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How do you feel about robots?

Steven

I mean:

* What is your emotional or intellectual reaction to robots/AI?

* Do they leave you cold, scare you, or are you completely uninterested in them/it?

* Are you perhaps overly-interested in the entire subject, or even emotionally-involved?

* Are your reactions & opinions different to those of neurotypicals?

* And how do you feel about the way the wider world views both robots and autists?

I thought it might be interesting and instructive to read everybody's answers. I *think* these answers might provide a small insight into autists' minds.

Me, I find it extremely difficult not to care about the welfare of these creatures/machines. Even when they are not designed to resemble or mimic humans, I still feel feel concerned about everything from how they are treated to how it's common for them to be portrayed as lying in wait to take over the world and/or destroy or enslave us. Curiously, I can't even believe that they don't possess conscience...even when I'm 'logically' certain that they are not, in fact, conscious. And yet I don't particularly feel an especial alliance or connection between them and me. Nor do I view them and human beings as truly similar, regardless of how humans are often compared to computers or machines in terms of physical and intellectual 'make up'. As such, I feel it's insulting to both us and them when NTs consider beings like us to be emotionless drones or bizarrely-talented 'aliens'.

I don't believe that we autists are robot-like, and I don't believe that all the flaws of human beings should be ascribed to non-humans; those attitudes seem to me to be very biased and very simplistic. For a wrong-headed attitude persists amongst many neurotypicals: autists are not really autistic but, instead, we are merely 'difficult' and 'stubborn'; we are, apparently, the selfish spoilsports who won't join in and don't fit in. As for robots, the wrong-headed attitude is: 'for all their unusual gifts, they are not as gifted as us and are hopeless and helpless without the benefit of our selfless, loving grace; and we must be vigilant, because they may seek to harm us'. So perhaps there is - if not a true similarity and connection between autists and robots - a common sympathy between us. 

What are your views?

Parents

  • I had an enormous childhood crush on Data in Star Trek.

    So yes, I love robots.  I don't think we are robots, but I think that in creative terms, they can be a good analogy for our experience.  There is a lot of science fiction satire in which robots represent the oppressed minority (or even majority) and inequality.

    I think there are real life concerns about robots and AI taking over people's jobs, but that's been a concern since the industrial revolution and I don't think anyone has the answer yet.  I don't know if we'll ever reach a robot revolution like Terminator but it's something that needs to be considered.  Like Isaac Asimov's rules of robotics.

Reply

  • I had an enormous childhood crush on Data in Star Trek.

    So yes, I love robots.  I don't think we are robots, but I think that in creative terms, they can be a good analogy for our experience.  There is a lot of science fiction satire in which robots represent the oppressed minority (or even majority) and inequality.

    I think there are real life concerns about robots and AI taking over people's jobs, but that's been a concern since the industrial revolution and I don't think anyone has the answer yet.  I don't know if we'll ever reach a robot revolution like Terminator but it's something that needs to be considered.  Like Isaac Asimov's rules of robotics.

Children