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I was there when the first dreams came off the assembly…

“I was there when the first dreams came off the assembly line. I was there when the corrupted visions that had congealed in the vats were pincered up and hosed off and carried down the line to be dropped onto the rolling belts. I was there when the first workmen dropped their faceplates and turned…” quote by Harlan Ellison
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““I was there when the first dreams came off the assembly line. I was there when the corrupted visions that had congealed in the vats were pincered up and hosed off and carried down the line to be dropped onto the rolling belts. I was there when the first workmen dropped their faceplates and turned on their welding torches. I was there when they began welding the foul things into their armor, when they began soldering the antennae, bolting on the wheels, pouring in the eye-socket jelly. I was there when they turned the juice on them and I was there when the things began to twitch.””

Harlan Ellison

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A creator witnesses the birth of a new, possibly dangerous technology, describing its assembly from raw, corrupted material into a sentient form.

In simple terms: Witnessing creation of a potentially harmful invention

Key Takeaway

Consider the ethics of building powerful tech

Themes

creation technology ethics

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

cautionary speculative

When to use this quote

  • research labs
  • manufacturing plants
  • military development
  • startup innovation

Key Concepts

Artificial intelligence bioengineering industrialization

Questions to Reflect On

  • What responsibilities do creators have?
  • How can we mitigate unintended consequences?
A Different Perspective

The quote glorifies the process, ignoring potential fallout.

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