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calarco's Reviews (760)
In a world where so many stories in the sci-fi and speculative genres tend to be bleak and gritty, Isaac Asimov's Robot Visions is a sweet breath of fresh air. Asimov includes in this volume both short works of fiction and essays that formulate a cohesive imagined universe, as well as a fully fleshed out vision of future technology.
It is impossible to talk about anything in this collection without diving into Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, as first formally presented in the short story "Runaround" -
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
These rules act as the underlying principles that methodically build a believable world based in logical actions and reactions. The robots are not symbols for certain types of humans, there are no identities forced upon them, they simply exist as in accordance with these three laws. That is one narrative angle that makes the Asimov's robots so intriguing. Robots are stripped bare of human prejudices and avarice, and what is left is just as telling about humans as it is about these entirely new entities.
In the essay "The Friends We Make," Asimov explains, "...we relate to all nonhuman things by finding, or inventing, something human about them. We attribute human characteristics to our pets, and even to our automobiles. We personify nature and all the products of nature and, in earlier times, made human-shaped gods and goddesses out of them" (419).
As much as I love films like The Terminator or 2001: A Space Odyssey, these stories' malignant robots are truly just a projection of human fears of the unknown. In many of the stories of Robot Visions, Asimov goes a step further to shed a light on and even poke fun of peoples' fears of being replaced by robots. Humans are competitive and many different groups have overpowered and displaced (even replaced) one another throughout history. It makes sense humans would fear a man made, physically stronger, human-shaped entity as a potential threat with the same unfortunate proclivities. So Asimov's robots cannot harm people, though he does flirt with the idea of robots replacing humans as not the worst thing, given their built-in benevolence.
While breaking robots down to the three laws 'dehumanizes' them so to speak, there is nothing hallow or inhuman about Asimov's stories. In fact, by showing robots operate solely within these simple principles, greater truths about what it means to be human are unearthed. I think this is displayed most strongly in "The Bicentennial Man," a story that completely opened my own mind on what it truly means to accept an otherly entity's autonomy in the same way we would do so for another person's humanity. People sympathize with suffering and the innate finality of life, and we have a hard time understanding separate entities that do not exist in these same temporary realities. Even though we fear death, we fear entities not subject to death with the same gravity.
Robo-psychiatrist Dr. Susan Calvin shows up in a number of these stories, and in "Galley Slave" she succinctly concludes, "It is only by being concerned for robots that one can truly be concerned for the twenty-first century man" (391). To understand the other, is to understand (and maybe even love) the self. Robots are not humans, but it is with this continuous moral theme that Asimov creates such a hopeful and optimistic universe filled with humanity.
Another component of this collection that I greatly enjoyed, was Asimov's history of robots. He may have popularized the concept, and even inspired real life scientist's work, but he did not invent the idea and makes that very clear. By including a cultural history that touches on anthropomorphized gods of Greek traditions, and golems of Jewish lore, he better makes a clear case for the principles that make his own universe tick. If you are a nerd who loves both history and science, this is pretty dope stuff.
Overall, I loved this collection and I am excited to read more of Asimov's work. Just as the concept of robots is now well established in the present day zeitgeist, Asimov now has an established a place in my otherwise cold and unfeeling heart.
It is impossible to talk about anything in this collection without diving into Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, as first formally presented in the short story "Runaround" -
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
These rules act as the underlying principles that methodically build a believable world based in logical actions and reactions. The robots are not symbols for certain types of humans, there are no identities forced upon them, they simply exist as in accordance with these three laws. That is one narrative angle that makes the Asimov's robots so intriguing. Robots are stripped bare of human prejudices and avarice, and what is left is just as telling about humans as it is about these entirely new entities.
In the essay "The Friends We Make," Asimov explains, "...we relate to all nonhuman things by finding, or inventing, something human about them. We attribute human characteristics to our pets, and even to our automobiles. We personify nature and all the products of nature and, in earlier times, made human-shaped gods and goddesses out of them" (419).
As much as I love films like The Terminator or 2001: A Space Odyssey, these stories' malignant robots are truly just a projection of human fears of the unknown. In many of the stories of Robot Visions, Asimov goes a step further to shed a light on and even poke fun of peoples' fears of being replaced by robots. Humans are competitive and many different groups have overpowered and displaced (even replaced) one another throughout history. It makes sense humans would fear a man made, physically stronger, human-shaped entity as a potential threat with the same unfortunate proclivities. So Asimov's robots cannot harm people, though he does flirt with the idea of robots replacing humans as not the worst thing, given their built-in benevolence.
While breaking robots down to the three laws 'dehumanizes' them so to speak, there is nothing hallow or inhuman about Asimov's stories. In fact, by showing robots operate solely within these simple principles, greater truths about what it means to be human are unearthed. I think this is displayed most strongly in "The Bicentennial Man," a story that completely opened my own mind on what it truly means to accept an otherly entity's autonomy in the same way we would do so for another person's humanity. People sympathize with suffering and the innate finality of life, and we have a hard time understanding separate entities that do not exist in these same temporary realities. Even though we fear death, we fear entities not subject to death with the same gravity.
Robo-psychiatrist Dr. Susan Calvin shows up in a number of these stories, and in "Galley Slave" she succinctly concludes, "It is only by being concerned for robots that one can truly be concerned for the twenty-first century man" (391). To understand the other, is to understand (and maybe even love) the self. Robots are not humans, but it is with this continuous moral theme that Asimov creates such a hopeful and optimistic universe filled with humanity.
Another component of this collection that I greatly enjoyed, was Asimov's history of robots. He may have popularized the concept, and even inspired real life scientist's work, but he did not invent the idea and makes that very clear. By including a cultural history that touches on anthropomorphized gods of Greek traditions, and golems of Jewish lore, he better makes a clear case for the principles that make his own universe tick. If you are a nerd who loves both history and science, this is pretty dope stuff.
Overall, I loved this collection and I am excited to read more of Asimov's work. Just as the concept of robots is now well established in the present day zeitgeist, Asimov now has an established a place in my otherwise cold and unfeeling heart.
Gillian Flynn's The Grownup is one of the funniest dark-comedy-horror-thriller stories I've ever read. Also, I'm not sure I've ever read something so short that intersected so many genres so seamlessly.
With the main (protagonist?) character and everyone else playing the unreliable narrator, by the end of the tale every turn of the page provided a new twist and re-evaluation of past events. Just as a talented con artist plays on people's assumptions, so too does this narrative with the stereotypical tropes of the horror and thriller genres.
Anyway you may view the ending, it's great. If you have a dark sense of humor or like any of Flynn's other work do yourself a favor and just read this one.
With the main (protagonist?) character and everyone else playing the unreliable narrator, by the end of the tale every turn of the page provided a new twist and re-evaluation of past events. Just as a talented con artist plays on people's assumptions, so too does this narrative with the stereotypical tropes of the horror and thriller genres.
Anyway you may view the ending, it's great. If you have a dark sense of humor or like any of Flynn's other work do yourself a favor and just read this one.
Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy
Robert D. Putnam, Robert Leonardi, Raffaella Y. Nanetti
While Robert Putnam's Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy is a solid case study on the sociopolitical divide between northern and southern Italy, it also makes a strong argument on the important role 'social capital' plays in facilitating democracy.
The research presented largely draws two important general conclusions: 1. "Social context and history profoundly condition the effectiveness of institutions" (182), and 2. "Changing formal institutions can change political practice" (184). These two points are then used to showcase how the historically horizontal governing power structures of northern Italy paved the way for greater trust in generalized reciprocal exchanges that lie at the base of social capital. Alternatively, southern Italy's history of vertical power structures (e.g. kingdoms with totalitarian/direct rule) eroded much of the foundation upon which social capital would have been built.
Also interesting, was Putnam's observation of there being no correlation between a region's level of industrialization with their level of civic engagement (158). Many imperial powers have used communities' means of production (e.g., pastoral, agrarian, industrialized, etc.) as justification for overtaking them in the name of bringing democracy and modernity. So the implications of this finding are pretty telling of how these 'justifications' are pretty bupkis, or so I thought.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It is both a thoughtful case study, as well as a well-developed source.
The research presented largely draws two important general conclusions: 1. "Social context and history profoundly condition the effectiveness of institutions" (182), and 2. "Changing formal institutions can change political practice" (184). These two points are then used to showcase how the historically horizontal governing power structures of northern Italy paved the way for greater trust in generalized reciprocal exchanges that lie at the base of social capital. Alternatively, southern Italy's history of vertical power structures (e.g. kingdoms with totalitarian/direct rule) eroded much of the foundation upon which social capital would have been built.
Also interesting, was Putnam's observation of there being no correlation between a region's level of industrialization with their level of civic engagement (158). Many imperial powers have used communities' means of production (e.g., pastoral, agrarian, industrialized, etc.) as justification for overtaking them in the name of bringing democracy and modernity. So the implications of this finding are pretty telling of how these 'justifications' are pretty bupkis, or so I thought.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It is both a thoughtful case study, as well as a well-developed source.
If you are interested in learning about prominent stories surrounding medicine men of different U.S. indigenous groups, then The World We Used to Live In is a pretty solid source.
There are really great dreams, stories, and histories shared in this collection that are organized by spiritual themes. My only criticism would be a lack of context, especially in regards to specific tribal traditions. Stories presented in each chapter represent a multitude of groups from different regions, and given the personal nature of these accounts, I would have liked a little more exposition to better emotionally and culturally understand.
That said, it is an interesting collection. If you are interested in the specific topic, I would recommend it.
There are really great dreams, stories, and histories shared in this collection that are organized by spiritual themes. My only criticism would be a lack of context, especially in regards to specific tribal traditions. Stories presented in each chapter represent a multitude of groups from different regions, and given the personal nature of these accounts, I would have liked a little more exposition to better emotionally and culturally understand.
That said, it is an interesting collection. If you are interested in the specific topic, I would recommend it.
Kafka's The Metamorphosis is one weird trip. I suppose I should elaborate.
Prior to reading the story, I had been told that the 1986 film The Fly with Jeff Goldblum could be traced to this earlier narrative. More so, reading this felt as unnerving as being stuck in a Salvador Dali painting, or perhaps even more specifically it tonally resonated with David Lynch's 1977 film Eraserhead.
By that I mean at it's core the plot is deeply unsettling, for starters. The narrative unravels like a dream (nightmare) in that weird things happen, and everyone responds to newly emerging contextual logic in stride. Primarily though, both the film and book offer deconstructions of the innate toxicity social expectations can wreak on naturally flawed people.
As bizarre as Gregor Samsa's life is, it is ultimately one of isolation and tragedy. Something inexplicable happens that removes him from his place in society, and his family is unable to properly adapt to his reality. Instead they live around him, and can only move forward when they can pretend he is not there. That's super sad, even if Gregor is an insect monster with an apple rotting in his decaying flesh.
If the surreal unsettles you, this one probably is not for you. However, if you are open to something different, there is a great deal of aesthetic value in this weird, unpleasant tale.
Prior to reading the story, I had been told that the 1986 film The Fly with Jeff Goldblum could be traced to this earlier narrative. More so, reading this felt as unnerving as being stuck in a Salvador Dali painting, or perhaps even more specifically it tonally resonated with David Lynch's 1977 film Eraserhead.
By that I mean at it's core the plot is deeply unsettling, for starters. The narrative unravels like a dream (nightmare) in that weird things happen, and everyone responds to newly emerging contextual logic in stride. Primarily though, both the film and book offer deconstructions of the innate toxicity social expectations can wreak on naturally flawed people.
As bizarre as Gregor Samsa's life is, it is ultimately one of isolation and tragedy. Something inexplicable happens that removes him from his place in society, and his family is unable to properly adapt to his reality. Instead they live around him, and can only move forward when they can pretend he is not there. That's super sad, even if Gregor is an insect monster with an apple rotting in his decaying flesh.
If the surreal unsettles you, this one probably is not for you. However, if you are open to something different, there is a great deal of aesthetic value in this weird, unpleasant tale.
After taking over The Daily Show in 2015, Trevor Noah has since emerged as a pivotal voice in American late night. I have watched almost every episode and am also a fan of his stand up; the guy is a great story teller. Still, I was completely and unexpectedly blown away by Born a Crime. One part South African apartheid history, one part a boy's coming-of-age narrative, this memoir left me crying and laughing up until the last page.
First off, there are some truly hilarious stories in this collection. That one where he feels remorseful to God because, "He had more important things to deal with than my shit," (47) had me laughing so hard my stomach hurt. If you read it, you know. If you haven't, oh boy are you in for a treat, or something shity, it's all about perspective.
And it's Trevor's desire to understand people's perspectives that allows him to reflect on both his and others' actions in insightful ways. By understanding that his knowledge of languages enables him to express his point of view and to discern others, and that his lack of language can land him in Tower of Babel-esque situations, he meaningfully concludes that communication can be akin to survival.
There is a great deal that Trevor has to survive, including poverty, hunger, and later on an abusive step-father. Being born to a black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss father, Trevor is literally born a crime under South Africa's (1927) Immorality Act, which is law until the fall of apartheid, something that only begins during Trevor's childhood. This puts Trevor in an odd place. On the one hand, he reaps benefits and privileges from his lighter skin, like getting away with mischief as his grandmother is unable to hit a "white" child. On the other hand, he is still profiled and arrested later on in life for being "from Alex" and at the wrong place and the wrong time.
Either way, throughout his life Trevor finds that how people treat him depends entirely on what they perceive his race to be. This leaves him isolated in many situations growing up, because he does not 100% fit into the specific racial groups created by apartheid. He could not very well go around chiding people that race is a social construct. Instead, he learns how to play on people's perceptions, and how he can use language and communication to fit in and survive.
Perhaps my favorite part of the book, is how thankful Trevor is to his mother. He reveres her as a force of nature, even when he does not agree with her actions. When reflecting on his mother Trevor writes, "Love is a creative act. When you love someone you create a new world for them. My mother did that for me, and with the progress I made and the things I learned, I came back and created a new world and a new understanding for her" (262).
Their relationship was really touching to read. I really loved this book, I couldn't recommend it more.
First off, there are some truly hilarious stories in this collection. That one where he feels remorseful to God because, "He had more important things to deal with than my shit," (47) had me laughing so hard my stomach hurt. If you read it, you know. If you haven't, oh boy are you in for a treat, or something shity, it's all about perspective.
And it's Trevor's desire to understand people's perspectives that allows him to reflect on both his and others' actions in insightful ways. By understanding that his knowledge of languages enables him to express his point of view and to discern others, and that his lack of language can land him in Tower of Babel-esque situations, he meaningfully concludes that communication can be akin to survival.
There is a great deal that Trevor has to survive, including poverty, hunger, and later on an abusive step-father. Being born to a black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss father, Trevor is literally born a crime under South Africa's (1927) Immorality Act, which is law until the fall of apartheid, something that only begins during Trevor's childhood. This puts Trevor in an odd place. On the one hand, he reaps benefits and privileges from his lighter skin, like getting away with mischief as his grandmother is unable to hit a "white" child. On the other hand, he is still profiled and arrested later on in life for being "from Alex" and at the wrong place and the wrong time.
Either way, throughout his life Trevor finds that how people treat him depends entirely on what they perceive his race to be. This leaves him isolated in many situations growing up, because he does not 100% fit into the specific racial groups created by apartheid. He could not very well go around chiding people that race is a social construct. Instead, he learns how to play on people's perceptions, and how he can use language and communication to fit in and survive.
Perhaps my favorite part of the book, is how thankful Trevor is to his mother. He reveres her as a force of nature, even when he does not agree with her actions. When reflecting on his mother Trevor writes, "Love is a creative act. When you love someone you create a new world for them. My mother did that for me, and with the progress I made and the things I learned, I came back and created a new world and a new understanding for her" (262).
Their relationship was really touching to read. I really loved this book, I couldn't recommend it more.
If you are looking for a good horror novel, at least consider picking up Neil Gaiman's Coraline.
Initially, I anticipated this would be a dark and gritty Alice in Wonderland-esque story, but with nightmare doll doppelgangers. Those button eyes are pretty iconic. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to read a fresh tale of a girl coming into her own, who has to use her resourcefulness and self-determination to save her family. At it's core this is a tale of bravery, and as Gaiman writes, “When you’re scared but you still do it anyway, that’s brave.” Bravery is not a fearless white knight, but a scared girl just doing the damn thing anyways.
Coraline is also an interesting and realistic young character. She wants and expects a great deal of her parents, but then comes to discern, as we all do, that parents are not super-humans. They are flawed people who are probably just doing their best, they will not always get it 100%. As you grow up, you cannot rely on other people to make you happy or act as your champion, you have to become your own advocate and solve your own problems. I think what I liked so much about this tale is that it's a story about a bunch of weird, interesting, flawed people just trying to do their best.
This tale also has one of the most horrifying villains I have read in a while. The other mother is definitely a character of nightmares, but there is so much about her malignancy that echoes real-life toxicity. The other mother's manipulation, is what I found to be especially unnerving. Coraline realizes, “It was true: the other mother loved her. But she loved Coraline as a miser loves money, or a dragon loves its gold. In the other mother's button eyes, Coraline knew that she was a possession, nothing more. A tolerated pet, whose behavior was no longer amusing.” That's some chilling content right there.
Overall, this story was both a great horror and a great coming-of-age story. I really liked it, so pick up a copy and decide for yourself, if you are so inclined.
Initially, I anticipated this would be a dark and gritty Alice in Wonderland-esque story, but with nightmare doll doppelgangers. Those button eyes are pretty iconic. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to read a fresh tale of a girl coming into her own, who has to use her resourcefulness and self-determination to save her family. At it's core this is a tale of bravery, and as Gaiman writes, “When you’re scared but you still do it anyway, that’s brave.” Bravery is not a fearless white knight, but a scared girl just doing the damn thing anyways.
Coraline is also an interesting and realistic young character. She wants and expects a great deal of her parents, but then comes to discern, as we all do, that parents are not super-humans. They are flawed people who are probably just doing their best, they will not always get it 100%. As you grow up, you cannot rely on other people to make you happy or act as your champion, you have to become your own advocate and solve your own problems. I think what I liked so much about this tale is that it's a story about a bunch of weird, interesting, flawed people just trying to do their best.
This tale also has one of the most horrifying villains I have read in a while. The other mother is definitely a character of nightmares, but there is so much about her malignancy that echoes real-life toxicity. The other mother's manipulation, is what I found to be especially unnerving. Coraline realizes, “It was true: the other mother loved her. But she loved Coraline as a miser loves money, or a dragon loves its gold. In the other mother's button eyes, Coraline knew that she was a possession, nothing more. A tolerated pet, whose behavior was no longer amusing.” That's some chilling content right there.
Overall, this story was both a great horror and a great coming-of-age story. I really liked it, so pick up a copy and decide for yourself, if you are so inclined.
Including a comprehensive overview and a bunch of case studies, Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science is a great source on the integration of STEM and indigenous knowledge in tribal colleges and universities.
Rather than treating STEM and native knowledge as two alternative entities to be awkwardly intermarried into a hodgepodge curriculum, this volume advocates (and demonstrates) how native perspectives can be infused into coursework that allows for new perspectives in the fields of hard science. Cases are also made to show how math and technology can be utilized as tools to address specific tribal interests and challenges.
Sadly, science has a long history of being used as a tool of Western hegemony over other traditions. This has contributed to the unfortunate assumption that STEM exists only as a Western set of ideologies. What I liked about this volume is that it does not treat native perspectives as supplemental material, but as the main viewpoint. At that, a viewpoint that does not depreciate STEM in anyway, but allows for these fields to be taught in ways that could allow for new understandings that are ultimately beneficial to science, technology, and math.
There is a lot of cool stuff here. Even if you do not go to a tribal college, the case studies are written by teachers and academic educators, so I would argue that they have universal substance. But as always, read and decide for yourself.
Rather than treating STEM and native knowledge as two alternative entities to be awkwardly intermarried into a hodgepodge curriculum, this volume advocates (and demonstrates) how native perspectives can be infused into coursework that allows for new perspectives in the fields of hard science. Cases are also made to show how math and technology can be utilized as tools to address specific tribal interests and challenges.
Sadly, science has a long history of being used as a tool of Western hegemony over other traditions. This has contributed to the unfortunate assumption that STEM exists only as a Western set of ideologies. What I liked about this volume is that it does not treat native perspectives as supplemental material, but as the main viewpoint. At that, a viewpoint that does not depreciate STEM in anyway, but allows for these fields to be taught in ways that could allow for new understandings that are ultimately beneficial to science, technology, and math.
There is a lot of cool stuff here. Even if you do not go to a tribal college, the case studies are written by teachers and academic educators, so I would argue that they have universal substance. But as always, read and decide for yourself.