Robotic Romanticism
written by
The Scorpion
This morning, I stumbled upon a video that talked about the rising popularity of robotics sex dolls. According to various sources, these "sexbots" allegedly will cost anywhere from $5K- S50K!! When I initially saw this video and how guys were going crazy over these things, I immediately took notice and began to connect the dots. The robotic revolution (as we know it) technically began three or four decades ago when factories installed them on their assembly lines to increase productivity and to save money Once technology began to rapidly advance in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the development of robotics and artificial intelligence took center stage. Robots initially started off as clunky monstrosities that performed simple tasks such as drilling in screws and bolts, along with some welding and product placement. Eventually engineers began to streamline robotic designs and make them more humanoid and people-friendly. The earlier models were used for entertainment purposes such as blurting out interesting factoids and playing music. During the 1990s and 2000s, robotic development was kicked further into overdrive with the designing of androids that look more human. The majority of cutting-edge robotic research and development takes place in Japan. The Honda Corporation and Waseda University are two of the main hubs of its production. These two organizations have been cranking out robotic products for decades. Japan's uncanny ability to manufacture realistic humanoids has become somewhat of a coping mechanism for the Japanese inability to make consistent love connections. It appears that if there's a country that needs a game advisor on re-establishing the basics of male-female relations, it would certainly be Japan.
It's hasn't always been like this in the land of the Rising Sun. Japan population was on the rise just like any other first-rate industrial nation in the early 20th century. However, the social dynamics of Japanese culture began to evolve as they began to dominate the technology fields after WWII. Men began to work longer hours at more demanding jobs. Western ideals began to creep into the psyche of the Japanese youth during the Baby Boomer generation, which eventually led to women entering the workforce and demanding more independence from not only their men, but the culture norms that they abided by. This chain of events eventually created an environment in Japan that is similar to the situation in the U.S., where there is a battle of the sexes. Unfortunately, just like in the U.S. Japanese men are losing this war. Another alarming repercussion of this is Japan's plummeting birth rate, but I'll cover that in a future article. Young Japanese men have become so afraid of interacting with women and society that they've become part of a disturbing trend called Hikikomori that has swept over the island nation.
The term "Hikikomori" means withdrawn in Japanese. Many Japanese men have decided to shun typical young male behavior such as partying, dating, and other social gatherings in favor of video games, ramen noodles, internet addiction. The causes of this phenomenon vary depending on which social scientist you listen to. However, I honestly think that the majority of them got their hearts stepped on and tenderized by the foot of some girl that was way out of their league and have resorted to surrendering instead of getting back into the dating arena. What the Hikikomori men failed to realize is that no matter how much you want to abstain from women, human biology will always win in the end. The urge to seeks love and affection from women will always dominate the male psyche, especially in their youth when testosterone levels are the highest. So what does a Hikikomori man do to satisfy his craving for companionship when he lacks the game and social skills to get a woman? He goes online and gets the next best thing: the robotic sex doll. Depending on what your financial status is, you can buy a fancy humanoid woman that you can program anyway you like. For the socially awkward guy who is absolutely petrified of women, this is a dream come true. The Hikikomori trend is not only unique to Japan. It can be found in just about every "first-world nation." However the important question we must ask ourselves is: Will society as a whole completely adopt the mantra of transhumanism and submit to artificial intelligence and technology? Some may say that we've already have. If this is the case, it's only a matter of time before humanity becomes the endangered species that will become the object of pity for a new cybernetic majority.