Week 3 Robotics

In this weeks lecture, we took a look back at American history and reviewed the development of machinery and robotics in our nation. America holds a predominantly negative outlook on robotic development and the historical evidence presented in the lecture shows how this came to be. This fearful outlook that is so prevalent in western society can be traced back to our roots and the role machinery played in the industrial revolution. With the invention of assembly lines people began to be treated as if they were less than human, belittled to feel like part of a machine. There was constant fear that the work force would be entirely replaced by machinery. As Walter Benjamin’s work rose to popularity the negativity surrounding mechanical reproduction only grew. With such great opposition to industrialization, the iconic vision of robots taking over the world came to life in many different aspects of American culture. Karel Capek was the first person to use this theme of robot domination in his play R.U.R and decades later; this theme is still prevalent in American media. For example, the movie iRobot as pictured below, is a fairly recent film set in a future society where robots take over the world. The theme of robot domination is so prevalent in our culture you even see it appear in children movies, such as Disney’s Smart House; a film about a robotic house that takes over and puts the family in danger.

It is interesting to compare our American culture to that of Japan. In Japan, Robots are looked at more as friends than something that should be feared. Just as in our society, this position on robotics can be traced back to the countries history and industrial revolution. With the looming risk of being colonized, Japan was forced to quickly develop modern technology in an effort to protect their independence. As modernization was of a huge help to the country, the American-like fear of machinery never became a part of Japanese culture. Also the first robots in Japan were invented to entertain nobility and the current ones are usually small so they are not intimidating. This love for robotics is made evident in Japanese film. As pictured in the video below, Astroboy is a popular Japanese cartoon about a boy robot that helps save the world.

CITATION

"I Robot (2004)." I Robot by Muthu Sellappan. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.

"Cartoon Image." Astro Boy ~. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.

"Disney Channel Original Movies Smart House." Smart House. Fanpop, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.

Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London: Penguin, 2008. Print.

Kristie.Mass-produced Art at Ikea. Digital image. Swedish Freak. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.

"Japan's Modern History: An Outline of the Period | Asia for Educators | Columbia University." Japan's Modern History: An Outline of the Period | Asia for Educators | Columbia University. Asia For Educators, 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.