My cynicism and skepticism...

[Tetsuwan Atom]

Interesting topic has this become now, but i dont think of it as weird creepy or bad a Robot with emotions and feelings that would be awesome, Personally i wanna live in that world that Tezuka created.

In the 80's Anime he actually din't use nuclear energy but these weird looking anlog-ish cassettes to charge AB that literally looked like they where from the 80's while it was actually pushed forward at the time to 2030 instead of where the manga had dated 2003 as the year.
So as time went by Tezuka already started to have doubts about it taken place so early and also thought about nuclear engery being a problem and tried diffrent ways to make it happen.

Who knows as Technology develops it may actually be a reality ? (in like 2030 ?) and also in a way that isn't so threathining to the world.
As for these human like robots becoming to smart for ther own good that being another thing because i defenetly think they COULD end up destryoing (all) humans.

[MrsEclipse]

Personally, I tend to think of science fiction and fantasy as falling under the same umbrella, and I've been very lenient with that umbrella. So I don't see the impossible elements of Astro Boy as any less believable than a legendary wish-granting triangle. And the Legend of Zelda is pretty much the best game franchise I can think of. I don't believe in mermaids or shoes that punish children for their vanity, but Hans Christian Anderson is one of my favorite authors.

And sure, the greatest sci-fi authors that defined the genre and wrote the timeless works wrote about things that could very well happen, but beneath that the real defining aspect of sci-fi as a genre is the exploration of the human condition and the speculation about where that will bring us as a species. For example, Jules Verne did write about submarines and spaceships before they happened, but what people remember most about his work was the adventure, the passion for exploration that was depicted. People are all about exploration and discovering wonders an' stuff. Anyway, Astro Boy has that exploration of the human condition thing in spades. I don't need to tell you. You could tell me better than I could tell any of you.

Try this. Next time you start thinking, "It'll never happen," stick a post-it note on the side of your screen of choice that says, "But wouldn't it be wonderful if it did?" It might be enough to see an external sign of optimism to counter the internal cynicism, even if it's one you made yourself. It might also help to focus on the reactions of the people rather than the technology of the robots. Reactions is what makes or breaks believably even-- nay, especially-- if we don't notice.

Or you might be stuck in what I call a "fandom rut." When the fandom starts stagnating, because there isn't anything new and official, you've gone through all the old, a lot of the stuff is unavailable to you, and new membership and activities is at a low, you can start to lose interest. It manifests itself in a variety of ways, like a sudden attack of cynicism. Sadly I know of no cure for it, but if you find that to be the case I'm sure the lovely people here can put together a think tank to find a way to re-ignite your passion. A way to see it through new eyes.

[AprilSeven]

Wow, MrsEclipse - that's a great post - and it's only your second one!
Welcome to Astroboy Online, and for sticky note idea. I had a totally horrific day at work, and I I'll take that idea, and modify slightly . . . and put a spirit boosting sticky note on my screen to look at when I start to get frustrated.

I've also had fan burnout from time to time, but I do bounce back (at least for Astro)

[MrsEclipse]

Ah, g'wan

I actually saw this post last night before I went to bed, and the sentiment behind it interested me. I've been sort of mulling it in my head today while I was out walking and such.

My dad is generally against the idea of robots having personalities for no real reason because he doesn't believe people will want to program robots to be that way, and stories never give a good enough reason for it. Like how C-3P0 in Star Wars is all neurotic and fussy. He's all, why would you program a protocol droid to be fussy like that? It's counter to his job description. And I'm all the time trying to think of different ways to get him to just enjoy the talking robots on screen. He's getting better- he actually enjoyed Astro Boy 2009 even though it makes no real sense for window-washing robots to have free will and personalities.

[Little Brown Fox]

I appreciate all the support, guys. I really do. In fact, while not always very active, this is still one of the friendliest web communities I've ever been a part of (if you want to see the worst, just check out a little place called eCritters). I'm a bit of a pessimist, and more than a little obsessive compulsive (although I wouldn't be as big a fan if I wasn't). I'm very easily saddened and/or depressed by things, but I think that I can get better if I don't focus so much on the negative feelings (for this, at least).

Interestingly, I sort of alternate which fandom I obsess over at any given time. Right now, I'm (kinda sorta) in an Astro Boy phase.

[Earthshine]

We might not have walking talking sentient androids that science fiction has revered so much anytime soon, however we just might have true sentient AIs in our own lifetimes.

Give it time and I'm sure we'll be closing the gap of science fiction as we know it and non-fiction. After all, if you were to explain the basic gadgets we have today to someone living in the 80s they would be flabbergasted! A phone that plays videos and allows you to check your bank, your home, your car and even your dog (a friend has a dog-cam that she synced with her phone to check on him...) would sound insane to the average person back then.

[GreenDarthVader]

It may help your cynicism to look towards other things that happen in Astro Boy that have more meaning now than back in the 50s/80s, or on the relationships between people which have always been timeless. Or just accept Asto Boy doesn't give you the joy it used to, and move on to other things. Who knows: by leaving it for a while, you may end up enjoying it more in the future. Or you could find better things.

[jeffbert]

I made a post somewhere, perhaps on a different forum, in which I said that back in the founding days of scifi, people could believe in Martians, etc., & thus the very real terror that followed the 1938 radio version of WOW. But now, humanity has grown up, & we are too well informed to believe in such things. Thus, when we sit around our CD players & listen to that version of WOW, we are not affected as they were.

Anyway, why should we assume that there will never be a sentient machine? Our brains work according to rules that science at least, partially understands. Bio-electric, though they are, the laws of nature still apply. I know some religions believe there is some metaphysical element involved, so, that there will always be a veil behind which the true secrets of human intelligence & such will remain hidden, but they also believed the earth was flat. Only time will tell.