v36.9: Robot, I am

Good morning folks,

-slurp-

I've come to the conclusion that I am a Robot.  While my insides may not be a clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous junk, I am still considered a robot by definition:

A robot is an automatically guided machine, able to do tasks on its own. Another common characteristic is that by its appearance or movements, a robot often conveys a sense that it has intent or agency of its own.

-slurp-

I'm sure you're sitting there scratching your head wondering what the hell I'm talking about.  Fear not, for I spent the better part of my evening doing the exact same thing.  Take a look at that definition of a robot again and break it up into pieces:

• A robot is an automatically guided machine
  
  
  
  • I'll come back to this one :)
  
  
  
  


• able to do tasks on its own
  
  
  
  • I think it goes without saying that we are able to do tasks on our own.
  
  
  
  


• by its appearance or movements, a robot often conveys a sense that it has intent or agency of its own
  
  
  
  • If you were an alien on a space ship overlooking the human population on this planet, what would you see?  Would you see chaos amongst order or order amongst chaos?  Would you see cars moving about starting and stopping on command from a little light box?  Would you see people walking on the streets coming and going following strict pathways and also stopping and starting because of a little light box?  We're not that much different from the traditional "robots" you see on TV
  
  
  
  

So what the hell am I talking about here?  Quite simply, I'm talking about programming people, human beings just like you and I.  We have been taught at an early age the differences between right and wrong, legal and illegal.  The bottom line is, we are born without boundaries and then struggle to live withing the boundaries set by others.  Like a robot, we don't usually know those boundaries right away and need to test them so we know where they are.  Eventually we figure them out and learn how to live within them.  We are programmed from day 1 to follow a strict set of guidelines and subroutines that we call society.  From an outsider looking in, I would say we would very much look like a society of robots.

-slurp-

Of course not everyone is like this and there are those who test those boundaries further than they should and typically either get in serious trouble or die from it.  You see, like a child safety gate, these boundaries are in place for our protection and the protection of others.  Next time you're driving along the road or highway keep an eye out for guard rails on the side.  There are some that make sense but then every so often you'll see a guard railing that makes no sense, you don't see any reason for it being there.  Let me assure you, it is there for a reason.  Feel free to pull over to the side of the road and check it out.  It shouldn't take you long to discover it's purpose.  We are sometimes blind to the dangers around us; the dangers some of these boundaries are meant to protect us from.  We go about our regular routines day after day (much like a robot would), most of us live within the confines of our rules and laws and hopefully age, grow old and eventually die.  That is the ultimate goal in life is it not?  To eventually die of old age and move on to the next life (whatever that may be).  It is what you do from the day you are born until the day you die that defines who you are.

-slurp-

Well folks, I sort of got way off track with this one.  That's what I get for skipping out on my Tim Horton's coffee and drinking this generic gas station blend.  I hope you all have a great day and remember, you are a robot. :)

-slurp-

Cheers,

Al