Cybernetic bodies are an advanced form of technology that is used to replace humans. With this technology, these bodies are programmed to fulfill needs and activities for other humans. It also creates an ideal image of what is supposed to be fulfilled in gender roles. Our class has experienced these Cybernetic bodies three different ways in the last month of class. We have read Rossum’s Universal Robots, watched Stepford Wives, and also Black Mirror. With each of these examples, we have seen how differently each of these Cybernetic bodies may operate and what they are used for.
In R.U.R., the women cybernetic bodies were programmed to do stereotypical female jobs. Most of the women in this play were overlooked because of their gender. None of the female characters had a say so in any type of decision. Also one of the main characters Helena was forced into her marriage with her husband. From the beginning of the play she was being controlled, could not finish her own thoughts, or have a mind of her own. Some of the other female characters in the play like Sulla and Nana were also overlooked. The men and male cyborgs had control over everything and were more dominant.
In Stepford Wives, the men of this town created the ideal housewife. The husbands made their women into cyborgs that made them the perfect wife, cook, mother, and caregiver. The women were only expected to keep the houses clean, cook, take care of the children, and dressed according to what the men wanted them to wear. This movie also introduces what was expected of the gender role for a woman. The men all worked in technology companies and brought home the money. All the wives had to do were daily chores around the house. They were all made in the husbands eyes to be submissive cyborgs.
In Black Mirror, there was not a presence of gender roles like R.U.R. and Stepford Wives. In this TV show, the main character Martha, loses her husband in a car crash. She downloads a program that allows her to communicate with her husband from previous conversations. The program suggests that she requests a cyborg version of him to make it seem more real for their relationship. The cyborg is delivered to her and it seems like her husband at first but eventually she realized that it is nothing like him. She was only using the cyborg to fulfill her human needs while still grieving for her husband. He does what he is only programmed to do and his cyborg is not fully developed. He can’t remember how things are supposed to be because he is not really her husband. He can only do what she asks him to do.
These three sources portrayed cybernetic bodies and gender roles in different ways. Stepford Wives and R.U.R. were more similar to each other because the women were being submissive in this movie and play. Black Mirror portrayed the same concept of a submissive cybernetic body but it was with a male. This male did not have any specific roles other than to do what was asked to be done. Each of these show us how different life can be depending on what we use our technology for. They all also show how it can go wrong and these cybernetic bodies can never replace real human beings.