Books Quote by Nicholas Carr
““In his 1993 book Technopoly, Neil Postman distilled the main tenets of Taylor’s system of scientific management. Taylorism, he wrote, is founded on six assumptions: “that the primary, if not the only, goal of human labor and thought is efficiency; that technical calculation is in all respects superior to human judgment; that in fact human judgment cannot be trusted, because it is plagued by laxity, ambiguity, and unnecessary complexity; that subjectivity is an obstacle to clear thinking; that what cannot be measured either does not exist or is of no value; and that the affairs of citizens are best guided and conducted by experts.”11 What’s remarkable is how well Postman’s summary encapsulates Google’s own intellectual ethic. Only one tweak is required to bring it up to date. Google doesn’t believe that the affairs of citizens are best guided by experts. It believes that those affairs are best guided by software algorithms—which is exactly what Taylor would have believed had powerful digital computers been around in his day.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Technopoly by Neil Postman, 1995
The quote critiques the belief that efficiency and algorithmic calculation should dominate human decision‑making, echoing Taylor’s outdated assumptions while noting modern reliance on software over experts.
In simple terms: Algorithms replace expert judgment, emphasizing efficiency over human nuance.
Key Takeaway
Question human judgment with algorithmic efficiency.
Themes
efficiency
technology
expertise
automation
human judgment
Mood
critical
analytical
concerned
Type
analytical
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Corporate decision making
- public policy
- AI ethics
- workplace productivity
- education curricula
Key Concepts
Taylorism
algorithmic governance
digital rationality
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance algorithmic efficiency with human judgment?
- What safeguards are needed when experts are replaced by software?
A Different Perspective
Algorithms may overlook values, context, and ethical considerations that humans navigate.
![“social media addict? This is a very real problem—so much so that researchers from Norway developed a new instrument to measure Facebook addiction called the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale.[3] Social media has become as ubiquitous as television in our everyday lives, and this research shows that…” quote by Caroline Leaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0d0/caroline-leaf-35056_binge-eating_social-media-addict-this-is-a-very-real_644000.jpg)
