Art: Ella Katz

Transparency Item: The “Viewpoints” section of the graphic consists of opinion-based articles. This is the author's opinion and opinion.

The interaction between humans and technology has been a prominent topic of discussion over the past decade, reflected in the rise of dystopian novels and science fiction films, and the intense coverage in journalism about artificial intelligence. Much of this discourse is pessimistic and focuses primarily on the various threats that technological advances may pose to the world.

I disagree with many of these claims. I think the idea that robots will soon declare war on humans and end our existence is largely exaggerated. However, threats exist in the use of technology to develop weapons, algorithms, and tools that threaten privacy.

I am also particularly critical of attempts to replace human creativity, and feel that the concepts of AI art and ChatGPT novels are unethical and unrealistic. With the development of technology comes the risk of harm.

With these thoughts in mind, I recently rewatched Pixar's “WALL-E.” I was struck by his optimism about robots and wondered how it contributed to the conversation about emerging technologies.

“Wally,” which stars Ben Burtt as Wally and Elissa Knight as Eve, isn't exactly optimistic about the future. The film depicts a planet completely overrun with trash and pollution, and a human spaceship living on the ideals of consumerism that drove it from Earth in the first place.

Wally, apparently the last functioning robot on Earth, spots a small green plant just before witnessing the arrival of an exploration robot called EVE, sent to search in vain for signs of life. Wally idealizes the kind of love depicted in the old “Hello, Dolly!” The tapes follow her back to the spaceship, where they change the course of humanity.

The film is about as post-apocalyptic as it gets, taking place almost 700 years after the world effectively ended, but it doesn't give audiences a world mercilessly destroyed by robots. Humans ended the world with their own hands, and it was robots who brought it back to life.

I cannot answer the question of whether it is possible for robots to be self-aware enough to have complex motives, pure intentions, and heightened emotions. I lean towards the no side, but I've met some very thoughtful people who disagree with me.

But I don't think these potential arguments about robots are the most important arguments this movie raises. Rather, the most important debate concerns what humans see. It would be easy for humans to mess everything up, and it would be easier for humans than for robots.

It seems to me that technology paranoia is a problem not with technology itself, but with technology in human hands. The classic vision of a technological apocalypse is tragic in the same way that “Frankenstein” is tragic. Humans will be killed by monsters of their own making.

I'm a little scared of robots, but I think I'll always be a little more scared of humans.

All things considered, I'm not saying that humans are fundamentally evil or that everything they create is necessarily evil. Research suggests that altruism, motivated by empathy and unmixed with self-interest, exists at some level of human development.

Love in all its forms seems undeniably real, not only from the invisible and inexplicable experiences of many people, but also from the movement of neurotransmitters throughout the brain.

I find it interesting that the movie “Wall-E” positions the machine as an example of altruism and love, capable of making heroic sacrifices and acts of love. But this movie really stands up for what's good about humans and shows us what it takes for humans to move beyond survival and excess and thrive.

Some of the things the humans aboard the spaceship begin to remember, even though they've never actually lived before, include music, dancing, and an appreciation for the beauty of the stars. They seem to be programmed like machines to remember what's special about them, and robots help remind them of their purpose.

Therefore, as humans develop new technologies, we need to remember why they exist. It's possible for people to destroy themselves by their monsters, but that can only happen if we ignore the possibility that monsters can save people and nurture what they deserve instead of replacing them. is.

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Email Alyssa Johnson: alyssa.johnson@pepperdine.edu





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