Computers Quote by Italo Calvino
““And yet the city is not dead: the machines, the engines, the turbines continue to hum and vibrate, every Wheel's cogs are caught in the cogs of other wheels, trains run on tracks and signals on wires; and no human is there any longer to send or receive, to charge or discharge. The machines, which have long known they could do without men, have finally driven them out; and after a long exile, the wild animals have come back to occupy the territory wrested from the forest: foxes and martens wave their soft tails over the control panels starred with manometers and levers and gauges and diagrams; badgers and dormice luxuriate on batteries and magnetos. Man was necessary; now he is useless. For the world to receive information from the world and enjoy it, now computers and butterflies suffice.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Invisible Cities, Italo Calvino, 1972
Describes a post‑human world where machines and animals replace humans, questioning purpose.
In simple terms: Machines and animals outlast humans; world changes.
Key Takeaway
Consider technology’s impact on humanity.
Themes
technology
environment
existence
Mood
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- philosophical debate
- science fiction
- environmental ethics
Key Concepts
post‑humanism
ecology
automation
Questions to Reflect On
- What does humanity’s role become?
- How can we balance tech with nature?
A Different Perspective
Assumes humans are obsolete, ignoring resilience.
