I haven't actually seen this movie by Spike Jonze and I am so excited to see what the hype is about. Ever since I saw A.I. and that Big Bang Theory episode where Raj falls in love with Siri I have been wondering if technology would develop so that artificial intelligence could and would replace humans in all aspects... even in love.
I was talking to my friend last week about the movie and this is how it went:
Me: The creepy thing is it could happen
Me: In the future, people could substitute human interaction with computers
Him: Yeah maybe I am a robot you never know
Me: Yeah. I don't mind
Me: Eleanor: :)
Him: Oh really?
Me: If you're a robot?
Me: What's wrong with that?
Me: If you could interact with me despite being one then that's just awesome
Me: Haha isn't that the whole premise of the movie?
Him: Haha yeah but he falls in love right? That is like saying you could fall in love with a talking goat just because it can interact with you its still a goat
Me: Hmmm a talking goat
Me: Yeah, kinda gross if you put it that way
Me: Hahaha
Him: Yeah I guess it is whatever perspective you put it in
Me: I saw this documentary on tv once
Me: This guy had a life sized blow up doll
Me: And he would take it with him wherever he went
Me: He said he was in love with it
Him: A woman who doesn't talk back. Every mans dream.
Me: Haha well... It'll get boring
Me: I'd rather have the talking goat ;)
Him: Hahaha well at least you can have a nice meal if the goat steps out of line too much
Me: I don't think I can do that, I'd be too attached to it
Me: Maybe swap it with a non talking goat, I dunno...
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First of all, I am still not that convinced that liking a thinking thing is so far-fetched, even if the interaction is limited to a string of texts and conversations. I mean, technology has made it possible for human interaction to be limited to texts and video after all. I said like, not fall in love, though. To get to the next step you need to actually breathe the same air and touch someone. So I guess I need to actually have Spike Jonze convince me that it IS possible to love a voice and an artificial one at that. For all intents and purposes Samantha might have been programmed to interact with Theodore and make him fall in love with her but who says this would work on a guy that was less vulnerable or available than he is? Maybe the fit wouldn't be there every time? After all, we fall in love with a person's flaws most of all. I wouldn't be surprised if falling in love with a non-human can be considered as the ultimate escape from reality and the human desire for connection that we have in us. Or maybe it's escape from committing yourself to reality because even if your emotions are engaged you're not really there, you can unplug whenever you want. It's investing emotions on something that doesn't really care or have it's own emotions, come to think of it. And there lies the conundrum: Who's the real robot in this scenario? The one who can't help but be one because "She" is or the one who acts like one despite being Human?
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