Machines Are Not Efficient

Machines are not efficient, processes are.

Efficiency is not an inherent quality of machines, just as it isn’t of people. A machine is merely a tool—a static object, incapable of being efficient in and of itself. Efficiency arises from the processes that are designed and executed through the machine, much like how a person’s actions define their effectiveness. Labeling a machine as “efficient” overlooks the complexity of the systems and protocols that enable it to function optimally. The machine performs as programmed, but it is the process—the sequence of actions, decisions, and optimization—that holds the true value of efficiency.

A person cannot be reduced to a single attribute like “efficient.” To do so would strip away the depth of human experience and intention. It’s not the person, but their choices, methods, and efforts that are efficient. Efficiency is an emergent property, one that belongs to systems of action, not to individuals or objects. In both cases, labeling the machine or person as efficient without recognizing the broader context of processes ignores the fundamental truth: