Robot USA

I have a mixed feeling when I’m thinking of robot. When I was a kid, I thought having a robot is great, especially to help me do some chores at home and entertaining me with their silly sound. However, this perception changed when I came to study and live in the States.

In an interview with John Stewart of the Daily Show, PW Springer, the author of a new book. “Wired for war: The robotics revolution and conflict in the 21^st century, Springer described that perception of robot is indeed different in parts of the worlds. John Stewart seemed reading my mind and mention Astro Boy, a Japanese animation about a helpful robot that save the earth. Of course people laughed about it when Stewart mentioned it.

C’mon, I’m sure I’m not the only one who used to think that robot is a fine thing to play with rather than a pet. Look, if you grew up in Asia, you might think the same way.

Anyway, Springer then described that different perception of robot between the US and other parts of the world has also been influenced with the rise and popularity of science fiction. I was fond of robot when I was a kid because I viewed it as a hero, similar as Gatot Kaca or Superman. But apparently most US films described it as a slave, which can turn against them one day. That explained why now I think robot is scary.

Through his research, Springer who currently works as a Senior Fellow and Director of the 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institution, then described how the US developed and use robots, which was inspired in films such as Terminator or other science fiction movies into their own technologies: “We have created these incredible things that can do just astounding feats, and yet we are doing it here in the US mainly for war.”

Robot for war?… now I get it.

Well.. in that case, I’d rather have a robot made in Japan, rather than made in USA.