--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest task before civilization at…" description: "\"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" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/havelock-ellis-3921_civilization_the-greatest-task-before-civilization-at_1457948.png" --- # The greatest task before civilization at present is to… ![“The greatest task before civilization at present is to make machines what they ought to be, the slaves, instead of the masters of men.” quote by Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/havelock-ellis-3921_civilization_the-greatest-task-before-civilization-at_1457948.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/havelock-ellis-3921_civilization_the-greatest-task-before-civilization-at_1457948.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a38/havelock-ellis-3921_civilization_the-greatest-task-before-civilization-at_1457948.png) > “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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Technology should serve humanity, not dominate it; we must design machines as tools, not masters. **In simple terms:** Design machines as helpers, not rulers. Key Takeaway Ensure technology remains under human control. Themes ethics technology human agency Mood cautious optimistic Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - AI development - policy - education - design Key Concepts control design philosophy future studies Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent machines from overtaking? - How do we balance innovation with control? A Different Perspective Power imbalances can arise despite good intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Machines Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines-ought-4590513/) [Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Ought Slaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-slaves-5259720/) [Slaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaves/) [Slaves Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaves-instead-1603434/) [Task Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/task-civilization-5259721/) ## Related quotes > [No principle, that is possible to be named, can be more self-evidently false than this; or more self-evidently fatal to all political freedom. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/no-principle-that-is-possible-to-be-named-can-be-more-self-evidently/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [“To make sense of what people do, one must share their society or form of life. Therefore machines ought to be the strangest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-m-collins/to-make-sense-of-what-people-do-one-must-share-their-society-or-form/) [Harry M. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-m-collins/) > [Are we not the son of slaves? Yeah! Are we not the children that run away from plantations?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-delgado/are-we-not-the-son-of-slaves-yeah-are-we-not-the-children-that-run/) [Junior Delgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-delgado/) > [“Slaves of Plastic! Leather-shoe chino-pants prisoners! Haircut junkies! 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I just can't think of anything that has a higher purpose than putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-williams/i-free-slaves-because-i-believe-we-are-all-created-equal-i-just-can-t/) [Virginia Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-williams/) ## More by Havelock Ellis > [The mother is the child's supreme parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/the-mother-is-the-child-s-supreme-parent/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [All progress in literary style lies in the heroic resolve to cast aside accretions and exuberances, all the conventions of a past age that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/all-progress-in-literary-style-lies-in-the-heroic-resolve-to-cast/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [Dreams are real as long as they last. 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