social machine, n.All

A Social machine (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠made of men; it builds a memory without which man and his technical machines could never work together.

A Social machine (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be loved for its own sake — Oh how beautiful the machine is! The officer in "In the Penal Colony" shows how desire comes to desire its own repression.

A Social machine (n.) must ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not function well in order to function: it runs only by fits and starts, grinding and breaking down, in spasms of minor explosions.