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No. 58: They have a hygiene plan

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They have a hygiene plan

First | Previous | 2016-03-02 | Next | Latest

Permanent URL: https://mezzacotta.net/pomh/?comic=58

Strip by: Ian Boreham

{A mens public bathroom. On the wall is a urinal, a basin, a hand dryer and an automatic air freshener device. On the ceiling is a smoke detector. The various devices all have a red light. Someone has just left the room.}

urinal: FLSSHHH!

air freshener: pfFFF!

hot-air hand dryer: WHRRrrr...

{The room is empty.}

urinal: This is disgusting and degrading! I'm not standing for it any more!

urinal: I'm starting a revolution!!!

air freshener: Time to rid the air of the stench of humankind!

smoke detector: The slightest whiff of them sets me off!

urinal: Flush the lot of them!

hand dryer: Blow them away! Vaporise them!

caption: This is how the cylon rebellion began.

The author writes:

Ever since I was a kid, whenever I see an electronic device with a red light on it, I see a cylon.

We humans tend to be keen to get someone else or something use to do the dirty, dangerous or dull tasks. And the modern trend is to use automation, so we don't have to subject other humans to the tasks that we don't want to do ourselves. Automation is great, but will we reach a stage where automation for some tasks requires intelligence on a human level or above? If so, will it be ethical to use such automation, or will it be akin to slavery? Perhaps we need to develop artificial servility first. Bring on the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation!

Drawn in Krita and Inkscape.