One must take that in context. Despite the engines possesing powers of reasoning and critical thinking, it's important to recognise that those aren't as advanced as a human. It is likely that they also don't feel emotions like shame as strongly. The engines appear to have the intellectual and emotional capacity of an 8 year old human.

Listen, if I had to pull the Flying Kipper up a hill with inferior non-Welsh coal, I'd be sad too.

Oh, I forgot. In the US, the pretense wouldn't be, feigned or otherwise. It'd be a deep conviction that Bad Stuff happens to Bad People.

In the UK, everyone knows deep down the Fat Controller could come for them too and you couldn't do anything about it.