--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Engineers at General Motors have…" description: "\"Engineers at General Motors have developed a revolutionary new engine whose only function is to lubricate itself.\" — George Carlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/george-carlin-155_engine_engineers-at-general-motors-have-develop_2720870.jpg" --- # Engineers at General Motors have developed a revolutionary… ![“Engineers at General Motors have developed a revolutionary new engine whose only function is to lubricate itself.” quote by George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/george-carlin-155_engine_engineers-at-general-motors-have-develop_2720870.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/george-carlin-155_engine_engineers-at-general-motors-have-develop_2720870.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/george-carlin-155_engine_engineers-at-general-motors-have-develop_2720870.jpg) > “Engineers at General Motors have developed a revolutionary new engine whose only function is to lubricate itself.” [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He jokes that GM created an engine that only lubricates itself, highlighting absurdity in over‑engineering. **In simple terms:** A self‑lubricating engine is pointless. Key Takeaway Question unnecessary complexity. Themes humor technology absurdity Mood satirical witty Type comedic observational When to use this quote - product design - engineering meetings - tech satire Key Concepts over‑engineering innovation critique Questions to Reflect On - When does a feature become redundant? - How can we avoid over‑engineering? A Different Perspective Simplicity often outperforms needless features. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Engine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engine/) [Engine Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engine-function-2881156/) [Engineers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineers/) [Engines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engines/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [General motors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-motors/) [Motor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motor/) [Motors Developed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motors-developed-2881155/) [New Engine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-engine-2881154/) [Revolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutionary/) ## Related quotes > [Depression is when your engine isn't powering up. It might take a few pushes, a oil change, or you may have to take yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/depression-is-when-your-engine-isn-t-powering-up-it-might-take-a-few/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I put a new engine in my car, but forgot to take the old one out. Now my car goes 500 miles per hour.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-put-a-new-engine-in-my-car-but-forgot-to-take-the-old-one-out-now/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The white worker who has been displaced at General Motors has more in common with the displaced black worker than those larger white CEO's,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-white-worker-who-has-been-displaced-at-general-motors-has-more-in/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [My dad was an assembly line worker at AC Spark Plug, which was a division of General Motors, and his job was to build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/my-dad-was-an-assembly-line-worker-at-ac-spark-plug-which-was-a/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Official Washington cannot tell the American people that the real purpose of its gargantuan military expenditures and belligerent interventions is to make the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parenti/official-washington-cannot-tell-the-american-people-that-the-real/) [Michael Parenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parenti/) > [The size of General Motors is in the service not of monopoly or the economies of scale but of planning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/the-size-of-general-motors-is-in-the-service-not-of-monopoly-or-the/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [I hate to let people down. I was like that in sports and I was like that in comedy. I was like that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/i-hate-to-let-people-down-i-was-like-that-in-sports-and-i-was-like/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [No grant of feudal privilege has ever equaled, for effortless return, that of the grandparent who bought and endowed his descendants with a thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/no-grant-of-feudal-privilege-has-ever-equaled-for-effortless-return/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Investing is the greatest business in the world because you never have to swing. You stand at the plate; the pitcher throws you General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/investing-is-the-greatest-business-in-the-world-because-you-never/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Sadly, at Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler sales continually trend downward, manufacturing costs rise, and employment declines. As the result of the decrease in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-toole/sadly-at-ford-general-motors-and-chrysler-sales-continually-trend/) [James O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-toole/) > [Instead of mindlessly tossing billions at or taking billions from the Net as such, investors should be spending their time making sure that it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/instead-of-mindlessly-tossing-billions-at-or-taking-billions-from-the/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [The power of branding, particularly when it comes to automobiles, is overwhelming. You go back to the seventies and eighties with the General Motor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-power-of-branding-particularly-when-it-comes-to-automobiles-is/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I don't hurt the industry. The industry hurts itself, by making so many lousy movies - as if General Motors deliberately put out a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-bogart/i-don-t-hurt-the-industry-the-industry-hurts-itself-by-making-so-many/) [Humphrey Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-bogart/) > [Well, as you know, General Motors does not make hybrids. Ford only made 4,000 hybrids last year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-markey/well-as-you-know-general-motors-does-not-make-hybrids-ford-only-made/) [Ed Markey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-markey/) ## More by George Carlin > [I never go anywhere or do anything that transports me outside the boundaries of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-never-go-anywhere-or-do-anything-that-transports-me-outside-the/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Comedy, although it is not one of the fine arts - it's a vulgar art, it's one of the people's arts, it's the spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/comedy-although-it-is-not-one-of-the-fine-arts-it-s-a-vulgar-art-it-s/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. Not true. Today is another day. We have no idea what tomorrow is going to be. It might turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/tomorrow-is-another-day-not-true-today-is-another-day-we-have-no-idea/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I was a loner as a child. I had an imaginary friend - I didn't bother with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-was-a-loner-as-a-child-i-had-an-imaginary-friend-i-didn-t-bother/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/kilometers-are-shorter-than-miles-save-gas-take-your-next-trip-in/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“If you guys want to get a MOM tattoo and save a little money, just get two letters done. Get about a one-inch capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-guys-want-to-get-a-mom-tattoo-and-save-a-little-money-just-get/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-ve-built-up-so-much-speed-that-you-hit-70-after-that-it-s-a-day/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [It ended suddenly for Brenda, more slowly for me. My runs began getting shorter and less pleasurable. I'd feel bad after only one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/it-ended-suddenly-for-brenda-more-slowly-for-me-my-runs-began-getting/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Is there another word for synonym?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/is-there-another-word-for-synonym/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [These days many politicians are demanding change. Just like homeless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/these-days-many-politicians-are-demanding-change-just-like-homeless/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You know the good part about all those executions in Texas? Fewer Texans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-the-good-part-about-all-those-executions-in-texas-fewer/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [What was the best thing before sliced bread?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/what-was-the-best-thing-before-sliced-bread/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) [Explore all 1,098 George Carlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## More Engine quotes > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Careers, like rockets, don't always take off on time. The trick is to always keep the engine running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/careers-like-rockets-don-t-always-take-off-on-time-the-trick-is-to/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Washington is not the engine of the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-lutnick/washington-is-not-the-engine-of-the-economy/) [Howard Lutnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-lutnick/) > [This is mankind's destiny, the engine with fuels us as a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-finch/this-is-mankind-s-destiny-the-engine-with-fuels-us-as-a-race/) [Janet Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-finch/) > [Your workforce is your most valuable asset. The knowledge and skills they have represent the fuel that drives the engine of business - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/your-workforce-is-your-most-valuable-asset-the-knowledge-and-skills/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [What is the engine that drives economic growth in an ideopolis? The university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/what-is-the-engine-that-drives-economic-growth-in-an-ideopolis-the/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [If you're on Earth as a single-purpose engine, and there's only one thing you want to do for the rest of your life, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-pichette/if-you-re-on-earth-as-a-single-purpose-engine-and-there-s-only-one/) [Patrick Pichette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-pichette/) > [Alphabetical order had to be invented to help people organize the first dictionaries. On the other hand, we may have reached a point where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gleick/alphabetical-order-had-to-be-invented-to-help-people-organize-the/) [James Gleick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gleick/) > [“My brain as the engine, with thoughts trailing to the caboose, on a one-track mind we keep going forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/my-brain-as-the-engine-with-thoughts-trailing-to-the-caboose-on-a-one/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“Every living being is an engine, geared to the wheelwork of the universe." Nikola Tesla.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-oren/every-living-being-is-an-engine-geared-to-the-wheelwork-of-the/) [Lance Oren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-oren/) > [In Boston, we don't lead by ourselves. We lead as the capital city and economic engine of a great Commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/in-boston-we-don-t-lead-by-ourselves-we-lead-as-the-capital-city-and/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [Every living being is an engine geared to the wheelwork of the universe. Though seemingly affected only by its immediate surrounding, the sphere of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/every-living-being-is-an-engine-geared-to-the-wheelwork-of-the-2/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [The bass should be the note of the bass drum, and then you've got the engine of the band that everything else builds on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/the-bass-should-be-the-note-of-the-bass-drum-and-then-you-ve-got-the/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [The steam-engine I call fire-demon and great; but it is nothing to the invention of fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-steam-engine-i-call-fire-demon-and-great-but-it-is-nothing-to-the/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) [Browse all 233 Engine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engine/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Engineers at General Motors have developed a revolutionary new engine whose only function is to lubricate itself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Carlin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/engineers-at-general-motors-have-developed-a-revolutionary-new-engine/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Engine" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/engineers-at-general-motors-have-developed-a-revolutionary-new-engine/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/george-carlin-155_engine_engineers-at-general-motors-have-develop_2720870.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/george-carlin-155_engine_engineers-at-general-motors-have-develop_2720870.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/george-carlin-155_engine_engineers-at-general-motors-have-develop_2720870.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Engineers at General Motors have developed a revolutionary new engine whose only function is to lubricate…” — George Carlin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Carlin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Engineers at General Motors have developed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/engineers-at-general-motors-have-developed-a-revolutionary-new-engine/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/engineers-at-general-motors-have-developed-a-revolutionary-new-engine/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```