JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: As a science fiction lover from an early age (Star Trek: the Original Series, y’all) I’ve been fascinated by the concept of robots for a long time. The origin of the word, for those of you who might not have taken Early 20th Century Theater in college*, comes from R.U.R (Rossum’s Universal Robots) by Czech playwright Karl Čapek. The Czech word robota refers to the forced labor of serfs or slaves - yeah, think about that the next time you turn on your Roomba.
Most of the robots in popular culture dating back to the 1920s are, well, sexy. Interesting. Dramatic. Think of the famous machine-person in Metropolis, or the menacing Gort in The Day the Earth Stood Still. (“Klaatu barada nikto!”) Rutger Hauer breaking your heart in Blade Runner and Data charming you in Star Trek: The Next Generation. I won’t even get into the vast number of SF films that feature the so-very-not original “beautiful robot girl who will also kill you.” (For an interesting gender twist on the old chestnut, see Ich bein dein Mensch /I’m Your Man on Hulu.)
Sadly, in our world, we are not getting sexy, interesting or dramatic robots. We’re getting burrito bowl makers.
That’s right. Soon, your dinner at Chipotle’s (which dubs itself a “fast casual” restaurant) will be courtesy of Chippy the tortilla chip maker, Autocado, which preps avocados (get it?) and a third robot, sadly without a cutesy name, that assembles salads and burrito bowls. On the one hand, there won’t be much chance of catching e. Coli from our machine friends. On the other hand, goodbye to another swathe of $15/hour jobs.
What’s next? Robby the Robot flipping burgers at Mickey D’s? (“Danger of cholesterol, Will Robinson!”) The Terminator serving you mozzarella sticks at Applebees? (“I’ll be back…with your margaritas.”
What do you think of mechanical meal makers, Reds? And are there any other services you’d rather see robots perform?
*See, Dad, it wasn't a waste of money after all!
HALLIE EPHRON: Mechanical meal makers seem scary to me. Last weekend I was in the airport watching a worker assemble breakfast sandwiches at a Tim Horton’s and thinking how mind numbingly repetitive the work must feel. But it’s a way to make a living… until the robots take over.
My son-in-law is a robotics engineer and I’m endlessly fascinated by his work. For a while he was working on a robotic arm that could perform colon surgery. They were testing it on a pig. TMI, I know. And he worked on the digger arm of the first Mars lander. I think his company has been acquired by Amazon. Figures.
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I remember reading R.U.R.! I adored it, and tried to look for other plays like it. LOVE that you know it, too! I still think about it.
Welp, I feel bad for the poor salad-making robot with no cute name. The Mixinator? And the burrito bowl maker could be Bowlene. (Bowlene, Bowlene, Bowlene, Bowlene–I'm beggin’ of you, please don't take my man.) (See? The humans could sing it. It’s the first anti-robot union song.)
Love it for the practicality, I loathe it for the job-taking. It’s such a quandary in progress and transition.
Other services. Potato peeling. Laundry. But wow,the advances in medicine and prosthetics are incredible.
RHYS BOWEN: my grandson is currently doing his masters in robotics and interested in remote surgery. Huge potential there! A robot saves a life in an operation in Africa directed by a surgeon here. And I can see robots doing repetitive jobs, chicken plucking, vegetable planting … but there are humans who need those jobs.
What will happen when all low end jobs are done by robot?
When I was young there were hundreds of women who worked the factory production lines. Boring repetitive work but they chatted with each other and made money for their families. I’m really concerned for the future.
JENN McKINLAY: Bring on the robots! No one should have to do those boring jobs for a rate of pay that is abysmal. Isn’t the whole point of having mechanical help so that people can pursue even bigger and bolder ideas, innovations, and art? Just think, if robots take over doctoring, then healthcare could be free and people wouldn’t be slaves to jobs they hate just for benefits because the insurance and pharmaceutical industries have made life virtually impossible without benefits. People could be happy pursuing their dreams and not risk bankruptcy over an appendicitis because the family robot could fix them right up.
Yes, I’m joking, but…am I? I drive past driverless cars every single day now. It’s becoming common. So, bring on the burrito bowl robots. People have better things to do or they would if they didn’t have to make burrito bowls.
DEBORAH CROMBIE: I do worry about the people losing their jobs, and while I'd like to think they could find something better, I'm not convinced that 
they can. And I worry that every bit of human interaction we lose makes us a little less…human. We are all online orders and phone trees and more and more removed from dealing with other people. I know I sound like a real Luddite here, and I think the scientific and medical uses for robotics are amazing and fantastic. But… Progress marches on, and I do love Chipotle, by the way, so I will check out our local robots at the first opportunity.
JULIA: How about you, dear readers? Are you in the Luddite camp with Debs, or do you welcome our robotic overlords like Jenn?
