--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When they tear a workingman's hand in a…" description: "\"“When they tear a workingman's hand in a machine or kill him, you can understand-- the workingman himself is at fault. But in a case like this, when th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/maxim-gorky-6814_computers_when-they-tear-a-workingman-s-hand-in-a_1344172.jpg" --- # When they tear a workingman's hand in a machine or kill… ![“When they tear a workingman's hand in a machine or kill him, you can understand-- the workingman himself is at fault. But in a case like this, when they suck a man's blood out of him and throw him away like a carcass --that can't be explained in any way. I can comprehend every murder; but…” quote by Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/maxim-gorky-6814_computers_when-they-tear-a-workingman-s-hand-in-a_1344172.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/maxim-gorky-6814_computers_when-they-tear-a-workingman-s-hand-in-a_1344172.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/maxim-gorky-6814_computers_when-they-tear-a-workingman-s-hand-in-a_1344172.jpg) > ““When they tear a workingman's hand in a machine or kill him, you can understand-- the workingman himself is at fault. But in a case like this, when they suck a man's blood out of him and throw him away like a carcass --that can't be explained in any way. I can comprehend every murder; but torturing for mere sport I can't comprehend. And why do they torture the people? To what purpose do they torture us all? For fun, for mere amusement, so that they can live pleasantly on the earth; so that they can buy everything with the blood of the people, a prima donna, horses, silver knives, golden dishes, expensive toys for their children. YOU work, work, work, work more and more, and I'LL hoard money by your labor and give my mistress a golden wash basin”” [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) ## 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 condemns exploitation that reduces workers to mere resources, highlighting the cruelty of profit‑driven oppression. **In simple terms:** Exploitation turns people into objects for profit. Key Takeaway Resist dehumanizing labor systems. Themes exploitation class struggle human dignity capitalism violence Mood angry defiant critical Type political social commentary philosophical When to use this quote - industrial labor - modern gig economy - political protest - labor organizing Key Concepts alienation power dynamics moral decay Questions to Reflect On - How does profit motivate cruelty? - What can individuals do to prevent dehumanization? A Different Perspective It ignores systemic factors that enable such cruelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comprehend Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comprehend-torture-4550805/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Murder Torturing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder-torturing-4550806/) [Purpose Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-torture-4550804/) [Torture People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture-people-981251/) [Torturing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torturing/) ## Related quotes > [“They locked me up with a boy. A boy . Dear god. They're trying to kill me. They've done it one purpose. To torture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/they-locked-me-up-with-a-boy-a-boy-dear-god-they-re-trying-to-kill-me/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [The purpose of torture is not getting information. It's spreading fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/the-purpose-of-torture-is-not-getting-information-it-s-spreading-fear/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [You don't torture people. You don't indiscriminately attack civilians. You protect as good as you can the impact of your warfare on women and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maurer/you-don-t-torture-people-you-don-t-indiscriminately-attack-civilians/) [Peter Maurer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maurer/) > [“Authors write books for one, and only one, reason: because we like to torture people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/authors-write-books-for-one-and-only-one-reason-because-we-like-to/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [Life, is torture , people use you betray you steal from you , you have to pay the government to exist through taxes ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jfs/life-is-torture-people-use-you-betray-you-steal-from-you-you-have-to/) [JFS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jfs/) > [When we torture people, even if we win the battle, we've already lost the war for hearts and minds. Especially our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/when-we-torture-people-even-if-we-win-the-battle-we-ve-already-lost/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [One can have great concern for the people of Ethiopia, but it's another thing to inflict daily torture on the people of England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/one-can-have-great-concern-for-the-people-of-ethiopia-but-it-s/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [“Do you think we’re like you Americans in Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo who torture people by keeping them thirsty? We have something called ra’fateh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/do-you-think-we-re-like-you-americans-in-abu-ghraib-and-guant-namo/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [A day will come when a cannon will be exhibited in museums, just as instruments of torture are now, and the people will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/a-day-will-come-when-a-cannon-will-be-exhibited-in-museums-just-as/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [It's not acceptable to torture people for being themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-acceptable-to-torture-people-for-being-themselves/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The United States military is now using the music of Metallica and other heavy metal bands to break the will of Saddam Hussein supporters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-united-states-military-is-now-using-the-music-of-metallica-and/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [How great the lie right to the top: We don't torture people in America and people who say we do simply know nothing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/how-great-the-lie-right-to-the-top-we-don-t-torture-people-in-america/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“Yeah, all right, but everyone knows they torture people," mumbled Sam. "Do they?" said Vimes. "Then why doesn't anyone do anything about it?" "'cos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/yeah-all-right-but-everyone-knows-they-torture-people-mumbled-sam-do/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Torture gives you reliable and unreliable information. That's the reason why most people in the world don't do it. So this idea that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliable-information-that-s-the/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [ “\[One of the biggest differences between him and his rivals for the Republican nomination was\] "every one of them wants to torture people. It's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/one-of-the-biggest-differences-between-him-and-his-rivals-for-the/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## More by Maxim Gorky > [An honest man is all right even if he's an idiot...but a crook must have brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/an-honest-man-is-all-right-even-if-he-s-an-idiot-but-a-crook-must/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [“In the monotony of everyday existence grief comes as a holiday, and a fire is an entertainment. A scratch embellishes an empty face.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/in-the-monotony-of-everyday-existence-grief-comes-as-a-holiday-and-a/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [You can't do without philosophy, since everything has its hidden meaning which we must know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/you-can-t-do-without-philosophy-since-everything-has-its-hidden/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [There's a little book I'm thinking of writing - "Swan Song" is what I shall call it. The song of the dying. And my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/there-s-a-little-book-i-m-thinking-of-writing-swan-song-is-what-i/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [“...the more a human creature has tasted of bitter things the more it hungers after the sweet things of life. And we, wrapped round…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/the-more-a-human-creature-has-tasted-of-bitter-things-the-more-it/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [Every new time will give its law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/every-new-time-will-give-its-law/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [All human beings have gray little souls-and they all want to rouge them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/all-human-beings-have-gray-little-souls-and-they-all-want-to-rouge/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [Processing the human raw material is naturally more complicated than processing lumber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/processing-the-human-raw-material-is-naturally-more-complicated-than/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [Everywhere, within man and without, there is devastation, instability, chaos, and evidence of some prolonged rout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/everywhere-within-man-and-without-there-is-devastation-instability/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [Everything which is good in me should be credited to books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/everything-which-is-good-in-me-should-be-credited-to-books/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [If it is true that only misfortune can awaken a man's soul, it is a bitter truth, one that is hard to hear and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/if-it-is-true-that-only-misfortune-can-awaken-a-man-s-soul-it-is-a/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [Jail doesn't teach anyone to do good, nor Siberia, but a man-yes! A man can teach another man to do good-believe me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/jail-doesn-t-teach-anyone-to-do-good-nor-siberia-but-a-man-yes-a-man/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [“He used to sit down beside her and embrace her. She was cold, returning his caresses but sparingly. Looking straight into her eyes, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/he-used-to-sit-down-beside-her-and-embrace-her-she-was-cold-returning/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [One word of praise from a woman is dearer to me than a whole ode from a man . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/one-word-of-praise-from-a-woman-is-dearer-to-me-than-a-whole-ode-from/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [When one loves somebody, everything is clear - where to go, what to do - it all takes care of itself and one doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/when-one-loves-somebody-everything-is-clear-where-to-go-what-to-do-it/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) [Explore all 94 Maxim Gorky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) ## More Computers quotes > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [“Probably it goes without saying, but time machine guys don't get a lot of action. Had a one night stand with something cute a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/probably-it-goes-without-saying-but-time-machine-guys-don-t-get-a-lot/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Note found in the patron suggestion box: "You have SIGNS up near the computers that say BE QUIET, but people don't be quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-sheridan/note-found-in-the-patron-suggestion-box-you-have-signs-up-near-the/) [Gina Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-sheridan/) > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) [Jen-Hsun Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hsun-huang/) > [The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying machines speeding across the Atlantic carrying innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern steam ships.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-pickering/the-popular-mind-often-pictures-gigantic-flying-machines-speeding/) [William Henry Pickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-pickering/) > [“Alan Turing proposed the Turing Test: a computer is intelligent if you can't tell it from a human when you talk with it. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cjs-hayward/alan-turing-proposed-the-turing-test-a-computer-is-intelligent-if-you/) [CJS Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cjs-hayward/) > [Computers can be taught that certain tune or certain chords changes will sound pleasant together, but I don't think it's going to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/computers-can-be-taught-that-certain-tune-or-certain-chords-changes/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [“According to this model, human beings are, at least in one aspect, sensation-receiving machines; and although our receptory apparatus is competent to select and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cruce-stark/according-to-this-model-human-beings-are-at-least-in-one-aspect/) [Cruce Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cruce-stark/) > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) [Browse all 9,389 Computers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When they tear a workingman's hand in a machine or kill him, you can understand-- the workingman himself is at fault. But in a case like this, when they suck a man's blood out of him and throw him away like a carcass --that can't be explained in any way. I can comprehend every murder; but torturing for mere sport I can't comprehend. And why do they torture the people? To what purpose do they torture us all? 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