“He was just a lieutenant of the line, a small cog in an immense machine. Besides, all that really mattered to him was doing his job and survivng.”

—  John Jakes

North and South Trilogy (1982-1987), Answer the Drum

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "He was just a lieutenant of the line, a small cog in an immense machine. Besides, all that really mattered to him was d…" by John Jakes?
John Jakes photo
John Jakes7
American historical novelist and fantasy writer 1932

Related quotes

Baron d'Holbach photo

“We are all just cogs in a machine, doing what we were always meant to do, with no actual volition.”

Baron d'Holbach (1723–1789) French-German author, philosopher, encyclopedist

Joseph Goebbels photo

“The worker in a capitalist state—and that is his deepest misfortune—is no longer a living human being, a creator, a maker. He has become a machine. A number, a cog in the machine without sense or understanding. He is alienated from what he produces.”

Joseph Goebbels (1897–1945) Nazi politician and Propaganda Minister

Written by Joseph Goebbels and Mjölnir, Die verfluchten Hakenkreuzler. Etwas zum Nachdenken (Munich: Verlag Frz. Eher, 1932).Translated as “Those Damned Nazis: Why a Workers Party?<br><br> “Those Damn Nazis: Why Are We a Workers’ Party?” https://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/haken32.htm written by Joseph Goebbels and Mjölnir, Die verfluchten Hakenkreuzler. Etwas zum Nachdenken, Nazi propaganda pamphlet (Munich: Verlag Frz. Eher, 1932) <br class="br">1930s

George Orwell photo

“Human beings were behaving as human beings and not as cogs in the capitalist machine.”

George Orwell book Homage to Catalonia

Homage to Catalonia (1938)

Edith Wharton photo

“I was just a screw or cog in the great machine I called life, and when I dropped out of it I found I was of no use anywhere else.”

Edith Wharton book The House of Mirth

Source: The House of Mirth

Isaac Asimov photo

“It is better to go to defeat with free will than to live in a meaningless security as a cog in a machine.”

Isaac Asimov (1920–1992) American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, known for his works of science fiction …

Source: The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation’s Edge (1982), Chapter 19 “Decision” section 7, p. 404

Ursula K. Le Guin photo

“He looked at the machine, its cabinets all standing open; it should be destroyed, he thought. But he had no idea how to do it, nor any will to try. Destruction was not his line; and a machine is more blameless, more sinless even than any animal. It has no intentions whatsoever but our own.”

Ursula K. Le Guin book The Lathe of Heaven

Source: The Lathe of Heaven (1971), Chapter 10 (Orr)

Maimónides photo

“No matter how small his portion, let him rejoice in it.”

Maimónides (1138–1204) rabbi, physician, philosopher

Source: Hilkhot De'ot (Laws Concerning Character Traits), Chapter 2, Section 7, p. 33

Yukio Mishima photo

“a samurai is a total human being, whereas a man who is completely absorbed in his technical skill has degenerated into a ‘function’, one cog in a machine.”

Yukio Mishima (1925–1970) Japanese author

Frank Bainimarama photo

“Senator James Ah Koy: "I think he is doing a good job and I really support him for his strong words against Mr Downer." (1 October 2005)”

Frank Bainimarama (1954) Prime Minister of Fiji

"He is a strong man and we are blessed to have him in office. His priority is national security and that is why he is coming out strong on the Bill." (1 October 2005).

Jimmy Fallon photo

“Actually, it's tough, because he's not really screwing up. He seems to be doing a good job, but we're there just in case — the first time he does anything.”

Jimmy Fallon (1974) American TV Personality

In answer the question "Is it easy to write jokes [on Saturday Night Live] about President Bush?", posed in the summer of 2001
Smith, Kerry L. (2001-07-05), "Jimmy Fallon". Rolling Stone. (872):153

Related topics