Question Three

1       "They (robots) can hurt us."(100) Do you think Turkle was referring to this statement as physical or mental hurt, why?

I think she was talking about a mental hurt. I do not believe a robot would physically hurt someone, but they cannot help with mental/emotional hurt. A robot does not have feelings for emotions. They would not have anything sympathy towards human. If you just went through a tough break up, a robot couldn’t comfort you and that would make you feel worse.

When Turkle said, “They (robots) can hurt us”, I believe she meant in any way possible, not just physical or mental. For example, robots are shown to be companions. They are mean to be helpful and there for us. But that ‘helpful’ that they are meant to do, might not be so helpful. When it comes to having a robot companion, for adults or elderly, I do not see much of a problem. Adults and elderly already the have social skills that they need in life. When it comes to children though, having a robot companion could hurt them in a way that ruins or under develops their social skills. Being only around robots, children would not understand how to properly interact with other human beings.

Robots are electronic. Electronics are expensive. They are hard to keep up with and keep running properly. Things like laptops, cells phones, and routers are only meant to last two to three years. Why? Because they are constantly being used. Who was to say that a robot would not be the same way? Could you imagine replacing it every few years? It would hurt us financially. People are so attached to their electronics that they would pay anything to get the next best thing. I am sure they would be the same way with robots.

            What about mentally hurting us? Well, robots have no feelings. How is a robot, who has never experienced what you have, supposed to help you through something. Say you are going through a tough divorce and you are highly stressed out and upset about what is going on. Your life is falling apart, so you turn to your next closest companion, your robot. You tell them how you feel and all they have to say is positive things like, “it is going to be okay”, “you are fine,” etc. But you know you are not fine. Wouldn’t that hurt you emotionally; knowing that he does not really meant it?

            Robots could hurt us is so many different ways. Emotionally, physically, mentally, financially. Would it all be worth it in the end? I do not think so… I will stick with my friends, family, and outdoors. I believe that not all advances in technology are for the better, sometimes we just need to stop advancing. We need to be okay with what we have because one of these days it is going to hurt us all as humans. Technology is going to take the humanity out of humans.