Adam Smith, in the Wealth of Nations:
“This great increase in the quality of work, which, in consequence of the division of labour, the same number of people are capable of performing, is owing to three different circumstances; first, to the increase of dexterity in every particular workman; secondly, to the saving of time which is commonly lost in passing from one species of work to another; and, lastly, to the invention of a great number of machines which facilitate and abridge labour, and enable one man to do the work of many.”
I don’t think it’s stretching this too far to say that he’s telling us to be smarter and invent tools to replace ourselves. Also, lots of stuff about pins. But I don’t make pins; I write code.
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