Я, Робот
The Evitable Conflict
ChingstoodbeforethesemapsashespoketoStephenByerleyinpreciseEnglish,"Nooneknowsbetterthanyou,Mr.Co-ordinator,thatmyjob,toalargeextent,isasinecure.Itcarrieswithitacertainsocialstanding,andIrepresentaconvenientfocalpointforadministration,butotherwiseitistheMachine!-TheMachinedoesallthework.Whatdidyouthink,forinstance,oftheTientsinHydroponicsworks?"
"Tremendous!"saidByerley.
"Itisbutoneofdozens,andnotthelargest.Shanghai,Calcutta,Batavia,Bangkok-TheyarewidelyspreadandtheyaretheanswertofeedingthebillionandthreequartersoftheEast."
"Andyet,"saidByerley,"youhaveanunemploymentproblemthereatTientsin.Canyoubeover-producing?ItisincongruoustothinkofAsiaassufferingfromtoomuchfood."
Ching’sdarkeyescrinkledattheedges."No.Ithasnotcometothatyet.Itistruethatoverthelastfewmonths,severalvatsatTientsinhavebeenshutdown,butitisnothingserious.ThemenhavebeenreleasedonlytemporarilyandthosewhodonotcaretoworkinotherfieldshavebeenshippedtoColomboinCeylon,whereanewplantisbeingputintooperation."
"Butwhyshouldthevatsbecloseddown?"
Chingsmiledgently,"Youdonotknowmuchofhydroponics,Isee.Well,thatisnotsurprising.YouareaNortherner,andtheresoilfarmingisstillprofitable.ItisfashionableintheNorthtothinkofhydroponics,whenitisthoughtofatall,asadeviceofgrowingturnipsinachemicalsolution,andsoitis–inaninfinitelycomplicatedway.
