"Sex Robot" on Discovery

The other night I was hanging out having a couple beers with some friends & watching TV. As I was flipping through the TV guide a show called "Sex Robots" caught the eye of one of my friends.

"Red Hot Robots"

Out of amused curiosity I turned it on, & it was like a horrible train wreck that I had to keep watching. I could NOT believe what I was seeing. Basically these people, who I began calling "Robo-pervs," (*see below for update) actually prefer the companionship of robots that look like women to the real thing.

As any biologically-inclined human could probably guess, it was pretty unsettling.

The documentary was about people who are dreaming of the day when fully interactive & lifelike robots are made for the sole purpose of simulated intercourse. It's amazing that the instinctual sex drive in humans is so controlling that it can override our biological imperative to make some people pursue a path like this.

Proving there is a niche for everyone in this crazy world, the program showed people trying build a sex robot, and also followed guys who wanted to own these Fembots. They gave feedback to the builders on how to improve the appearance and performance of the robots. To me, all the robots looked creepy and almost frightening, and their jerky movements & lifeless interactions only enhanced the creepiness factor.

Here is one of the robots & its creator, w/ an appropriately ridiculous headline:

"Roxxxy Sex Robot
Also a Great Conversationalist"

At one point in the documentary two humanoid robots were shown "humping" each other, & they were basically just banging their plastic heads together. I started laughing hysterically at the sheer absurdity of it.

There was another guy who was on the computer looking at pictures of female robots with their face & chest removed, exposing circuitry underneath. This was the guy's idea of porn & it makes absolutely no sense at all. The closest I can find to the photos that he was oogling over was this:


Another robot fetishist actually had a girlfriend (who was also kind of dorky, but not hideously ugly or anything). She agreed to go along with being hypnotized into becoming a robot to make her boyfriend happy. He was asking her to repeat "Prime Directives" & she responded about "being obedient & pleasing" her boyfriend, who was visibly encouraged by this. It was definitely creepy to me.

Some of these souls seem to have serious issues with control, which makes them desire a life-like being that obeys their whims.

I was watching this show almost the entire time with my jaw dropped open or wincing at the awkwardness of some of the situations. My brain simply could not process the madness I was seeing. However, to each his own... right?

*Update 9/27:
Someone commented on this post appropriately mocking me for being an insensitive jerk in my tone. They have a point in the sense that I wasn't practicing kind speech. I really don't wish ill on anyone & think people should be able to do whatever the hell they want, without fear of persecution. As long as you're not hurting anyone, go nuts!

Truth be told- I think 'alternative' lifestyle choices like robots, virtual experiences, & other things we aren't able to imagine yet will only become more commonplace as technology becomes more sophisticated. However, to me personally it's still a mind-boggling phenomenon, as are other things - like people being willing to swim with Great White sharks. Neither seems like sensible behavior to me, but I'm not going to tell people they can't do it.

So sorry if it seems harsh, but as a human being I'm trying to avoid the Robot Sexpocalypse™ that could wipe out our species forever if this behavior continues.

I am only human, after all.