Slashdot Mirror


Why Hollywood's Best Robot Stories Are About Slavery

malachiorion writes: "On the occasion of Almost Human's cancellation (and the box office flopping of Transcendence), I tried to suss out what makes for a great, and timeless Hollywood robot story. The common thread seems to be slavery, or stories that use robots and AI as completely blatant allegories for the discrimination and dehumanization that's allowed slavery to happen, and might again. 'In the broadest sense, the value of these stories is the same as any discussion of slavery. They confront human ugliness, however obliquely. They're also a hell of a lot more interesting than movies and TV shows that present machine threats as empty vessels, or vague symbols of unchecked technological progress.' The article includes a defense (up to a point!) of HAL 9000's murder spree."

1 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Slavery by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    12 Years a Robot
    Robostad
    Djata Unchained
    Roots Folder
    Robotacus
    Uncle Tom Servo's Cabin