Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT Strips 3546 to 3550 (14th to 18th August 2017)
OldGoat:
--- Quote from: TheEvilDog on 15 Aug 2017, 07:27 ---So even though May has paid her debt to society in Robot Jail, she still has to suffer?
--- End quote ---
If she's on parole, she has not finished her sentence. She is, in return for her word of promise to behave, her parole, being allowed to serve her time outside of Robot Jail. But she is still under sentence so her debt to society is not yet paid in full.
Likewise when a convicted person completes the confinement portion of their sentence, if statute or court require probation, they still owe on their "debt to society."
The argument becomes valid when a person has successfully completed their sentence and is no longer under court supervision, especially if gainful employment is difficult to find due to their status as an ex-convict.
SmilingCat:
Whether or not May has paid her debt to society is irrelevant, it's an issue of her being too poor to afford a better body. It's very much a question of how capable of a body should an AI be entitled to, and what quality of affordable maintenance she should be entitled to.
It's basically a health care issue mixed with a feeling of envy for people who don't have the problems. As a cripple, I can relate to a degree.
Shjade:
--- Quote from: brasca on 15 Aug 2017, 08:40 ---While we're on the subject of privilege let's consider Winslow's benefactor, Hannelore. She has the money to buy this since her parents are super rich and she can ask them for money. She's only a barista because she wants to live a normal life to overcome her anxieties. If she were disowned the situation would be quite different. By May's logic Hannelore is a rich girl slumming it and yet she's said nothing like that to her. Perhaps her admiration blinds her.
--- End quote ---
Or perhaps Hannelore hasn't shown up at May's workplace to show off what she's been so easily purchasing with her wealth without considering the context of that conversation to then merit such a response from May.
themacnut:
Wow May, enjoying the taste of those sour grapes? As if it's Winslow's fault you're in the position you're in.
castn:
--- Quote from: Reaver on 15 Aug 2017, 12:41 ---He's not coming to see his friends to show off, or brag about his body, he's coming over to see them and basically going "Look we're the same now!" It's someone who's been in a tiny body, that gets little to no attention (save for bullying from Pintsize) trying to match his peers, and getting called a spoiled brat with a new toy, because his person could afford to get him something nice
--- End quote ---
The thing is, they aren't the same now. Physically: yes. But both Momo and May own their bodies at a high price. May has to upkeep hers (so much so that she can't afford to save up for an altogether new chassis) and Momo's dynamic with Marigold was altered when her chassis price put such a significant dent in Marigold's bank account. They both had problems acquiring the autonomy that most able humans get at birth.
Winslow is privileged. Even outside of that fact that his body costs him next to nothing on a material and emotional level, he is also an AI whose human is the daughter of a v important man in AI culture. To him, getting a body is a decision and an exciting one. To Momo and May, keeping theirs is a hard won achievement. He isn't intentionally bragging but he isn't exercising social acumen either - Momo might forgive that but May won't.
May's status as a felon or ex-felon is irrelevant to the morality of the scenario. It is only relevant in the social context of readers who make judgement calls on whether or not someone "deserves" to be cheated by systemised descrimination just because they have a criminal record. I'm not saying she's right for calling out her friend in that way but this is May we're talking about - if you wanna criticise her words, critisize her rudeness in general instead of her viewpoint on the subject.
Winslow's feelings are hurt but he can move on, and be more aware of the context in which he celebrates his new chassis. Not everyone's gonna get a tactful privilege talk! Some people just gotta deal with May's level of upfrontness, and realise it's a small price to pay for acknolwedging the rights/wealth they've had compared to a majority of people (or AIs).
It's not Winslow's fault that May is in her position, but she doesn't owe him tact if he's not going to be considerate of the disparity between their circumstances. He's being a dick out of ignorance but he's ignorant because he can afford to be ignorant.
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