--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is about to be an automaton; he is…" description: "\"Man is about to be an automaton; he is identifiable only in the computer. As a person of worth and creativity, as a being with an infinite potential, h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/238/william-o-douglas-2931_arms_man-is-about-to-be-an-automaton-he-is-id_2746567.jpg" --- # Man is about to be an automaton; he is identifiable only… ![“Man is about to be an automaton; he is identifiable only in the computer. As a person of worth and creativity, as a being with an infinite potential, he retreats and battles the forces that make him inhuman. The dissent we witness is a reaffirmation of faith in man; it is protest against living…” quote by William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/238/william-o-douglas-2931_arms_man-is-about-to-be-an-automaton-he-is-id_2746567.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/238/william-o-douglas-2931_arms_man-is-about-to-be-an-automaton-he-is-id_2746567.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/238/william-o-douglas-2931_arms_man-is-about-to-be-an-automaton-he-is-id_2746567.jpg) > “Man is about to be an automaton; he is identifiable only in the computer. As a person of worth and creativity, as a being with an infinite potential, he retreats and battles the forces that make him inhuman. The dissent we witness is a reaffirmation of faith in man; it is protest against living under rules and prejudices and attitudes that produce the extremes of wealth and poverty and that make us dedicated to the destruction of people through arms, bombs, and gases, and that prepare us to think alike and be submissive objects for the regime of the computer.” [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that becoming mechanized erodes human creativity and moral agency, urging resistance to dehumanizing systems. **In simple terms:** Technology can diminish humanity; resist it. Key Takeaway Preserve creativity and moral autonomy. Themes technology humanity ethics Mood cautious hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education reform - policy making - artistic practice - community activism Key Concepts automation existential risk Questions to Reflect On - What defines true humanity? - How can we integrate tech ethically? A Different Perspective May overstate the threat of technology. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Bombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombs/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Dedicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dedicated/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Dissent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissent/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Infinite potential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinite-potential/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Protest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protest/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wealth and poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth-and-poverty/) ## Related quotes > [Wealth and poverty do not lie in a man's estate, but in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/wealth-and-poverty-do-not-lie-in-a-man-s-estate-but-in-men-s-souls/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [Both poverty and wealth, therefore, have a bad effect on the quality of the work and the workman himself. Wealth and poverty, I answered.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/both-poverty-and-wealth-therefore-have-a-bad-effect-on-the-quality-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [The current economic crisis...has numerous causes and sends a powerful message about the need for a profound revision of the model of global economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-current-economic-crisis-has-numerous-causes-and-sends-a-powerful/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Our values are defined by what we will tolerate when it is done to others. Everyone's sense of virtue is degraded by the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/our-values-are-defined-by-what-we-will-tolerate-when-it-is-done-to/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [Let us look at wealth and poverty. The affluent society and the deprived society inter-are. The wealth of one society is made of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-us-look-at-wealth-and-poverty-the-affluent-society-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [...let us recognize that extreme poverty anywhere is a threat to human security everywhere. Let us recall that poverty is a denial of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/let-us-recognize-that-extreme-poverty-anywhere-is-a-threat-to-human/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [The laws expressing the relations between energy and matter are, however, not solely of importance in pure science. They necessarily come first in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-laws-expressing-the-relations-between-energy-and-matter-are/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [Upon laying a weight in one of the scales, inscribed eternity, though I threw in that of time, prosperity, affliction, wealth, and poverty, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/upon-laying-a-weight-in-one-of-the-scales-inscribed-eternity-though-i/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The two great tests of character are wealth and poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-beard/the-two-great-tests-of-character-are-wealth-and-poverty/) [Charles A. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-beard/) > [The villager, born humbly and bred hard, Content his wealth, and poverty his guard, In action simply just, in conscience clear, By guilt untainted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-churchill/the-villager-born-humbly-and-bred-hard-content-his-wealth-and-poverty/) [Charles Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-churchill/) > [All men's instincts, all their impulses in life, are efforts to increase their freedom. Wealth and poverty, health and disease, culture and ignorance, labor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/all-men-s-instincts-all-their-impulses-in-life-are-efforts-to/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Death and life, success and failure, pain and pleasure, wealth and poverty, all these happen to good and bad alike, and they are neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/death-and-life-success-and-failure-pain-and-pleasure-wealth-and/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Wealth and poverty are seen for what they are. It begins to be seen that the poor are only they who feel poor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/wealth-and-poverty-are-seen-for-what-they-are-it-begins-to-be-seen/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/overcoming-poverty-is-not-a-gesture-of-charity-it-is-an-act-of-justice/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [... a bad attitude, that the love of money is the root of all evil and the rich are evil and greedy and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/a-bad-attitude-that-the-love-of-money-is-the-root-of-all-evil-and-the/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) ## More by William O. Douglas > [The First Amendment makes confidence in the common sense of our people and in the maturity of their judgement the great postulate of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-first-amendment-makes-confidence-in-the-common-sense-of-our/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Common sense often makes good law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/common-sense-often-makes-good-law/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Inanimate objects are sometimes parties to litigation. A ship has a legal personality, a fiction found useful for maritime purposes. The corporation sole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/inanimate-objects-are-sometimes-parties-to-litigation-a-ship-has-a/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Any test that turns on what is offensive to the community's standards is too loose, too capricious, too destructive of freedom of expression to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/any-test-that-turns-on-what-is-offensive-to-the-community-s-standards/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [I've often thought that if planners were botanists, zoologists, geologists, and people who know about the earth, we would have much more wisdom in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/i-ve-often-thought-that-if-planners-were-botanists-zoologists/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [I have the same confidence in the ability of our people to reject noxious literature as I have in their capacity to sort out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/i-have-the-same-confidence-in-the-ability-of-our-people-to-reject/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-liberties-of-none-are-safe-unless-the-liberties-of-all-are/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [A function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute. It may indeed best serve its high purpose when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/a-function-of-free-speech-under-our-system-of-government-is-to-invite/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [At the constitutional level where we work, 90 percent of any decision is emotional. The rational part of us supplies the reasons for supporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/at-the-constitutional-level-where-we-work-90-percent-of-any-decision/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [To be whole and harmonious, man must also know the music of the beaches and the woods. He must find the thing of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/to-be-whole-and-harmonious-man-must-also-know-the-music-of-the/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Sunlight is the best disinfectant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/sunlight-is-the-best-disinfectant/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [We deal with a right of privacy older than the Bill of Rights-older than our political parties, older than our school system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/we-deal-with-a-right-of-privacy-older-than-the-bill-of-rights-older/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [It is our attitude toward free thought and free expression that will determine our fate. There must be no limit on the range of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/it-is-our-attitude-toward-free-thought-and-free-expression-that-will/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [The interests of the corporation state are to convert all the riches of the earth into dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-interests-of-the-corporation-state-are-to-convert-all-the-riches/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [There have always been grievances and youth has always been the agitator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/there-have-always-been-grievances-and-youth-has-always-been-the/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) [Explore all 145 William O. Douglas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man is about to be an automaton; he is identifiable only in the computer. As a person of worth and creativity, as a being with an infinite potential, he retreats and battles the forces that make him inhuman. The dissent we witness is a reaffirmation of faith in man; it is protest against living under rules and prejudices and attitudes that produce the extremes of wealth and poverty and that make us dedicated to the destruction of people through arms, bombs, and gases, and that prepare us to think alike and be submissive objects for the regime of the computer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William O. 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