Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT: 2328-2332 (26-30 November 2012) Weekly Comic Discussion Thread
de_la_Nae:
--- Quote from: Sassafras on 30 Nov 2012, 12:29 ---I love that Pintsize is showing some depth, but he's still pretty cruddy at his job. He's supposed to be an ambassador to humankind, but he's not making AIs look very good.
--- End quote ---
I see what you're thinking, but apply it out to some other examples and I'm sure you'll note the flaw a little bit.
Maurice is supposed to be an ambassador to white people, but he's not making black people look very good.
Juanita is supposed to be an ambassador to Americans (probably white people again), but she's not making Hispanic people look very good.
de la Nae is supposed to be an ambassador to cisgender people, but she's not making transgender people look very good.
While I do consider it something of a personal responsibility to try and be something along the lines of my ideal of 'a good person', nothing in this world really holds me to that except my own beliefs. Holding me, or anyone, too strongly to some idea of unyielding 'ambassadorship' is troublesome because it ends up denying someone their personhood (or humanity if you will, but not sure if best word when AI people get put into the mix). Putting them up on a worshipful pedestal is sort of a way of removing your own ability to understand when and why they might make mistakes or decisions you don't agree with, and now instead of working through that problem to try and find common ground you hate them for not living up to your standards.
If that makes any sense? I know I certainly ended up having that dilemma growing up and realizing my grandfather and father weren't monsters and my grandmother wasn't perfect.
Sassafras:
--- Quote from: Method of Madness on 30 Nov 2012, 12:56 ---Why is he expected to be an ambassador to humanity? As far as I see it, his job is simply to be a good friend to Marten.
--- End quote ---
I suppose it could have just been Momo's interpretation of their job rather than an official job description, but she sure made it sound important.
Method of Madness:
Well it's important to her, sure.
DSL:
--- Quote from: Sassafras on 30 Nov 2012, 15:01 ---
--- Quote from: Method of Madness on 30 Nov 2012, 12:56 ---Why is he expected to be an ambassador to humanity? As far as I see it, his job is simply to be a good friend to Marten.
--- End quote ---
I suppose it could have just been Momo's interpretation of their job rather than an official job description, but she sure made it sound important.
--- End quote ---
Some folks idealize and glamorize their jobs. Some folks have a more realistic picture. Or "cynical," if you want to look at it that way.
Sassafras:
--- Quote from: de_la_Nae on 30 Nov 2012, 14:53 ---I see what you're thinking, but apply it out to some other examples and I'm sure you'll note the flaw a little bit.
Maurice is supposed to be an ambassador to white people, but he's not making black people look very good.
--- End quote ---
Actually, that's not what I was saying, so let me clarify: Momo and Pintsize have both called their role as companion AIs a "job" and implied that they have goals and responsibilities stemming from it. Momo even chose to describe her job as an ambassadorship (though as others have pointed out, it's murky as to whether that's an official duty of companion AIs or just her interpretation of it). Of course this is not related to the pressure forced on marginalized people; I am talking about an official and willingly-accepted job, not an imposed social role. If Momo was just being poetic about her role, and Pintsize doesn't actually have an official duty to be an ambassador, then fuck it, he can do what he wants.
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