Skip to content

Heart of gold Quote by Douglas Adams

“A loud clatter of gunk music flooded through the Heart of Gold cabin as Zaphod searched the sub-etha radio wave bands for news of himself. The machine was rather difficult to operate. For years radios had been operated by means of pressing buttons and turning dials; then as the technology became…” quote by Douglas Adams
Download Open image
““A loud clatter of gunk music flooded through the Heart of Gold cabin as Zaphod searched the sub-etha radio wave bands for news of himself. The machine was rather difficult to operate. For years radios had been operated by means of pressing buttons and turning dials; then as the technology became more sophisticated the controls were made touch-sensitive—you merely had to brush the panels with your fingers; now all you had to do was wave your hand in the general direction of the components and hope. It saved a lot of muscular expenditure, of course, but meant that you had to sit infuriatingly still if you wanted to keep listening to the same program.””

Douglas Adams

About This Quote

Source Novel: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 1979

Technology evolves from tactile controls to gesture‑based interfaces, reducing effort but demanding stillness to maintain focus.

In simple terms: Tech advances make tasks easier but require patience.

Key Takeaway

Embrace new tech, stay patient.

Themes

technology automation human‑machine interaction effort

Mood

witty observational

Type

satirical technological

When to use this quote

  • space travel
  • media consumption
  • user interface design
  • daily tech use

Key Concepts

science fiction cognitive load

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does gesture control affect your daily tasks?
  • What are the trade‑offs of reducing physical effort?
A Different Perspective

Reliance on gestures may limit accessibility for some users.

2.1 out of 5 (6 ratings)

More by Douglas Adams

Explore all 1,168 Douglas Adams quotes

More Heart of gold quotes

Browse all 87 Heart of gold quotes