Post #1036379
2026-04-09 21:42 UTC
"But slaves work, and steam engines don't."
"But slaves can stop working. Steam engines, once Mr. Newcomen gets them going, can never stop, because unlike slaves, they do not have free will."
The System of the World,
Vol. Three of the Baroque Cycle
Neal Stephenson
#page42
Replies (1)
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@TheDailyBurble@mastodon.social 2026-04-09 21:46
@Krosen_nw@mindly.social Slaves can be coerced to work until they die. Steam engines stop as soon as their needs aren't met and no amount of yelling and screaming will get them going until they have what they need. It's a massive gap. People are far more exploitable than steam engines.