Я, Робот
The Evitable Conflict
Oneneedsbiotin;anotherneedspteroylglutamicacid;stillothersneedseventeendifferentaminoacidssuppliedthemaswellasalltheVitaminsB,butone(andyetitispopularandwecannot,witheconomicsense,abandonit)-"
Byerleystirredinhisseat,"Towhatpurposedoyoutellmeallthis?"
"Youaskedme,sir,whymenareoutofworkinTientsin.Ihavealittlemoretoexplain.Itisnotonlythatwemusthavethesevariousandvaryingfoodsforouryeast;butthereremainsthecomplicatingfactorofpopularfadswithpassingtime;andofthepossibilityofthedevelopmentofnewstrainswiththenewrequirementsandnewpopularity.Allthismustbeforeseen,andtheMachinedoesthejob-’
"Butnotperfectly."
"Notveryimperfectly,inviewofthecomplicationsIhavementioned.Well,then,afewthousandworkersinTientsinaretemporarilyoutofajob.But,considerthis,theamountofwasteinthispastyear(wastethatis,intermsofeitherdefectivesupplyordefectivedemand)amountstonotone-tenthofonepercentofourtotalproductiveturnover.Iconsiderthat-"
"YetinthefirstyearsoftheMachine,thefigurewasneareronethousandthofonepercent."
"Ah,butinthedecadesincetheMachinebeganitsoperationsinrealearnest,wehavemadeuseofittoincreaseouroldpre-Machineyeastindustrytwenty-fold.Youexpectimperfectionstoincreasewithcomplications,though-"
"Though?"
"TherewasthecuriousinstanceofRamaVrasayana."
