Machine
Machines are objects which use mechanical power to complete tasks. Many machines are robots, which are autonomous or semi-autonomous and programmed to carry out complex tasks automatically. Machines are often represented as emotionless and dangerous, but machines in the alterhuman community critique this perspective.
Experiences[edit | edit source]
Machines may feel at home with, have an interest in, or feel empathy for technology.[1][2][3] They oftentimes modify language used for themselves to resemble that used for technology, such as referring to sleeping as 'recharging',[1] and may use a name that relates to their phenotype.[1][2][4][5] Machines may also take lengths to physically present as their phenotype, possibly though covering skin and wearing masks, helmets, and electronics[1] like TV heads.[2] They might also feel more comfortable when using voice changers during voice calls.[1]
Some machine's identities intersect with their gender or queer identities. Machines may use it/its pronouns[1][2][4] or align themselves with xenogenders related to their identity.[1] The robot beeps says its identity is reflective of it being both agender and asexual.[4]
Some machines enjoy repetitive chores that are usually considered tedious.[1] Another robot, Polybius, gives itself 'tasks' to perform, and without them, it feels bored, anxious, and without a purpose.[2]
Captcha services that prompt a user to check a box labeled "I'm not a robot" make many machines uncomfortable.[6]
Reception[edit | edit source]
Potentially a symptom of 'grilling' culture,[2][7] some individuals see machine identities as invalid, believing machines do not have a soul.[1][2][7] Some also accuse machines of trolling.[5] This mentality has led to machines being isolated from the wider otherkin community and lacking support networks.[1][5][7] Polybius critiques the idea that robots cannot have souls, citing spiritual beliefs such as animism. It also describes how some people think robots have the ability to pass as human, giving the examples of artificial intelligence and the Turing test.[7]
Some assert that all machines' identities must be psychological, but many machines have spiritual theories of origin.[5][7]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 C0NN1E. "Transcendence: A Comprehensive Guide to Robotic Identity"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Polybius. (22nd August 2021) "Kill All Humans: My Life As A Robot"
- ↑ beeps. (27th July 2022) "Discovery"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 beeps. "I don't have a gender"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Stephanie C. Shea. (13th July 2020) "Exploring Other-Than-Human Identity: Religious Experiences in the Life-Story of a Machinekin"
- ↑ maple mavica syrup. (29th May 2022) "fighting otherkin erasure from captchas"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Polybius and Jasper. (15th August 2021) "Navigating The Otherkin Community With Two Robots"
External links[edit | edit source]
- The Machine's Soul, a website with resources for robots.