About the time I
think I’ve seen it
all or at least most
of it, something new
comes along that
makes me just want
to scratch my head
and wonder about
life on Planet
Earth.
Having just watched
a Robin Williams
movie called “The
Bicentennial Man” in
which a robot
desires to be made
into a human and to
experience love,
hunger and emotions,
I then come upon an
article in the paper
which describes the
future of robots.
The article states
that anyone under
the age of thirty
five will probably
live long enough to
witness the advent
of sex robots. Dr.
David Levy has just
released a book
entitled “Love and
Sex with Robots.”
Which, as you might
imagine is about
love and sex with
robots.
Dr. Levy, who
apparently is well
respected and not a
quack, thinks that
the Japanese will or
I should say, are,
at this time the
leaders in the sex
robot industry. Dr.
Levy states that
Japanese companies
are already working
to produce
prototypes for
remote Japanese
fishing villages.
How nice.
Dr. Levy goes on to
explain in his book
that eventually
anyone (male or
female) will be able
to purchase a robot
with natural feeling
skin which can
simulate emotions
and affections to
the point as to
where ‘they are
absolutely
convincing.’ He
states that these
machines will be a
boom for lonely,
physically
unattractive humans
or people living in
remote or isolated
areas of the world
for long periods of
time. Dr. Levy sees
nothing wrong with
this concept and
compares it to a
computer playing a
game of chess
against a human. In
his words, if you
can’t make any
distinction between
a robot and a human,
then what difference
does it make?
Of course, Dr. Levy
does point out that
there are a number
of philosophical and
ethical questions
which might come
into play. These
include such things
as if a robot hits
your neighbor in the
mouth, are you
responsible? If your
sex robot gets
involved with your
room mate (human)
can you just throw
the robot out with
the trash? Could you
marry a robot and if
you did who gets
your estate when you
die? Dr. Levy states
that sex robots
would eventually put
the prostitution
industry out of
business which leads
me to ask a
question… “If
someone paid to have
sex with a robot,
would that be a
crime?” Dr. Levy
ends up his
interview by saying
that he and his wife
would be willing to
try robotic sex even
though they are
happily married.
“Just as a matter of
genuine scientific
curiosity” he added.
Certainly just like
all us who once just
read the articles in
Playboy and never
looked at the
pictures.
I’m sorry folks; I
have to tell you
that I find an
article such as this
to be extremely
depressing if it
turned out to be
true. I see more and
more remoteness in
our society than I
see togetherness.
Look at the
popularity of such
social contact webs
sites such as
MySpace and Facebook
and their millions
upon millions of
so-called friends.
Who are these people
trying to be friends
with? Why not just
go next door and get
to meet the
neighbor? I asked
some kids why they
prefer to ‘text’
messages rather than
calling someone on
the phone. They
explained that it
allowed them to make
a statement without
having to actually
talk to another live
person. How sad.
Computers are
wonderful tools,
most of us use them
everyday, but in my
mind they should not
be a substitute for
real life human
beings and real life
relationships. When
I drive through my
neighborhood I am
saddened by the lack
of kids playing in
the yards or on the
streets. When I was
a kid we never
stayed indoors
unless it was
pouring down rain
and sometimes not
even then. Yes, I’ve
ridden a bicycle in
a rainstorm and
actually lived to
tell about it. Now
we are raising hot
house kids who are
better friends with
a television,
computer, I-pod,
video game or
something other than
the kid next door.
How sad for us as
humans. Part of the
adventure of growing
up is the never
ending change that
we get to witness as
we evolve through
the various stages
of our lives. We get
to laugh and cry,
sometimes in the
same moment. Do you
think a robot can
ever be programmed
to do such as this?
Life is not
predicable and thank
God for that. Who
would want to live
in a world where
everything was
programmed in
advance and all
emotions and
responses were
automated?
Not me. I like
change, I like real
people who can yell,
laugh, argue, cry,
smile and yes love
me or dislike me for
whatever reason. I
want to interact
with real people,
not automated
robots.
So, don’t come to my
house and expect to
ever see any of
these things where I
live. I’m not a good
marketing prospect
for anything like
this.
On the other hand,
could you vote for a
robot or have one
run for President?
Maybe they are with
us already and we
just don’t know it.
