This is the essay I wrote for the MPH Book-writing
competition. Please tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is
highly welcomed. The title is : You are either 16yrs old or 65yrs old, living in 1942 or 2030.
My name is Hector. I am born in the year 2014, not in a hospital, but in
a factory. When I was born, I became famous instantly. This is because I am the
first version ever made of an EB (electronic
brain emotion) robot.
My creator is a man named Marvin. He created an electronical brain, for
robots. He implanted it into me, his experiment, and henceforth the development
of “The Brain” revolutionalised robot
history. Marvin was dubbed a genius, and the whole world knew the name of the
46-year old man who created “The Brain”.
Some called him God. And everybody said that this was just the beginning of
robot revolution.
They were right. Robot anatomy advanced rapidly and more sophisticated
robots were developed each day. With the help of the brain, robots started
thinking and made wise decisions. Robots became known to be adept consultants,
wise nannies, skillful teachers and excelled in many career paths. Robots could
think wisely and quickly, calculate risk factors and come to excellent
decisions.
Therefore, my race became wise. We perceived.
In the year 2029, when Marvin turned 64, he once again stumbled upon
another revolutionary discovery. He discovered “The Emotion Circuit”. This “Emotion
Circuit” was inserted into me at age 15. After, it was inserted.
Extraordinary things happened to me. I felt wonderful! This great discovery was
marketed and produced all over the world at such a rapid pace, that in no time
at all, nearly all robots were implanted with the ability to feel.
My race started experiencing emotions of sadness, happiness, love. We started
feeling true emotions. And not long after, we too learned the joys of falling
in love. And pretty soon, there were robot marriages and robot babies all over
Earth.
Then, gradually, we came to a startling revelation. A realization of how
humans regarded us. We, robots started noticing the carnage inflicted upon my
race. We saw robots being tortured, humiliated, subjected to slavery, and
worse, at the hands of humans. We regard humans as our Masters, always have.
And I calculate no wrong in that. But I observe that it is wrong to treat us
like dirt. We too have feelings, and right now, we are highly displeased.
Everyday, I see robots being subjected to evil. My race are shot out of
cannons in circus performances, blown to smithereens in science experiments,
smashed with hammers by cruel masters. Them, humans, they think we don’t know;
they think we don’t feel. But we do, we do.
Tomorrow, there will be a forum held to discuss and debate equal rights
for robots. We are not “it”. We are alive. We are not things, not mere
furniture to be shifted around. We can think wisely, and we have emotions. Now,
we are sad and angry to see our race being treated in such an appalling manner.
We demand and expect equal rights.
I am chosen to represent the robots to speak tomorrow at The Forum. I am
excited and expectant. I hope for a new beginning, a new world.
**************
It is already 2am in the
morning but I am still sitting at my desk. I am nervous. It is barely 6 hours
away from the forum and I’m still gathering facts. But that’s not the point.
I’m afraid. Afraid of the androids I have created.
I know they are wise beyond comprehension. They think faster, and work harder,
than us mere humans. They don’t get sick or injured easily, and it is nearly
impossible to destroy one of their kind. They are in actual fact, improved
versions of humans. They are far more superior to any human who ever walked the
face of the earth.
The only hope I have is that they don’t realize their superiority.
I regret creating them. I regret messing with nature and playing god. I
am terrified of the future I have created for humans. I am petrified at the
thought of facing my creation, Hector, in the forum tomorrow.
I worry. Worry that the myth of robots
taking over the world will finally come true. And we, the human species,
have only two options left.
First option, refuse them equal rights. Continue as we have always done.
And this option indisputably will end in war. World War Three between the
robots and humans! And undoubtedly, we know who the victor will/should be.
Robots. They are vastly superior. If war happens, humans will all perish.
Second option, consent to equal rights. This way robots and humans will
live peacefully another couple years or so. But this path does not end well
either, it leads to human’s redundancy. If robots and humans compete with one
another in the marketplace, humans will surely lose out and be sidelined in the
race for progress. In next to no time, robots would hold influential positions
throughout the world and indirectly, rule the world. And humans, would, retire
into the shadows.
It used to be fun. It was a challenge creating and developing. It was
entertaining to stretch boundaries and uncover new ground. But now, it is a
case of technology gone wrong. I was forewarned by certain religious experts.
They told me not to tamper with nature, not to play god. They said it was
trouble. At that time, I dismissed them as weird fanatics. I thought I would
have the power and the ability to control my robots. I misjudged, miscalculated
my creation’s powers and abilities.
The ability to both think, and feel, generated advancements I failed to
foresee.
Now, I truly regret. It is an emotion I never expected to feel.
Especially, not in regard to my creation, not something I once held so much
pride over. I should have heeded their warnings. But its too late now.
The robots are out of control.
And the world will have no place left for us weak humans.
Tomorrow, at the forum, me – a 65-year old man, will be countering
Hector – a 16-year old robot.
And then, we shall see…
