Christian Colon
Dr. Licastro
ENG 281 OM1
1 November 2017
The existence of cybernetic beings has slowly become more of a reality for humans as technology advances. As the years progress, our ability to generate and create robotic beings has increased dramatically, and the day where humanity walks alongside these beings is not too far in the future. Humans have always had a fascination for robots and technology. Some of these fantasies include making these robots servants or slaves, doing the biddings of humanity with no humanitarian consequence. Others have dreamt of a world where humans coexist with robots. And some have even fantasized a world where humans have become enslaved themselves by these robotic individuals.
The difficult question to answer is deciding on how robots will live alongside humans. What will their labor roles be? How will we classify their citizenship? Will they experience the same experiences as humans? Using Capek’s, R.U.R., an episode from the British series, “Black Mirror”, and the movie, “The Stepford Wives”, to compare different ways robots are utilized and their relationships with humans.
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In Karel Capek’s, R.U.R (Rossum’s Universal Robots), a robotics factory has perfected the creation of cybernetic beings. These robots serve humans, and will help make labor so cheap that it ultimately replaces all work and poverty in the entire world. Harry Domin, who is the boss of the factory that produces these robots, hoped to create a perfect cybernetic being. “Imagine him sitting over a test tube and thinking how the whole tree of life would grow out of it, starting with some species of worm and ending—ending with man himself” (Capek, 1.64). These beings were going to be so perfect, that they can be easily mistaken as the real thing. However, things didn’t quite turn out the way he envisioned them to be. Robots began to revolt against humans, ultimately killing all of humanity. Their existence was fueled by replication of human behavior. Humans wanted to create a perfect subservient, but instead were met with retaliation and unpredictability.
During the premier episode for Season 2 of the British series, “Black Mirror”, we see an individual who uses robot to deal with a life problem. The story is about a woman who loses her boyfriend to a car accident. Much of the episode is centered on her grieving process, as she battles with the loss of her loved one. Convinced by a friend, the woman tries replacing her lost loved one with a robot. Going online and ordering a new “Ash” (the boyfriend who died), using past experiences to generate a replica. These past experiences are made up of phone calls, text messages, and even social media posts to help create an artificial image of someone. But is that enough to totally create an exact copy of someone? The woman later figures out that not all is well with her new boyfriend replica, and later realizes that the robot doesn’t totally replicate her now deceased boyfriend. Although the robot did a great job of reviewing Ash’s entire history using different media sources, the robot doesn’t totally grasp who Ash was. Many of the things that bothered the woman weren’t there anymore. “You’re just a few ripples of you, There’s no history to you,”(Black Mirror), a quote taken from the show aimed at Cybernetic Ash. Ash had become submissive to her, and would only seek to please her in any way possible. This wasn’t who Ash was when he existed. Ash had opinions, and spoke with feeling rather than submission. Much of the story is centered on the belief that robots will not totally replicate human emotion and behavior. And that much of that is organic, and cannot be easily created.
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Last, in The Stepford Wives, woman are replaced by cybernetic beings who do the biddings of their male counterparts. Rather than having an opinionated woman running the household, husbands began replacing their wives with subservient robotic women who only seek to please them. In this small suburban town in Connecticut, woman are seen as tools rather than humans. The local “Men’s Club”, has developed a way to replace opinionated wives with robots. These robots only perform household duties, and have no sense of opinion. Their repetitive nature can be clearly seen when these robots become accidentally damaged. After a small accident in the grocery store parking lot, a robotic woman can be seen repeating herself after being struck by a vehicle. “This is all so silly… it’s just my head. This is all so silly… it’s just my head. This is all so silly… it’s just my head…” (The Stepford Wives). The eeriness in her repetitive nature made it abundantly clear the issues that were lurking in Stepford. When families move to Stepford, they are met with bliss and perfect hospitality. However, things may seem perfect on the outside, but in reality, there is a much more sinister action taken place beneath the shadows of this suburban town.
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All these stories have one thing in common, humanity seeks to solve problems with the use of robotics and end up taken in more problems than before their creation. Although robots can be a useful tool and their technology can be utilized to advance the human condition. We cannot replace our humanity with technology. Humans have too many quirks and issues to be replaced by robots. It is apparent in all of these stories. None had the result that was anticipated to happen. All had different scenarios in which robots went far beyond expectation. Often resulting in disastrous situations.
Works Cited
“Be Right Back.” Directed by Owen Harris, written by Charle Brooker. Black Mirror, season 2, episode 1, BBC, 11 Feb. 2013.
Čapek, Karel, 1890-1938. R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots). London ; New York :Penguin Books, 2004. Print.
The Stepford Wives. Directed by Bryan Forbes, screenplay by William Goldman, Columbia Pictures, 1975.