Industrialism Quote by Nick Harkaway
““Joshua Joseph has no real hatred of modern technology - he just mistrusts the effortless, textureless surfaces, and the ease with which it trains you to do things in the way most convenient to the machine. Above all, he mistrusts duplication. A rare thing becomes a commonplace thing. A skill becomes a feature. The end is more important than the means. The child of the soul gives place to a product of the system…For anything really important, Joe prefers something with a history, an item which can name the hand which assembled it and will warm to the one that deploys it. A thing of life, rather than one of the many consumer items which humans use to make more clutter; strange parasitic devices with their own little ecosystems.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway, 2008
A critique of modern tech's loss of craftsmanship, emphasizing the value of history, human touch, and uniqueness over mass‑produced convenience.
In simple terms: Tech can erase the personal and unique.
Key Takeaway
Seek tools with a story and human origin.
Themes
technology
craftsmanship
authenticity
consumerism
humanism
Mood
reflective
critical
nostalgic
Type
philosophical
cautionary
When to use this quote
- choosing handmade goods
- evaluating software
- preserving heritage crafts
- teaching tactile skills
- designing sustainable products
Key Concepts
material culture
trust
meaning
identity
design
industrialization
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance convenience with authenticity?
- What modern tools retain a human touch?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on nostalgia may hinder useful innovation.
![“[Industrialism's soon diminishing] capacity to supply human needs could be prevented if men exercised any restraint or foresight in their present frenzied exploitation.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ad0/bertrand-russell-69_capacity_industrialism-s-soon-diminishing-capacit_227162.jpg)
![“Progress never defines its ultimate objective but thrusts its victims at once into an infinite series,' Mr. [John Crowe] Ransom said' 'Industrialism,' he declared, 'is rightfully a menial, of almost miraculous cunning, but no intelligence; it needs to be strongly governed, or it will destroy the…” quote by Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/786/richard-m-weaver-7447_community_progress-never-defines-its-ultimate-obje_406113.jpg)
