they're not hypothetical anymore - they're the world your readers live in. If you write science fiction, dystopia, or even contemporary realism, this conflict type lets you explore the tension between progress and humanity in ways that resonate immediately.
The original man vs. technology story. Victor Frankenstein creates life and then refuses responsibility for it. The 'monster' is not the creature - it's the creator's arrogance.
Rick Deckard hunts androids so advanced they might have genuine emotions. The line between human and machine dissolves, and the real question becomes: does the distinction even matter?
An observant robotic companion watches the human world with innocent curiosity, gently exposing how technology both connects and isolates the people around her.
Case jacks into cyberspace and navigates a world where the digital and physical have merged so completely that 'real' has lost its meaning - a vision that feels more prescient every year.
The best man vs. technology stories are ambivalent. Technology gives and takes. Show both the allure of what's been created and the cost of what's been lost.
Even in science fiction, your tech should follow internal rules and feel grounded. If the technology can do anything the plot requires, it'll feel arbitrary rather than threatening.
Technology doesn't create itself. Someone built it, funded it, deployed it. The most interesting man vs. technology stories ask who benefits from the tech and who pays the price.
Write a scene where your character realizes a piece of everyday technology - a phone, a smart device, a recommendation algorithm - has been subtly shaping their behavior without them noticing. Keep it grounded and realistic. Show the creeping moment of awareness and the unsettling question: how long has this been happening? Aim for 300 words.