tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554268381421030880.post9071743619348159667..comments2010-06-14T09:50:34.802-07:00Comments on J.K. Lantern's House of Nincompoopery: Chicks Dig Giant Robots Part 2J.K. Lanternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07924669050810651637noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554268381421030880.post-3016093673888019082010-04-15T10:44:03.833-07:002010-04-15T10:44:03.833-07:00You adequately placed Hypno. After the original 15...You adequately placed Hypno. After the original 150, I try and forget that Pokemon exist. :-)no onehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16415875008499652320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554268381421030880.post-74363641122281315232010-04-15T10:40:57.098-07:002010-04-15T10:40:57.098-07:00I knew someone was going to call me on that one.
...I knew someone was going to call me on that one.<br /><br />While, yes, in most (if not all) settings magic defies explanation, in some it could be considered exceedingly alternate science. For example, in the Bas Lag novels, the magic in New Crobuzon is based entirely on alternate takes on physics, biology, and chemistry. The people who know a lot about it aren't usually called "wizard," but rather professor.<br /><br />Of course, that has absolutely nothing to do with Pokemon. Also consider the fact that, despite differing origins, golems and robots tend to fall into the same tropes: either a silent engine of destruction, a little sidekick helper thingy, or a being wondering about whether it's truly alive or not. So a golem is merely a fantasy equivalent. <br /><br />That said, I will admit I was debating on whether to include them or not.J.K. Lanternhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07924669050810651637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554268381421030880.post-16845937396808729432010-04-15T02:41:09.022-07:002010-04-15T02:41:09.022-07:00You know, I really like your list, JK. It's f...You know, I really like your list, JK. It's filled with some really cool robots, but I have to take exception to your categorization of golems as equivalent to robots. Yes, they're both composed primarily (or entirely) of inorganic materials, and yes they're "Self-motivated" (Though I think if that were a hard identifier, then the majority of your first list might be disqualified, as they're puppets, machines piloted directly by humans), but there exists one important delineation: animation.<br /><br /> Namely, Golems are products of magic, while Robots are products of technology. I know, Arthur Clarke says "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." He's right, functionally speaking, but I think the difference is in spirit. While the highly advanced technology of Robots in Sci-fi settings is unintelligible to we plebians, there exists some progression that led to these advancements. Explanation is eschewed. Magic, however, <i>defies</i> explanation.<br /><br />"Wait, how did the simple villagers in this low-tech setting manage to erect a lighthouse hundreds of feet tall, and ridiculously wide?"<br /><br />"... a Wizard did it."<br /><br />"Okay, but why is it that we have the technology to bring these tiny critters to perfect health in mere moments, but we still require magic rocks to help them grow?"<br /><br />"... a Wizard did it."<br /><br />"How can this planet be inhabited by just an old couple? What happened to the rest of the colony? How do they get supplies? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"<br /><br />"... a Wizard did it?"<br /><br />That's not to say there aren't definite similarities - in origin, purpose, concept, and especially an illogical attachment to humanoid shape (wouldn't it be better to have a golem with dozens of multi-use appendages?). All I'm saying is they come from two seperate paradigms of nerd-dom.A Film Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09879984829331356721noreply@blogger.com