Page 2/Tuesday, June 10, 1986/The Battalion
Opinion
Robots for heroes promote
owe for machines, not men
I found a fringe
benefit at the bot-
tom of my break
fast cereal the
other morning — a
“Starbot.” It was a
cheap, plastic im
itation of the latest
rage in children’s
toys — toys that
turn into heroic
robots.
The real things are called Transfor
mers or Gobots or Voltrons or several
other names. Basically they’re model
cars and trucks with parts that twist
around until they look like humanoid
machines. Most of the toys have cartoon
shows in the afternoon and a slew of
spin-off toys such as board games, masks
and wrist watches.
I’m not one to believe that the toys a
child plays with will cause brain damage
or warped spines in later years. After all,
I grew up in the days of Vampire Blood,
Stretch Armstrong and Green Slime in a
Gan and my posture is fine.
But this cars-as-heroes craze stems
from a broader attitude spawned by the
computer boom of the ’80s — machines
can do anything, including save the
world.
Robot heroes have been around
almost as long as the concept of robotics.
The Human Torch, a flaming android
comic book hero, debuted in 1939. The
only difference is that the Torch looked
human, and despite his internal compo
nents, he was called human.
But cosmetic appearances became less
important. The forerunner of the
Transformers were the Shogun War
riors — giant, Japanese monster-
fighting robots that were controlled by
people. They were machines, but they
were under direct human control. Then
came Rom, the Spaceknight, a man who
had been turned into a machine. Despite
his mechanical body, he was supposed to
have human emotions.
Now we have Transformers, Gobots,
Voltrons, Starbots, etc. — mechanized
heroes that look like something the Hu
man Torch would have fought against,
not beside. They even have secret identi
ties. They’re cars one minute, do-
gooders the next. It’s a Toyota’s fantasy
come to life.
This theme of technology as a savior
also is found in movies such as “Tron”
and television mind-jello like “Knight
Rider,” to name only a few. The message
is that once microcircuits assume human
characteristics, they can save the day bet
ter than people. It sounds like a great
sales pitch for President Reagan’s Strate
gic Defense Initiative.
While the long-term effects may be
minimal, the immediate results are a lack
of concern for dealing with people. In
stead of respecting and interacting with
others, kids’ admiration and attention is
focused on machines. Gars, no matter
how classy, make lousy role models, and
misdirected vehicular affection can se
riously af fect career goals. “What do you
want to be when you grow up, sonny?” “I
want to be a Dodge Ram Van that turns
into a Decepticon.”
The ’80s has brought about the
acceptance of high technology. Children
are weaned on video games and portable
stereos. Technology is the key to the
doorway of the future, limited only by
man’s imagination.
In the past, movies such as “Dr.
Strangelove” warned tis that runaway
technology could be our downfall. Now,
shows like the Transformers encourage
it. Machines, not men, are the preservers
of justice and the protectors of good.
But this mechanical mindset misses a
key factor: Someone has to build the
machines, someone has to maintain
them and someone, in some form, has to
control them. Machines, high tech or
not, are only tools. T hey may be awe
inspiring and they may make our lives
easier, but they are not our replace
ments. It's an obvious point, but one
that’s easily forgotten.
I’m opposed to technological adv
ances. Recent breakthroughs in compu
ter technology make the production of
this paper much easier than ten years
ago. But no matter how easy they make
my job, machines still need to mind their
place.
The day my car turns into a robot and
starts fighting bad guys — or even helps
an old lady across the street — is the day I
start buying a new kind of breakfast
cereal.
Loren Steffy is a senior journalism major and the
Opinion Page editor for The Battalion.
Loren Steffy
Helping educated women
overcome marriage odds
According to
last week’s News
week, single edu
cated women over
35 will only have a
5 percent chance
of getting married.
Since their .
careers had prece
dence over mar
riage, the working
women start look
ing for “Mr. Right”
much later in life. Too late in most cases
because he already has been captured by
Little Miss Muffet, who couldn’t care less
for a title on her door.
How do I know so much? I have been
serving as a volunteer matchmaker for
my friends over the years. The hours are
long and the work isn’t easy.
Some weeks back a lady friend said to
me, “I’m looking for ‘Mr. Right’ and I
want you to handle my case.”
“You have to take a number. I now
represent seven women, all of whom
have asked me to find them a man.”
“I must have priority. I'm turning 40
next week,” she said.
“All right, but first I have to get a
profile on you. I would like to ask you a
few questions. What kind of man are you
looking for?”
“I’m not fussy,” she said. “Any super
achiever will do.”
1 “How about something on the order
of a vice president of a large insurance
company?” I suggested.
“He doesn’t have to have a title as long
as he is financially independent. I don’t
want to get involved with someone who
looks up to me only because of my in-
'come or my position.”
“T hat sounds reasonable.”
“Find me a caring, loving man who
J understands my many moods and will
adjust to them.”
“That sounds fair.”
“And I don’t want anyone who is still
in therapy.”
“Now you’re making it harder.”
“I have very good administrative ta
lents. Three hundred people answer to
me. They say I’m firm but fair,” she said.
“Yet the w r ord on the street is that you
carry the iron fist you use all day home
with you at night.”
“People are jealous because of my fast
rise to the top which prevented me from
competing for the man of my dreams.
I’m confident you can find ‘Mr. Right’
now because he probably is unhappily
married and at this very moment sear
ching intensely for someone like me.”
“It’s not as easy to find an eligible man
over 40 as one might think.”
“Who says he has to be over 40? Any
one 21 years and up may apply.”
“I don’t have to many suitable 21-year-
olds on my Rolodex,” I told her.
“All I ask is that he be emotionally
secure.”
“You just made my task impossible.”
“I want to make it perfectly clear that I
am not desperate. I’m very happy with
my situation. I have a lovely apartment, a
large office, an American Express credit
card and a cat named Sophie.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” I said, “be
cause your case, while not the most diffi
cult, is not the easiest either. Gould you
give me any idea of how determined you
are to find ‘Mr. Right’?”
“I’d go out with my UPS truck driver if
he asked me.”
“One more question. What sports do
yoti like?”
“I adore tennis. I can wipe up the
court with almost any man I play with,”
she said.
“Would you consider letting ‘Mr.
Right’ win just a few games until you
know each other better?”
“I’m not that desperate.”
Copyright 1986, Los Angeles Times Syndicate
Mail Call
■Texas
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the counti
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Potty permits new revenue-generotor' l I ;' 1 .i 1 ;’ j;;;
the natioi
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guideline.'
EDITOR
I just wanted to commend the University Police on the fine job th- Relations
doing in parking enforcement. Their enthusiasm is unsurpassed.It oi l Manat
was driving around campus and every lot I passed had one of thostl c V <)lal l '’
officers in blue hot on the trail of one of those wanton parking crirait. at <l
too, was once one of these wanton criminals but I’ve paid my $45ari:|
now pursue my education again — a freedom I mistakenly though
inalienable.
I’ve also found a feeling of security from my experience. Youseetk:
ticket was given to my wife — another wanton criminal who thougl
could better herself at the library without first checking on all thepaii
regulations governing visitors. Thank God justice was served andshet
parking ticket.
The other two tickets I received were issued at 9 p.m. and lOp.m
the library studying for critical exams and assumed that the Universityr|
would be out chasing desperate felons.
little did I realize that when I parked my stickerless car in theoutsf
an almost empty parking lot I became a desperate felon. I nowrestass,
that even though bicycle and car thefts occur daily with onlyoo
retribution, we wanton parking felons are punished to the full extent
law — no matter what our story. Justice is served.
I guess I should really direct my praise to Bob Wiatt, the man4:
made police work not only “law' and order” but “law, order and profit" i
the state budget in such shambles this man’s talent is obviously beingk.
1 say let him loose; give him free rein.
My idea? It’s simple — pay toilets in every building.
With all the construction and renovation, eliminate the construni
bathrooms. Our first objective is to limit the number of facilities.Tk
sell bathroom permits — many more permits than there are facilities'
we beef up the police force and patrol the bathrooms looking for
illegally “parked.” Think of it: easy money, good working conditior
conditioning and no rain) and, of course, a safer community. The big
will come from those ignorant of the law. From the money collected
visitors at the football games we should have the A&M Space Shuttle
three years. Who needs oil revenues? We’ve got bathroom and part:
After persuing through all this rhetoric the point is really quite aril
You and I are w r eenies — we gripe and moan, then we pay. ThankG.
weren’t around when America needed us during the Revolution.
HOC
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Michael Bolton
Persecution of grad students
■ront,”
honest,
not bet
targets ;
EDITOR:
1 am writing The Battalion in order to bring attention to a probltcJ
administration will not give attention to, perhaps because the adminM
is the source of the problem.
Zachry Engineering Center has a great deal of open space in theinw
The administration, in its zeal to see that the space is not wasted,givesif
rents it to any group that wants it — apparently they do not discrimiri:
In some cases, such as the regional science fair, I know that landoi
enjoy this. The science fair did not in any way interfere with our world
most often it is turned over to square dancers or fraternity dances^
entail a great deal of noise. In the case of a recent fraternity dance, 11®
doubt that the decibel level was dangerous to us still endowed wkfcs
hearing, but unfortunately none of the engineers capable of measurioji
noise were foolish enough to be around.
What is most offensive is that the administration has so little regad
engineers that it considers any utilization to be better than utilization!
engineers. One must ask who it is that they want to hurt? Is it the engined]
general, or is it the graduate students in particaular? One could makeans
case that graduate students are the persecuted minority of academia.:’
plan mainly on surviving graduate school and leaving, rather thanfighmif
and lessening their chance of survival.
T he point is, who is most likely to be working on a Saturday nighti
graduate students of course. At one of our recent Saturday brouhahash
working because as a lecturer in industrial engineering I am honoredioif
97 students, not the sort of load that you are likely to see a professorsadi :
with. T he insult takes on a particularly pernicious and maliciousflavoruk
one considers that the graduate student is not merely burdened
excessive demands of graduate school, but is actually inhibited inmeS
those demands by administration policy.
Could the administration be so careless and stupid so as to not realize*
they are doing? I question that. Texas A&M has shown a pattern ofsensf;
persecution before as in the cases of women in the band and the homosew
support group. Why not graduate students?
What I would like to know is, who should I sue? Is there anyors
particular that this obscene policy should be credited to, or should ljui
after the entire system?
c
J.M. Cargal
Lecturer, Industrial Engineering
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserve [Ik !
to edit letters For style and length but will make every effort to maintain the author's inter"'
letter must be signed and must include the address and telephone number of the itnier
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Loren if
■ScouSutld
M
Kell
il-pinllt.
Editorial Policy
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