The Irony of iRobot
By Slave2six ~
When Isaac Asimov began writing about robots, his purpose was to show robots in a positive light as potential helpers of humanity. He loved the idea of intelligent appliances to assist people in their daily lives. His "Three Laws" for robots were an ingenious safeguard against robots becoming a threat to humanity.
Asimov was motivated by the fact that stories or plays about robots were almost universally doomsday warnings in which robots take over humanity. He wanted to get away from the fear that these stories engendered. Asimov saw the world as a far better place than these other stories depicted and he spent a lifetime telling stories that displayed a love for technology coupled with a love for humanity.
But in 2004, Will Smith appeared on the big screen in "I, Robot" telling a story that was diametrically opposed to everything that Asimov ever wrote about robots. The book "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov is a collection of short stories, none of which is even remotely suggestive of the story portrayed in the movie.
Is it possible that this Jesus person was nothing more than a man who taught others to be good to one another and that his death was nothing more than a murder? Is it possible that someone flipped that script as well?I find it ironic that the producers of the movie turned Asimov's work on its head and made millions telling a story that he would never have told himself.
I often wonder if the New Testament (or the rest of the Bible for that matter) wasn't similarly crafted. I mean, if there's a guy going around teaching "love thy neighbor" then that's no great shakes. That's boring. But make him the center of an eternal struggle between heaven and hell then you have a really good story that sells. Throw in apocalyptic revelations and people will always eat it up.
Is it possible that this Jesus person was nothing more than a man who taught others to be good to one another and that his death was nothing more than a murder? Is it possible that someone flipped that script as well?
It's one thing to be scared silly in a movie theater. It's something entirely different to take the fiction and believe it is a fact. Could it be that Christianity and Islam are nothing more than (very successful) marketing campaigns that capitalize on our fears and that we have turned theaters into cathedrals?
Given the gullibility of humans in general and our thirst for apocalyptic stories, I wouldn't be one bit surprised.
When Isaac Asimov began writing about robots, his purpose was to show robots in a positive light as potential helpers of humanity. He loved the idea of intelligent appliances to assist people in their daily lives. His "Three Laws" for robots were an ingenious safeguard against robots becoming a threat to humanity.
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| This cover of I, Robot illustrates the story "Runaround", the first to list all Three Laws of Robotics. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
But in 2004, Will Smith appeared on the big screen in "I, Robot" telling a story that was diametrically opposed to everything that Asimov ever wrote about robots. The book "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov is a collection of short stories, none of which is even remotely suggestive of the story portrayed in the movie.
Is it possible that this Jesus person was nothing more than a man who taught others to be good to one another and that his death was nothing more than a murder? Is it possible that someone flipped that script as well?I find it ironic that the producers of the movie turned Asimov's work on its head and made millions telling a story that he would never have told himself.
I often wonder if the New Testament (or the rest of the Bible for that matter) wasn't similarly crafted. I mean, if there's a guy going around teaching "love thy neighbor" then that's no great shakes. That's boring. But make him the center of an eternal struggle between heaven and hell then you have a really good story that sells. Throw in apocalyptic revelations and people will always eat it up.
Is it possible that this Jesus person was nothing more than a man who taught others to be good to one another and that his death was nothing more than a murder? Is it possible that someone flipped that script as well?
It's one thing to be scared silly in a movie theater. It's something entirely different to take the fiction and believe it is a fact. Could it be that Christianity and Islam are nothing more than (very successful) marketing campaigns that capitalize on our fears and that we have turned theaters into cathedrals?
Given the gullibility of humans in general and our thirst for apocalyptic stories, I wouldn't be one bit surprised.