Why female sex robots are more dangerous than you think

[Lucysnow]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/fe...dangerous/

EXCERPT: [...] I's a disappointing reflection of the way women are portrayed in society - Ma’s clever three dimensional creation is about as one dimensional as you can get. Is all this cause for concern? Of course. Because right now more money is being spent on making these things than thinking about the ethical and societal ramifications. We already know porn provides a terrifying reflection on how society views women, which can manifest itself in real life. But what happens when machines start contributing to the objectification of women too?

There's also a real worry that people will abuse robots assigned human traits - whether it be in a sexual or physical way. Whitby thinks it's a legitimate concern: “Will people mistreat robots? Oh yes, I’m sure. The reason I’m sure is because they already do. The way people first meet artificial intelligence is in a character in a video game that they’re shooting at.”

[...] Dr Kathleen Richardson, a Senior Research Fellow in the Ethics of Robotics at the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility, has done extensive research into this area - especially in regards to women. She says: “A machine, like the portrayal of women in pornography, prostitution and the media are entirely objects for male gratification. But women aren't like what males see in pornography or in prostitution or in popular media.

“In these areas women are coerced or told how to be have act or behave with a threat of money or violence. In real life, women really have their own thoughts and feelings and preferences and desires. It seems logical that if this extreme control can't be experienced by men with real women, the only next step is to create artificial objects.”

The people creating these robots are also partly to blame. A 2014 Nesta study titled ‘Our Work Here Is Done: Visions of a Robot Economy’ examined how gender is assigned to machines in the workplace. Researchers found that ‘male' robots are thought to be better at repairing technical devices while 'female' robots are thought to be more suited to domestic and caring services.

In other words: people with gendered ideas make robots that conform to gender norms, which then perpetuates existing stereotypes...

MORE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/fe...dangerous/

How do you know that the use or misuse of these robots for sexual gratification may not be a helpful sublimation of sexually violent instincts? So a guy who needs to be gratified in some repulsive way leaves his wife's bed because he cannot ask her to do this repulsive thing and goes off to find a prostitute. With a robotic sex toy maybe he won't even have to take his dark impulses out on any real woman? It might even make human sex workers irrelevant and outdated like VHS. No sexually transmitted disease, no hassle over time and money, no ramifications if you want to go full Marquis De Sade, no riding around in the middle of the night risking arrest.

Why is it important in contemporary western society to be rid of gender norms? Right now a western woman can go into any profession, she has access to education, she's independent, she can dress like she wants, use her sexuality like she wants, she has waning but remaining reproductive rights etc so how is gender now a problem? I know its a problem for transgender people but outside of that group I don't see how its a problem for women in particular. In many parts of the world women's bodies are still regarded as 'dirty', she's still an object of husband and farther, she's still fighting to get an education, she's still fighting to choose whom she marries, she has no reproductive rights. Its not the ones with the robots who need to deal with gender, its those without meaning its those who's societies are not developed to modern western standards.

I hope they realize that they need male robots for sex too because there will be a growing demand from men and women who also want to bypass human relations and just be gratified by a male robot. In the world of sex male prostitutes still end up pleasuring more men than women.

[RainbowUnicorn]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/fe...dangerous/

EXCERPT: [...] I's a disappointing reflection of the way women are portrayed in society - Ma’s clever three dimensional creation is about as one dimensional as you can get. Is all this cause for concern? Of course. Because right now more money is being spent on making these things than thinking about the ethical and societal ramifications. We already know porn provides a terrifying reflection on how society views women, which can manifest itself in real life. But what happens when machines start contributing to the objectification of women too?

There's also a real worry that people will abuse robots assigned human traits - whether it be in a sexual or physical way. Whitby thinks it's a legitimate concern: “Will people mistreat robots? Oh yes, I’m sure. The reason I’m sure is because they already do. The way people first meet artificial intelligence is in a character in a video game that they’re shooting at.”

[...] Dr Kathleen Richardson, a Senior Research Fellow in the Ethics of Robotics at the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility, has done extensive research into this area - especially in regards to women. She says: “A machine, like the portrayal of women in pornography, prostitution and the media are entirely objects for male gratification. But women aren't like what males see in pornography or in prostitution or in popular media.

“In these areas women are coerced or told how to be have act or behave with a threat of money or violence. In real life, women really have their own thoughts and feelings and preferences and desires. It seems logical that if this extreme control can't be experienced by men with real women, the only next step is to create artificial objects.”

The people creating these robots are also partly to blame. A 2014 Nesta study titled ‘Our Work Here Is Done: Visions of a Robot Economy’ examined how gender is assigned to machines in the workplace. Researchers found that ‘male' robots are thought to be better at repairing technical devices while 'female' robots are thought to be more suited to domestic and caring services.

In other words: people with gendered ideas make robots that conform to gender norms, which then perpetuates existing stereotypes...

MORE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/fe...dangerous/

is sex a competition ?

---

In the world of sex male prostitutes still end up pleasuring more men than women.

a little irony in the mix considering the word "pleasure" being used as a mode of attainment of action rather than actual quality of expereince.
Genetically men have developed to be eager for sex at any opportunity so their genes survive.
that is the nature of the darwinian process.
SOo... considerng for women it is bent in the other direction (careful consideration to ensure the child survives).

has the species evolved past that to become the norm of its culture & driving habits of cultural sexual interaction  ?

[Secular Sanity]

Why is it important in contemporary western society to be rid of gender norms?

Contemporary?  Could be as early as 40 AD.

"Then shall we enter the (Father's) kingdom as babies?"

"When you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, then you will enter [the kingdom]. "
----------
"Let Mary go away from us, for women are not worthy of life."

Jesus said: "Look, I will draw her in so as to make her male, so that she too may become a living male spirit, similar to you."

(But I say to you) "Every woman who makes herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven."

I know a woman that has alopecia areata and has gained a significant amount of weight.  She lights up a room when she walks in. Her eyes light up when she sees you.  She’s warm, intelligent, and honest.  She makes as much money as her husband and she’s a great mother.  Her husband is extremely handsome, and as far I know, he’s faithful.  The men are completely puzzled by this arrangement.  Most of them think it’s purely a matter of duty, and I must admit, most of the women feel the same way.

Reverse the situation and this age-old conundrum is removed.

I think the key word here is 'worth'.  What is the value of a woman even in a contemporary society?

[Zinjanthropos]

In my youth I met a woman and eventually things got a little warm. Listen in.......

Me: Would you believe I know 100 ways to make love?
She: Really, I only know a few
Me: So tell me what's your favorite?
She: The Missionary Position
Me: Missionary Position!!!!????
She: Ya, you know, I lay on my back spread eagle and the guy gets on top
Me: 101

I wonder what a sex robot is programmed for...... Basic Kama Sutra? Can it be grown in the lab?

[Lucysnow]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/fe...dangerous/

EXCERPT: [...] I's a disappointing reflection of the way women are portrayed in society - Ma’s clever three dimensional creation is about as one dimensional as you can get. Is all this cause for concern? Of course. Because right now more money is being spent on making these things than thinking about the ethical and societal ramifications. We already know porn provides a terrifying reflection on how society views women, which can manifest itself in real life. But what happens when machines start contributing to the objectification of women too?

There's also a real worry that people will abuse robots assigned human traits - whether it be in a sexual or physical way. Whitby thinks it's a legitimate concern: “Will people mistreat robots? Oh yes, I’m sure. The reason I’m sure is because they already do. The way people first meet artificial intelligence is in a character in a video game that they’re shooting at.”

[...] Dr Kathleen Richardson, a Senior Research Fellow in the Ethics of Robotics at the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility, has done extensive research into this area - especially in regards to women. She says: “A machine, like the portrayal of women in pornography, prostitution and the media are entirely objects for male gratification. But women aren't like what males see in pornography or in prostitution or in popular media.

“In these areas women are coerced or told how to be have act or behave with a threat of money or violence. In real life, women really have their own thoughts and feelings and preferences and desires. It seems logical that if this extreme control can't be experienced by men with real women, the only next step is to create artificial objects.”

The people creating these robots are also partly to blame. A 2014 Nesta study titled ‘Our Work Here Is Done: Visions of a Robot Economy’ examined how gender is assigned to machines in the workplace. Researchers found that ‘male' robots are thought to be better at repairing technical devices while 'female' robots are thought to be more suited to domestic and caring services.

In other words: people with gendered ideas make robots that conform to gender norms, which then perpetuates existing stereotypes...

MORE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/fe...dangerous/

is sex a competition ?

---

In the world of sex male prostitutes still end up pleasuring more men than women.

a little irony in the mix considering the word "pleasure" being used as a mode of attainment of action rather than actual quality of expereince.
Genetically men have developed to be eager for sex at any opportunity so their genes survive.
that is the nature of the darwinian process.
SOo... considerng for women it is bent in the other direction (careful consideration to ensure the child survives).

has the species evolved past that to become the norm of its culture & driving habits of cultural sexual interaction  ?

I'm not sure that the Telegraph article or the thread starter was implying that sex is a competition as much as gender is being reinforced and extended towards robots. Personally I don't know how it could work any other way except to consciously use a man's voice for petty tasks and female voices serious tasks but that seems too forced. We don't live in a gender free world.

I don't believe the species has evolved past gender, I think there has been an opening or expansion of gender norms but it is my opinion that they can only be stretched so far.

---

Why is it important in contemporary western society to be rid of gender norms?

Contemporary?  Could be as early as 40 AD.

"Then shall we enter the (Father's) kingdom as babies?"

"When you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, then you will enter [the kingdom]. "
----------
"Let Mary go away from us, for women are not worthy of life."

Jesus said: "Look, I will draw her in so as to make her male, so that she too may become a living male spirit, similar to you."

(But I say to you) "Every woman who makes herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven."

I know a woman that has alopecia areata and has gained a significant amount of weight.  She lights up a room when she walks in. Her eyes light up when she sees you.  She’s warm, intelligent, and honest.  She makes as much money as her husband and she’s a great mother.  Her husband is extremely handsome, and as far I know, he’s faithful.  The men are completely puzzled by this arrangement.  Most of them think it’s purely a matter of duty, and I must admit, most of the women feel the same way.

Reverse the situation and this age-old conundrum is removed.

I think the key word here is 'worth'.  What is the value of a woman even in a contemporary society?

Wow that's in the bible? I have never heard that first quote but its quite beautiful. Do you know exactly what it means or is trying to convey? I say contemporary because 'gender politics' belongs to the lexicon of the contemporary. If you know of any part of history where men and women were considered genderless, socialized without gender placements please show examples.

So knowledge was male and because Jesus was passing knowledge to a female she would have to be altered to enter the kingdom of heaven? Please you obviously know more about biblical mythology than I do so you'll have to expand the meaning pass the text or put it in context for me. 

I think the value of a woman was greatly expanded due to the efforts of feminists and technology, feminists challenged patriarchal dogma and technology gave women freedom from the petty household chores (freeing time) and medical technology freed her from reproductive realities (the pill, abortion). Women have entered the workplace, have economic independence, has the right to her sexual preferences etc and all of this is backed by law. That's a big step. What I've noticed though for the past ten years is that this is being undone, there are challenges in regards to reproductive rights carried to the point of being completely inaccessible in some states and the way its being challenged reminds me very much of the film 'Rain without Thunder' (if you've never seen it, I highly recommend it). I also find that women's rights and feminist theory being challenged by transgender theory and politics as it attempts to reinvent the whole biological notion of 'womanhood'. I see a woman's worth being challenged with the accessibilty of internet porn where most young boys are introduced to sex, internet porn represents a skewed particularly abusive vision of sexual domination Hugh Heffner never dreamed of. I also see women's worth being challenged by women themselves as they appear to behave like wenches in need of protection in terms of 'rape culture' (and no I'm not denying rape) and safe spaces at university (not to be confused with a women's space), its as if they go out into the world as defenseless lambs instead of self-protective and self-affirming young women. So what is the value of women in contemporary society? Not much anymore if she has to be perceived as male to be taken seriously, not when she still has to fight for reproductive freedom. Just my two cents. I am a firm believer that men and women are different but not unequal.

---

@CC

I forgot to address the question you raised "Has the species evolved past that to become the norm of its culture & driving habits of cultural sexual interaction?", Hmm. Not sure how to answer that but I believe no. I think society has demanded men change their overt attitudes towards women notwithstanding Trumps insistence that its okay to grab a woman by the pussy but it looks as if there is a social backlash reverberating under the social surface.

---

In my youth I met a woman and eventually things got a little warm. Listen in.......

Me: Would you believe I know 100 ways to make love?
She: Really, I only know a few
Me: So tell me what's your favorite?
She: The Missionary Position
Me: Missionary Position!!!!????
She: Ya, you know, I lay on my back spread eagle and the guy gets on top
Me: 101

I wonder what a sex robot is programmed for...... Basic Kama Sutra? Can it be grown in the lab?

I also prefer the missionary position. 

[Zinjanthropos]

Confucius say: sex with robot like sex with Tin Man, always need to lubricate joint with Penetrating Oil.

[Secular Sanity]

Wow that's in the bible?

No, non-canonical.  The Gospel of Thomas.

I think the value of a woman was greatly expanded due to the efforts of feminists and technology, feminists challenged patriarchal dogma and technology gave women freedom from the petty household chores (freeing time) and medical technology freed her from reproductive realities (the pill, abortion). Women have entered the workplace, have economic independence, has the right to her sexual preferences etc and all of this is backed by law. That's a big step. What I've noticed though for the past ten years is that this is being undone, there are challenges in regards to reproductive rights carried to the point of being completely inaccessible in some states and the way its being challenged reminds me very much of the film 'Rain without Thunder' (if you've never seen it, I highly recommend it). I also find that women's rights and feminist theory being challenged by transgender theory and politics as it attempts to reinvent the whole biological notion of 'womanhood'. I see a woman's worth being challenged with the accessibilty of internet porn where most young boys are introduced to sex, internet porn represents a skewed particularly abusive vision of sexual domination Hugh Heffner never dreamed of. I also see women's worth being challenged by women themselves as they appear to behave like wenches in need of protection in terms of 'rape culture' (and no I'm not denying rape) and safe spaces at university (not to be confused with a women's space), its as if they go out into the world as defenseless lambs instead of self-protective and self-affirming young women. So what is the value of women in contemporary society? Not much anymore if she has to be perceived as male to be taken seriously, not when she still has to fight for reproductive freedom. Just my two cents. I am a firm believer that men and women are different but not unequal.

It’s all about power, Mrs. Lucy, and we have a long tradition of using our sexuality as a bargaining chip.  Are males capable of wielding sexual power over us?  No, not really, but why?  

Back then a common response to the question of how good a woman looked was "she could stop traffic" or "cause an accident".

Can a good looking man stop traffic or cause an accident?  I’ve never seen it happen, have you?

Let’s face it, Mrs. Lucy.  There was never any biological or social repercussions for men.  They've never had to restrain their sexual impulses.  

Take the situation of the couple that I mentioned earlier.  No one would think twice about it if he wasn’t in a committed relationship with her. If he was just having sex with her, every man and every woman would understand.  Been there, done that, sort of thing. We’ve all heard the double bagger idioms. Just cover the face and Fire the Base and get the Job done, right?  Unlike women, men can’t just get laid whenever they want.  They can't afford to be choosy, but we can, and not just because we’re limited by the number of pregnancies that we can have in our lifetime.  No, we can be choosy because our options are unlimited.  There's no demand for male sex robots or male whore houses.  Men are a dime a dozen.

Look at this recent study on female sexual fluidity. It’s like watching a porn film, isn’t it?  It’s all about the man, right?  Why do you think that straight women prefer lesbian porn? Toss a man into the mix and the scene revolves around him, doesn't it?  Same thing happens with science, history, psychology, philosophy, etc.

We’ve traditionally obtained power and status through men, whether it be physical, financial, or otherwise, for quite some time now. We’re humans, though, and we no longer appeal to nature.  New technology, reproductive rights, and sexual liberation challenges our traditional codes of conduct allocating even more power to females. When you have that much power, there's bound to be some backlash.

Social power has been popularly associated with sexual infidelity among men; experimental psychologists have linked power with sexual infidelity among women also. A Dutch study involving a large survey of 1,561 professionals, concluded that “The relationship between power and infidelity was the same for women as for men, and for the same reason. These findings suggest that the common assumption (and often-found effect) that women are less likely than men to engage in infidelity is, at least partially, a reflection of traditional gender-based differences in power that exist in society.”
Female promiscuity (wikipedia.org)

We’ve had to contend with our sexual jealousy for eons, but taboos against female promiscuity are diminishing.  

Sexual economics 101: supply and demand.  

In a competitive market the price will vary until there’s an equilibrium for price and quantity.  There’s a little mental discomfort with equating sex with labor, and labor with commodities, but we say one thing and we do another.   We want to be valued as human beings, with dignity and respect, but we’ve treated our own sexuality like a commodity.  We’ve brandished it as a capital, a factor of production, and a valued resource.

As we become more and more promiscuous, I suspect that males will become choosier.  After all, they’re supply is increasing.  There might come a day when we'll be saying to our sons, "Why buy the bull when the service is free?"  

Like with anything, Mrs. Lucy, it’s a power struggle—a push and a pull—a dance between the sexes.

[Zinjanthropos]

How do women, and I've asked this before, end up with a guy who treats them like property? I've seen this play out so many times that it's routine. Now if you gals can figure out a way to sell these guys a sex robot, one they can own, trade in, etc then perhaps that leaves the guys that will commit to you as an equal partner and you live comfortably. But then again you'd probably choose poorly, predisposed perhaps?

I've known guys who were complete assholes towards women end up with the runway model trophy wife who eventually gets her teeth knocked out or worse. I mean I'm a man and I can see trouble ahead for women if they shack up with these guys, how is it you guys can't? What are you guys seeing that I don't? Money, power, physique, endowment....WTF? All those guys need a robot badly, if only as a punching bag substitute for the real thing.

[Secular Sanity]

How do women, and I've asked this before, end up with a guy who treats them like property? I've seen this play out so many times that it's routine. Now if you gals can figure out a way to sell these guys a sex robot, one they can own, trade in, etc then perhaps that leaves the guys that will commit to you as an equal partner and you live comfortably. But then again you'd  probably choose poorly, predisposed perhaps?

I've known guys who were complete assholes towards women end up with the runway model trophy wife who eventually gets her teeth knocked out or worse. I mean I'm a man and I can see trouble ahead for women if they shack up with these guys, how is it you guys can't? What are you guys seeing that I don't? Money, power, physique, endowment....WTF?  All those guys need a robot badly, if only as a punching bag substitute for the real thing.

Women end up in abusive relationships and stay in them for the exact same reasons that men do.

I’m heading out for a while.  Keep 'em entertained for me, will ya, Zinman?  

Ciao!

[RainbowUnicorn]

Women have entered the workplace, have economic independence, has the right to her sexual preferences etc and all of this is backed by law.

which countrys are you refering to ?

i notice you do not say a woman has the right over her own body.

why is that  ?