--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The relationship between the Sophotechs…" description: "\"“The relationship between the Sophotechs and the men as depicted in that tale made no sense. How could they be hostile to each other?” Diomedes said, “..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/john-c-wright-11300_reminding_the-relationship-between-the-sophotechs_1688642.jpg" --- # The relationship between the Sophotechs and the men as… ![“The relationship between the Sophotechs and the men as depicted in that tale made no sense. How could they be hostile to each other?” Diomedes said, “Aren’t men right to fear machines which can perform all tasks men can do, artistic, intellectual, technical, a thousand or a million times better…” quote by John C. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/john-c-wright-11300_reminding_the-relationship-between-the-sophotechs_1688642.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/john-c-wright-11300_reminding_the-relationship-between-the-sophotechs_1688642.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/john-c-wright-11300_reminding_the-relationship-between-the-sophotechs_1688642.jpg) > ““The relationship between the Sophotechs and the men as depicted in that tale made no sense. How could they be hostile to each other?” Diomedes said, “Aren’t men right to fear machines which can perform all tasks men can do, artistic, intellectual, technical, a thousand or a million times better than they can do? Men become redundant.” Phaethon shook his head, a look of distant distaste on his features, as if he were once again confronted with a falsehood that would not die no matter how often it was denounced. In a voice of painstaking patience, he said: “Efficiency does not harm the inefficient. Quite the opposite. That is simply not the way it works. Take me, for example. Look around: I employed partials to do the thought-box junction spotting when I built this ship. My employees were not as skilled as I was in junction spotting. It took them three hours to do the robopsychology checks and hierarchy links I could have done in one hour. But they were in no danger of competition from me. My time is too valuable. In that same hour it would have taken me to spot their thought-box junction, I can earn far more than their three-hour wages by writing supervision architecture thought flows. And it’s the same with me and the Sophotechs. “Any midlevel Sophotech could have written in one second the architecture it takes me, even with my implants, an hour to compose. But if, in that same one second of time, that Sophotech can produce something more valuable—exploring the depth of abstract mathematics, or inventing a new scientific miracle, anything at all (provided that it will earn more in that second than I earn in an hour)—then the competition is not making me redundant. The Sophotech still needs me and receives the benefit of my labor. Since I am going to get the benefit of every new invention and new miracle put out on the market, I want to free up as many of those seconds of Sophotech time as my humble labor can do. “And I get the lion’s share of the benefit from the swap. I only save him a second of time; he creates wonder upon wonder for me. No matter what my fear of or distaste for Sophotechs, the forces in the marketplace, our need for each other, draw us together. “So you see why I say that not a thing the Silent One said about Sophotechs made sense. I do not understand how they could have afforded to hate each other. Machines don’t make us redundant; they increase our efficiency in every way. And the bids of workers eager to compete for Sophotech time creates a market for merely human work, which it would not be efficient for Sophotechs to underbid.”” [John C. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that advanced machines do not make humans redundant; instead, humans can add value by directing and supervising machine output, turning efficiency into mutual benefit. **In simple terms:** Machines can be more efficient, but humans still add value by guiding them. Key Takeaway Focus on supervising and enhancing machine work. Themes technology economics human agency automation value creation Mood thoughtful optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - business strategy - AI development - career planning - policy making - education - null Key Concepts efficiency labor theory of value human-machine collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure human relevance in an increasingly automated world? - What skills will be most valuable when machines handle routine tasks? A Different Perspective If machines become fully autonomous, human oversight may become obsolete. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men Redundant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-redundant-1031212/) [Redundant Sophotech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redundant-sophotech-1031210/) [Reminding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reminding/) [Said Sophotechs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-sophotechs-1031209/) [Sophotech Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sophotech-written-1031208/) [Sophotechs Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sophotechs-sense-1031211/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Transformative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transformative/) ## Related quotes > [I explain at the parties that I believe knitting is a transformative and intriguing act that can change the life and brain of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/i-explain-at-the-parties-that-i-believe-knitting-is-a-transformative/) [Stephanie Pearl-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/) > [I play Nitin Sawhney's 'Letting Go' repeatedly, nonstop. 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In a voice of painstaking patience, he said: “Efficiency does not harm the inefficient. Quite the opposite. That is simply not the way it works. Take me, for example. Look around: I employed partials to do the thought-box junction spotting when I built this ship. My employees were not as skilled as I was in junction spotting. It took them three hours to do the robopsychology checks and hierarchy links I could have done in one hour. But they were in no danger of competition from me. My time is too valuable. In that same hour it would have taken me to spot their thought-box junction, I can earn far more than their three-hour wages by writing supervision architecture thought flows. And it’s the same with me and the Sophotechs. “Any midlevel Sophotech could have written in one second the architecture it takes me, even with my implants, an hour to compose. But if, in that same one second of time, that Sophotech can produce something more valuable—exploring the depth of abstract mathematics, or inventing a new scientific miracle, anything at all (provided that it will earn more in that second than I earn in an hour)—then the competition is not making me redundant. The Sophotech still needs me and receives the benefit of my labor. Since I am going to get the benefit of every new invention and new miracle put out on the market, I want to free up as many of those seconds of Sophotech time as my humble labor can do. “And I get the lion’s share of the benefit from the swap. I only save him a second of time; he creates wonder upon wonder for me. No matter what my fear of or distaste for Sophotechs, the forces in the marketplace, our need for each other, draw us together. “So you see why I say that not a thing the Silent One said about Sophotechs made sense. I do not understand how they could have afforded to hate each other. Machines don’t make us redundant; they increase our efficiency in every way. And the bids of workers eager to compete for Sophotech time creates a market for merely human work, which it would not be efficient for Sophotechs to underbid.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John C. 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