The Success Machine

"The Success Machine" by Henry Slesar is a comedic science fiction story set in a future where a company called General Products uses a machine called the Personnelovac to decide who gets hired and fired. Ralph Colihan, a manager, has to manage the machine, quickly discovering the Personnelovac's recommendations for dismissals come in the form of "pink cards." As the story progresses, Colihan sees the machine’s cold decisions negatively impacting people's lives which causes him to question its accuracy. This builds tension as he fears he could be the machine's next target. In the story's climax, the story reveals the perils of trusting machines over human judgment which leads to Colihan's own firing. Overall, the story humorously critiques how corporations can dehumanize their employees by relying solely on technology.