I wish my genius ran to making automatons,” he said. “I…
““I wish my genius ran to making automatons,” he said. “I would invent one that would follow you around with a tray. It would wait patiently for you to look up from whatever you were doing, and as soon as you did, it would say, ‘Lady Cambury, you must have something to eat.’” She swallowed her bite of apple. “That would be extremely annoying.” “I do not consider that a detriment.” “I consider it a waste of a good automaton. I would modify your invention,” she said, reaching for some cheese. “I’d dress my version up in my best silk and send it out to pay morning calls. Oh, how I hate making morning calls. It wouldn’t need much of a vocabulary. ‘Yes,’ my automaton would say, ‘this weather is dreadful, isn’t it?’ In fact, I think that’s how I would do it. Whatever the other person says, it would answer, ‘Yes, it most certainly is, isn’t it?’ My automaton would have perfect manners.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A speaker imagines an automaton that constantly offers polite, redundant comments, highlighting how over‑politeness can become irritating.
In simple terms: Polite robots may become annoying.
Key Takeaway
Consider when courtesy becomes a nuisance.
Themes
politeness
technology
annoyance
Mood
irritated
reflective
Type
satirical
conversational
When to use this quote
- office meetings
- customer service
- personal assistants
- social gatherings
Key Concepts
social etiquette
automation
human‑machine interaction
Questions to Reflect On
- When does politeness become insincere?
- How can we balance courtesy with authenticity?
A Different Perspective
Constant agreement may hinder genuine conversation.