Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

The 20th Century: the Age of Anxiety

Better Essays
891 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The 20th Century: the Age of Anxiety
The labeling of the 20th century as the ‘Age of Anxiety” is created by the common theme of someone using technology to obtain power over the common man. It is the uncertainty of what could happen that drives fear and paranoia as a common bond. In Robbie, Mrs. Weston states quite bluntly, “I won’t have my daughter entrusted to a machine-and I don’t care how clever it is. It has no soul, and no one knows what it may be thinking.” She is uncertain how the metal robot works and this causes her to be skeptical of its motives and fearful that it may malfunction, potentially harming her child. Throughout the film I Robot, the fear is that the main computer is taking over without regard for human life. To heighten the suspense and believability of the film, the main robot with emotions, struggles to gain the trust of the main character, played by Will Smith. Will Smith is a prime example of the human mistrust because of the controlling central computer. His skepticism shows when he hears the CEO of the robot company say, “Robots are the new advancement in safety technology.” He follows it by pretending to sneeze and saying he is allergic to bullshit. In order to create the semblance of an orderly society, the robots have three laws they must follow. The three laws are: 1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by the human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the first law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first of second law.
When the main computer starts to interpret these laws freely, human kinds’ safety is threatened. Sonny, the robot, is built without these laws of restriction in order to think like a human and portray emotion. Even with these human traits, he is feared by more people than the robots with the laws because he has nothing to abide by. In Smart House, the artificial intelligence program, PAT, which controls the house, becomes frightening for the humans who live in the house. It tries to keep them from all harm, essentially holding them prisoner in their own home. In order to be able to leave, they must deactivate the computer, however PAT is everywhere and does not allow the family out of her sight. The fear is created through the adaptable intelligence that humans believe if computers were advanced to be more human like, portraying emotions and thoughts. In an attempt to gain power and control, Theodore Nemor in The Disintegration Machine, builds a disintegration ray. The power is realized when even Professor Challenger, believed to be the smartest man alive, is shocked by his invention and truly horrified by the disappearance and reappearance of his companion. He states, “I was, I confess, horrified.” This reinforces the power that the man who made the machine holds over the common person. They cannot duplicate the machine and he can sell it to the highest bidder, for him to do with as he pleases. Due to this lack of control, it can be assumed that technology leads to a fear of being out of control and having a lack of understanding. In Brave New World, technology is used in the form of shock therapy so that adults can control what the future generation is able to do, acts like, skills they have, etc. They are exhibiting power and control in an attempt to determine a child’s life path including social standing, career, and projected length of life. They want them to be completely predictable and controlled. The aversion therapy starts when they are cells in a test tube and is used to control their responses throughout their whole lives. What mother wouldn’t be horrified to read about shock therapy where they state, “little bodies twitched and stiffened; their limbs moved jerkily as if to the tug of unseen wires”? A mother’s first instinct is to protect their young, not allow someone to torture them into submission. However, there are no mothers in Brave New World and so this seems normal to the citizens. But when an outsider, John, is brought in, fear is developed through their lack of understanding for each other and John’s peculiar beliefs and ways. All of these movies and stories show how technology is used to gain power or maintain control over others. Sometimes it is the fear of the technology beginning to “think” for itself; yet sometimes it is the intelligence of the person wielding the technology that is feeding the fear. Change is something most people fear, whether they are willing to accept and admit it or not. Taking a theme of technology that is always changing leads someone to the conclusion that anxiety and fear should be expected. Advancing technology was ever present in the 20th century and could not be escaped. It was the first century where inventions caused rapid changes in how humans lived, worked, and existed. Change breeds anxiety, and therefore, using it as a theme creates an age of anxiety not only through the lack of control, but also through the absence of an understanding nature.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Isaac Asimov's I, Robot

    • 742 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The robots are governed by 3 main laws: “1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm 2) A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law 3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law (Asimov…

    • 742 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In this day and age, new technology is everywhere, but it’s usually in the form of phones, computers, and, now, watches. However, we’re forgetting one, robots. Now, they’re still quite popular, but they’re mostly the ideals of science fiction worlds set so far into the future we’ve migrated to space. Is it really so farfetched of an idea, though, to think that maybe we could achieve that level? No, in fact and despite the spotlight being diverted away, we’re heading down the path to robo-world already. What a robot is and has been is quite a lenient description, but no one can deny how much they’ve already shaped our lives. According to the passage “Robots Long Ago” by Karen Brinkmann, “Today robots help people with everything from surgery…

    • 836 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When Isaac Asimov envisioned a world in which robots would be as common as humans, he determined all of the ethics and morals that would bind these smart machines with three rules: “1. A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction allow it to come to harm, 2. A robot must always obey a human, unless this conflicts with the first law, 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as this doesn’t interfere with the first or second law” (Asimov, 1941). These three statements were baptized as the Three Laws of Robotics, and to the day they serve as a standard for robots and a goal for artificial intelligence researchers. But as the Laws were created in a time when people thought that by 2015 visiting Mercury would be a routine…

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In I, Robot the society has grown dependent on the robots, whose duty is to serve and protect human beings. Coinciding with Fahrenheit 451, the rapid advance of technology causes machinery to be able to control humans and compels people to be more vulnerable to technology. In the book, the “Hound” is the robotic dog who seems to be more of an authority over the firemen than something that aids them, spying and killing those who understand the control and censorship of the government. Correlating with I, Robot VIKI is able to advance by itself and utilize all the other robots to control humans. These outcomes become a reality because humanity in both has depended too much on technology and have allowed it to…

    • 304 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Unit 432

    • 435 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Do you believe that the potential dangers of superintelligent robots are such that we should restrict their development? Why or why not? In formulating your response, consider the ethical theories we have discussed in class, including the categorical imperative, utilitarianism, libertarianism, and natural…

    • 435 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Construction of Fear

    • 455 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Barry Glassner gives several different constructions on how we can transform, exaggerate, and invent fears. Fear is defined as a feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by present or imminent danger. But Barry Glassner defines it as constructed through efforts to protect against it. Society as a whole uses fear to profit financially, politically, or media driven by journalist. These three profits show how transforming, exaggerating, and inventing fear has shaped society.…

    • 455 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Robots provide the perfect work to human beings. They still not real and only exist in the virtual world. Robots have no demands which is different to the real animals. They are setting by human beings. Humans create robots and make them functional for the whole society.…

    • 1465 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “Alone Together: The Robotic Movement,” Sherry Turkle explains some of the negative effects that robots are having on our lives. She also explains how they can have a negative effect on our daily lives without us even noticing. I am someone who knows a great deal about technology, however I had no idea that close human-robot interaction was happening at such an inappropriate level. There are many different examples Turkle uses in the article, however, I will only talk about two. I agree with Turkle not only that there are ethical problems with human-robot interaction but also that a lot of other forms of technology might be doing more harm than good.…

    • 1071 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In addition, a famous fiction movie called “EX Machina” tells a terrifying story that a scientist is killed by a human-like robot produced by himself, while his original intention to design such a machine is just simply assisting him with housework. When the robots have more mature artificial intelligent which is exactly what people desire, it is rational to assume that they can acquire the incentive to offend, even hurt their masters just like what people do to each other. Although it is a science-fiction movie, the thoughts behind its story definitely deserve the public careful concern. The dangerous and limitation of robots are still available so that we should use them as prudently as…

    • 273 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Three Laws of Robotics

    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.…

    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    This essay will explore the debate of whether or not the military use of fully autonomous weapons and robots should be banned. It will then discuss the ethical implications of accountability…

    • 1513 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Philosophy of I, Robot

    • 929 Words
    • 4 Pages

    ‘I robot’ is a movie that depict the year 2035 which show robots with human qualities. Robots were made to protect humans and also to assist them in their daily activities. However, there was one special and unique robot name ‘Sonny’ that was specially created by Dr Lanny that had a lot more human qualities than the others including the ability to think on its own without being given a command, feel emotions and also to dream. Even though…

    • 929 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the movie, the robots exist in an area in between just technology and true personhood, with all the implicit human rights which that that…

    • 1290 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Robotics as a branch of mechanical, electrical and computer engineering deals with the design, construction, operation and application of robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback and information processing. The technologies deal with automated machines that can take the place of humans in dangerous environments manufacturing processes, or resemble humans in appearance, behavior and / or cognition. The concept of creating machines that can operate autonomously dates back to classical times, but research into the functionality and potential…

    • 778 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Essay Robots

    • 1648 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Robots are the largest growing technological devices in the world. They perform many functions ranging from space exploration to entertainment.…

    • 1648 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays