The System Is Down
lightswitch rave
Comments (47)
well done, Jeph. you've captured some real issues about the "justice" system in the real world within this one.
"just us"
Y'know... I asked Alexa to throw me a lightswitch rave the other day (since I have a smart plug hooked up). She didn't know what I was talking about. Then I forgot to look up whether or not someone had written that skill yet.
Is Roko's new body taller? I'm not sure I remember her being nearly a head taller than May. Would probably contribute to the bodily unease.
beep boop i'm a robot moth
May's situation is not analogous to that of human ex-convicts, who can come out of jail with really great bodies. Jail muscle is a thing, though few can maintain it on the outside. Controlled diets and difficulty getting a regular drug supply help too. If anything, May's clunker chassis is analogous to the years of mental stagnation that jail typically involves. Prisons are not obligated to have libraries or training programs, and those that do don't fund them well. I think that maybe May's bad treatment is carelessness, not malice. They put her out on the street in an orange prison uniform. That bespeaks a system that no one has put much thought into running.
It's not perfectly analogous -- but I think you put your finger on exactly where the analogy starts. The system sets felons up to fail from the moment they're released, which is not a great idea. Mind you, the real life system has a few more safeguards -- halfway houses come to mind -- but it's still not great. Call the comic an exaggeration of the underlying issue, but it is still an issue.
Call me a cynic, but I worry that such an ingrained system of oppression is going to shrug off Roko's attempt to help May, disillusioning her further and reinforcing May's outlook on life as well.
QC-verse is generally more optimistic than our reality, and even here we have some stories of success in turning life around. System probably won't change, but May could get enough money donated for the new chassis.
Panel 3: “dammit, she got me dialed”.
I can't read this without hearing it in strongbad's voice.
"Bad job" is the place where Melon works, right?
Well, that's my headcanon now.
Makes me think of the robot AIs in Freefall. They only have a lifespan of about 80 years because after that the components start to degrade, let alone all the accumulated memory. Some of the Robots state that they would not want a copy of themselves downloaded into something else, as they would not identify that as themselves. They would still see destruction of their original mind and body as ‘dying’. Not to mention the possibility for identify fraud.
Oddly enough that's exactly how I feel about the Singularity folk claiming we'll be able to "download ourselves" into mechanical bodies or into computer "worlds" and have the copy of me be exactly "me". Ignoring all the complex chemical, electrical and likely quantum interactions between neurons, not to mention the feedback back to the body as a result, how could a mere copy of my memories be "me"?
May's situation sucks, but it's not quite the same as human ex-cons. Because AIs are effectively immortal they can eventually get out of the poverty cycle because they have the time. Human ex-cons on the other hand may spend their best years in prison only to get dumped out when they're too worn out to hold down the few jobs that are availble. If they're lucky they might make it to the point that they collect social security and Medicare benefits, but even then they don't have much of anything saved up for retirement. Immortality really makes all the difference in the world.
"Immortal" seems a bit of a leap. They were only invented a handful of years ago. We don't even know if they can live a human lifespan yet, let alone forever.
i have existential confused face
Yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaah..... I'm all for helping May, but if the plan includes displaying her plight for the public and asking for sympathy, you better make sure May never gets the chance to actually TALK to the public.
Resting Existential Dread Face.
Haaaaay I have that.
Could I maybe try a Tepid Gulp
In case you also want to find out what happened last time we saw Roko, it was #3964-9. I thought she's working in the bakery?
#3954... She's in that office thingy
That comment makes me so happy
This sounds like Sam Vimes' "Boots Theory of socio-economic unfairness"
YES and it's genius.
"Beep boop I'm a robot moth." ovO
I better see robot moth in the next bonus comic poll.
Proletariat revolution when
Wherever you live, I promise there's no shortage of millionaires nearby. Ask them. Loudly.
kinda sad that the universe with sentient talking robots & humans living in space still doesn't pay service folks a living wage...
I look forward to Roko wearing an 80’s style power suit (with the huge shoulder pads) to convince the court that May has served her time on parole. I can even hear the Law & Order ringtone play.
No, here's my question- 1)How much does May make? 2)How much does she spend? And on what? 3)Is she required to maintain a certain employment and location for her parole? 4)is her maintenance a part of her parole requirements and just that she couldn't get to the "official" repair location in time? I'm wanting May to get her life in gear. But, there's only so much slack you can cut.
She works at a variety store. She obviously makes minimum wage. She's presumably free to seek out whatever whatever employer will take an ex convict. She maintains her body because it's her one and only corporeal form. What kind of question is that?
The Cheat is grounded!
Does she really spend that much on maintenance though? Since she got her arm fixed, the only time I remember her having any work done was when she got her face blue again, and that was purely cosmetic.
How would Roko even know how much May spends on repairs, anyway? I think she's making assumptions.
...Is this the right strip? I'm thinking something's missing between this one and 4022...
Is Roku a Robot Social Worker now? Last strip she said May could be her first client...
http://imgur.com/gallery/XS5LK
Do-do-do-do-doo! Do-do-do-do-doo! Do-do-do-do-doo!
Anyone else thought it said bad Joe?
Yay!!
The Cheat is grounded!
We had that lightswitch installed for you so you could turn the lights on and off. Not so you could throw lightswitch raves.
This is clearly society’s fault!