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Japanese Find Robots Less Intimidating Than People

bik1979 writes "The Christmas issue of economist has an interesting article on 'why the Japanese want their robots to act more like humans'. The article says how people in japan are accepting robots into their daily life, more so than accepting other people. From the article: 'What seems to set Japan apart from other countries is that few Japanese are all that worried about the effects that hordes of robots might have on its citizens. Nobody seems prepared to ask awkward questions about how it might turn out. If this bold social experiment produces lots of isolated people, there will of course be an outlet for their loneliness: they can confide in their robot pets and partners. Only in Japan could this be thought less risky than having a compassionate Filipina drop by for a chat.'"

9 of 278 comments (clear)

  1. America could learn something from Japan by 20th+Century+Boy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why are we so afraid of robots when we have perfectly good safeguards against the possible setbacks?

  2. just wait... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    wait until the robots are able to give pookake facials... then the robots will really take the country by storm

  3. Re:And here's why.... by harryseldon · · Score: 3, Funny

    You obviously have a defective robot.

  4. Re:That one droid in KOTOR.. by Dr.+Eggman · · Score: 5, Funny

    awww, robots showing compassion for meat bags, how nice.

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    Demented But Determined.
  5. Better things to worry about by servognome · · Score: 5, Funny

    'What seems to set Japan apart from other countries is that few Japanese are all that worried about the effects that hordes of robots might have on its citizens.

    Maybe because they are too busy dealing with Godzilla, Mothra, and all those other giant radioactive monsters.

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    D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
  6. Re:compassionate Filipina? by misanthrope101 · · Score: 3, Funny
    compassionate Filipina? What the hell does that mean in this context? Please explain. I don't get it. How is it related to Japanese and robots?
    Print comment, show to heterosexual male, ask for explanation, and you will understand. You're either female, or gay. If you're Filipina, then email me directly and I will explain in a sensitive, kind, faithful, strong, stable, caring way.
  7. Wow. Can't believe it lasted so long without this. by ScaryFroMan · · Score: 3, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

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    In Soviet Russia, backwards is everything.
  8. Re:All Hooked Up by dhakbar · · Score: 4, Funny

    "this might surprise you, but Japanese people act in many ways much like Americans, only with a hell of a lot more groupthink."

    Oh, so Japan's a lot like Slashdot?

  9. Re:Of course by Guppy06 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, I've got this Nigerian robot that keeps on emailing me...