I Heart Robots
When I was small, and asked to write out the much anticipated annual Christmas list, mine, age 7-11 would look something like this:
1. Kitten
2. Telephone in my room
3. Robot
4. Barbie Dream House and any other Barbie accoutrements
...and so on. Yes, a robot was not just in the top 10, but the much-coveted top 5. Out of all of those things, the only one I still wish for is that robot.
One year, I did actually get one. It was the cutest little thing. Very small, ran on batteries and he held a little tiny map and would bump into walls and turn, as if he could really read that map. I mean, I LOVED this thing. I would watch it for hours, sometimes pretending that he belonged to one of my Barbies.
But it wasn't really what I truly wanted. I wanted a real life-sized robot, that looked like a robot, but could be programmed to do my chores. Yes, a robotic slave. But also a friend. One that I had complete control over. I was obsessed with a tv show called "Small Wonder" about a robot who was a part of the family. She didn't look like a robot, but instead was in the form of a girl. I didn't care. I loved it anyway. I loved it when she malfunctioned and they had to open her control panel or put her back on her charger. I loved the robot in the Jetsons. I was captivated by the Sony Aibo robot dog that appeared on the scene not too long ago. I think it is totally awesome when I hear about robots finding bombs or performing surgery. I did not like that show BattleBots, though. Why anyone would create a wonderful robotic machine, only to battle it to the death against another one of its own kind? Who am I kidding - it was still pretty cool.
Why this fascination? I think I like it because it's technology that is so above my head, that I don't get it. I had a professor in college who explained that things we don't understand are like magic to us. I don't get how telephones, or faxes or televisions work. Magic. Therefore, robots = magic, and so I guess I heart magic, too. Now, if I could figure out how to magically wiggle my nose and have my laundry be cleaned, I would be happier. But it would be SO much better to have my life-sized robotic friend/slave doing it for me.
1. Kitten
2. Telephone in my room
3. Robot
4. Barbie Dream House and any other Barbie accoutrements
...and so on. Yes, a robot was not just in the top 10, but the much-coveted top 5. Out of all of those things, the only one I still wish for is that robot.
One year, I did actually get one. It was the cutest little thing. Very small, ran on batteries and he held a little tiny map and would bump into walls and turn, as if he could really read that map. I mean, I LOVED this thing. I would watch it for hours, sometimes pretending that he belonged to one of my Barbies.
But it wasn't really what I truly wanted. I wanted a real life-sized robot, that looked like a robot, but could be programmed to do my chores. Yes, a robotic slave. But also a friend. One that I had complete control over. I was obsessed with a tv show called "Small Wonder" about a robot who was a part of the family. She didn't look like a robot, but instead was in the form of a girl. I didn't care. I loved it anyway. I loved it when she malfunctioned and they had to open her control panel or put her back on her charger. I loved the robot in the Jetsons. I was captivated by the Sony Aibo robot dog that appeared on the scene not too long ago. I think it is totally awesome when I hear about robots finding bombs or performing surgery. I did not like that show BattleBots, though. Why anyone would create a wonderful robotic machine, only to battle it to the death against another one of its own kind? Who am I kidding - it was still pretty cool.
Why this fascination? I think I like it because it's technology that is so above my head, that I don't get it. I had a professor in college who explained that things we don't understand are like magic to us. I don't get how telephones, or faxes or televisions work. Magic. Therefore, robots = magic, and so I guess I heart magic, too. Now, if I could figure out how to magically wiggle my nose and have my laundry be cleaned, I would be happier. But it would be SO much better to have my life-sized robotic friend/slave doing it for me.
posted by Tracy at 11:04 AM
1 Comments:
OMG I want a robot so badly. It pains to know I can't afford the cool ones that have facial recognition abilities, and sensors to know when they walk into walls... damn they're so f'ing cool!
To prepare for when I get a robot, I've been learning their language: beep beep boop beep bee bop zzzERROR ERROR ERROR...
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