72: But Are "Friends" Electric?

The End of the World with Michael and Stu

This week we are continuing our suite of robot themed episodes by discussing the play that originated the word, R.U.R. by Karel Čapek which was first written in 1920. Derived from a Czech term meaning "serf" or "worker," these robots are more akin to the androids and other humanoid robots to be found in works like Blade Runner or Companion than the metallic beings to be found in Star Wars. While the play itself is perhaps not the most dramaturgically compelling work we've examined, it is incredible how many of the contemporary concerns about AI and robot labor we've been discussing lately this work anticipates. Robots are created to liberate man from his labor in this play, but in the end, what does that liberation lead to? In a world where "hard work" is held up as the ultimate good in and of itself, what is lost when the need for it vanishes?

We open the episode by discussing the recent deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles.

This episode contains spoilers for R.U.R.

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1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. R.U.R. Discussion (00:12:48)