Megaman versus Salaryman
Like the toaster, blender, and automated tie rack, Megaman was made to be a helpful robot. But when the mad scientist, Dr. Wily brings to life a gang of 8 evil robots programmed to take over the world, Megaman's creator Dr. Light entrusts him with the task of protecting humanity. Our android saviour wears a blue speedo on the outside of his tights, but that's the fashion for robots in the year 200X, a time when automatons outnumber humans. Megaman is here to save the human race, but how much should you trust a robot?
You don't have to be a giggling Japanese school girl to know Japan has an obsession with robots. The birthplace of Megaman now ranks first in the world with over 389,442 operational robots making up 51.9% of the global share. They rock n' sock each other's blocks off in manga and anime and occupy every facet of public and private life in Japan. Because of friendly robotic pop icons like Tezuka Osamu's Astro Boy, the Japanese trust robots enough to employ them in nursing homes bathing the elderly. An aging population, low birth rates and labor shortages force Japan to depend on robots to support their economy. But robots can't do everything, so the white collar working class has a lot of slack to pick up. In Megaman 2, Quickman is fast, Airman blows, and Woodman has wood, but in Japan, Salaryman brings home the yen.
Salaryman is as much as a robot as Metalman or Crashman. Before Japan's economic bubble burst, (Bubbleman probably had something to do with it) Salaryman was helping Japan Inc. take over the world. Salaryman commutes for an average of two hours and spends up to ten hours in the office for a total of six days a week. When the office closes, Salaryman is expected to join the other Salarymen for a drink. Heatman lights his cigarettes for him. His children will be asleep when he gets home; he spends only Sunday with them - if he can stay awake. He is entitled to two weeks' paid holiday a year, but his robotic sense of corporate loyalty will reduce this to about four days. If only he was Flashman he could stop time and relax, but unlike those metal robots, Salarymen suffer from karoshi - death from overwork; their suicide rate account for 40% of the 30,000 suicides in Japan during the past four years. If it can be proven in court that a company has worked an employee to death, the company must pay compensation to bereaved relatives.
Momoyo Torimitsu, a Japanese-born artist, created a lifelike robot Salaryman and sent him crawling up Wall Street wearing a suit and a smile. She said, "He is smiling and enjoys being a robot. That is part of the sickness of Japanese society." Salaryman can't beat the robots, so what else can he do but join them? Even in a world filled with good robots made by Dr. Light, there's little room left for humans. We cease to have a function. Imagine how Paul Bunyan felt when he lost to the chain-saw. Blind faith in technology and looking to a fictional super robot like Megaman as a role model will leave a human feeling like an inadequate Salaryman. Good thing Americans look to Averageman as a role model for our work ethic.
You don't have to be a giggling Japanese school girl to know Japan has an obsession with robots. The birthplace of Megaman now ranks first in the world with over 389,442 operational robots making up 51.9% of the global share. They rock n' sock each other's blocks off in manga and anime and occupy every facet of public and private life in Japan. Because of friendly robotic pop icons like Tezuka Osamu's Astro Boy, the Japanese trust robots enough to employ them in nursing homes bathing the elderly. An aging population, low birth rates and labor shortages force Japan to depend on robots to support their economy. But robots can't do everything, so the white collar working class has a lot of slack to pick up. In Megaman 2, Quickman is fast, Airman blows, and Woodman has wood, but in Japan, Salaryman brings home the yen.
Salaryman is as much as a robot as Metalman or Crashman. Before Japan's economic bubble burst, (Bubbleman probably had something to do with it) Salaryman was helping Japan Inc. take over the world. Salaryman commutes for an average of two hours and spends up to ten hours in the office for a total of six days a week. When the office closes, Salaryman is expected to join the other Salarymen for a drink. Heatman lights his cigarettes for him. His children will be asleep when he gets home; he spends only Sunday with them - if he can stay awake. He is entitled to two weeks' paid holiday a year, but his robotic sense of corporate loyalty will reduce this to about four days. If only he was Flashman he could stop time and relax, but unlike those metal robots, Salarymen suffer from karoshi - death from overwork; their suicide rate account for 40% of the 30,000 suicides in Japan during the past four years. If it can be proven in court that a company has worked an employee to death, the company must pay compensation to bereaved relatives.
Momoyo Torimitsu, a Japanese-born artist, created a lifelike robot Salaryman and sent him crawling up Wall Street wearing a suit and a smile. She said, "He is smiling and enjoys being a robot. That is part of the sickness of Japanese society." Salaryman can't beat the robots, so what else can he do but join them? Even in a world filled with good robots made by Dr. Light, there's little room left for humans. We cease to have a function. Imagine how Paul Bunyan felt when he lost to the chain-saw. Blind faith in technology and looking to a fictional super robot like Megaman as a role model will leave a human feeling like an inadequate Salaryman. Good thing Americans look to Averageman as a role model for our work ethic.
posted by Jason at 3:47 PM
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