QuoteProject
The greatest task before civilization at present is to make machines what they ought to be, the slaves, instead of the masters of men.
Havelock Ellis
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the importance of controlling technology rather than being controlled by it.

Havelock Ellis's quote highlights the critical challenge society faces in ensuring that machines serve humanity rather than dominate it. As technology advances, it is crucial to maintain human oversight and ethical considerations to prevent becoming subservient to the very creations meant to enhance our lives.

Themes

TechnologyControlHumanityMachinesCivilization

In practice

Example use cases

In a debate on technology's role in our lives, this quote can help illustrate the need for responsible innovation.

More from Havelock Ellis

The sun, the moon and the stars would have disappeared long ago... had they happened to be within the reach of predatory human hands.
Havelock EllisRead
Life is livable because we know that wherever we go most of the people we meet will be restrained in their actions towards us by an almost instinctive network of taboos.
Havelock EllisRead
To live remains an art which everyone must learn, and which no one can teach.
Havelock EllisRead
The absence of flaw in beauty is itself a flaw.
Havelock EllisRead
Every man of genius sees the world at a different angle from his fellows, and there is his tragedy.
Havelock EllisRead
It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success.
Havelock EllisRead

Similar quotes

Program testing can be used to show the presence of bugs, but never to show their absence!
Edsger DijkstraRead
But the idea that some day people would want to be able to interact and get stock quotes and talk with other people or all these different things, I just believed that was going to happen
Steve CaseRead
The Model T blazed the way for the motor industry & started the movement for good roads everywhere. It is still the pioneer car in many parts of the world which are just beginning to be motorized.
Henry FordRead
I think when you get older, things come along that you know are a test in some way of your ability to stay with it. And when e-mail came along, I was just going to fall in love with it. And I did. I can't believe it now - it's like one of those ex-husbands that you think, 'What was I thinking?'
Nora EphronRead
Cyberspace is colonising what we used to think of as the real world. I think that our grandchildren will probably regard the distinction we make between what we call the real world and what they think of as simply the world as the quaintest and most incomprehensible thing about us.
William GibsonRead
People who say they don't see the acceleration of innovation is a wilful blindness. We are innovation at a wonderful speed for the basic things we think everyone should get.
Bill GatesRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.