In Hard Times," utilitarianism is the belief that the greatest good for the greatest number of people should be the guiding principle for making decisions. This philosophy is embodied in the character of Gradgrind, who is single-mindedly devoted to efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, this utilitarian view of life leads to a cold, heartless world in which people are reduced to mere cogs in a machine. In the end, utilitarianism fails to take into account the importance of human emotions and connections, and it is this lack of empathy that makes the world of "Hard Times" a bleak and joyless place."