Week 3: Robotics and Art

The industrialization of the US and Japan led to different representations of robots in films. Kusahara points out that the West portrays robots as evil or scary, while in Japanese movies, robots are usually portrayed to help and rescue people (“Robotics MachikoKusahara 1”). Benjamin Walter talks about a loss of aura with the progression of time and how that aura is the originality that cannot be reproduced (Walter, 1936). I found this very interesting, especially as to how industrialization comes into play and how movies influence us today.

In the west, robots were created as a “response to the mechanization of labor” (“Robotics pt 1-3”). As industrialization took place, many laborers lost their jobs in response to these robotic machines. An example of this is in the movie “The Imitation Game”. At first, many workers were working by hand to decode a message from the Nazi communication device, Enigma. Soon, Alan Turing builds a machine that could decode the messages, so there is no need for people to do this by hand anymore.

Fig 2: Alan Turing and his machine

(http://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/imitation-game.jpeg)

In the movie Big Hero 6, there is a bit of Japanese culture mixed into it even though it was produced in the US. Baymax is a robot that is created as a personal healthcare companion. His purpose was to provide better healthcare essentially. If Baymax worked properly, then there would be a mass production of him and thus minimizing the need for actual doctors and workers.

Fig 3: Baymax

(http://www.cinesnob.net/baymax-big-hero-6/)

The different portrayals of robots in film show how industrialization has affected different cultures. In the west, one could conclude that robotics and machines are leading to loss of Walter’s “aura” because people do not have to work as hard since machines can do it all for us. There is a constant battle of doing what is easy and trying to keep people employed. I personally think that some humans can be evil because of our selfishness and not caring what happens to other people as long as things are done quicker and it benefits ourselves. Whereas when you look at the reasons why Japan has built robots, they are trying to better the community by helping others and improving society. Also, in a lot of Western films, robots are deemed as violent where as in Japanese films, robots are cute and more child friendly. It really reflects on the West and how violence is embedded into our culture.

Fig 3: Robotic machines 

 (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/business/new-wave-of-adept-robots-is-changing-global-industry.html)

Works Cited

"History of the United States Industrialization and Reform (1870-1916)." Theusaonline.com. The USA Online. Web. 17 Apr. 2015..

"Japan's Modern History: An Outline of the Period." Japan's Modern History: An Outline of the Period | Asia for Educators | Columbia University. Asia for Educators. Web.

UConlineprogram. “Robotics MachikoKusahara 1.” Youtube. Youtube, 14 April 2012. Web.

UConlineprogram. “Robotics pt1-pt3.” Youtube. Youtube, 15 April 2012. Web.

Walter, Benjamin. “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” 1936. Web.