Questionable Content 5: Suffers Occasional Outbreaks of Butt's Disease

[Felius]

I'd imagine another reason people would worry about losing body parts, and replacing them with robot parts, is rather obvious. Most situations that would lead to the loss of a limb HURT. A LOT.

The comic said so itself. The reason he has his robot hand is because the old one was blown up.

As I said, similar to a broken bone. Yeah, it sucks, yeah it hurts a whole freaking lot, but people don't go generally: "OH MY GOODNESS, THAT'S AWFUL, POOR HIM!" when told someone broke a bone sometime in the past. It's not that people wouldn't care about getting hurt or others getting hurt, it's just that it's a far less severe wound than it is in RL.

[Coidzor]

Well, usually it's pretty traumatic to lose a hand via the kind of fireworks mishap that would be necessary to destroy a hand and good chunk of forearm. Especially given that he'd have to be even thicker than I thought to have done so at any point past the age of 12, and generally those sorts of fireworks mishaps are associated with young children getting hold of things they shouldn't rather than adults or teenagers being thick as bricks.

And losing your hand as a kid due to fireworks seems like a traumatic experience even with limb replacement available.

[Morph Bark]

And losing your hand as a kid due to fireworks at all seems like a traumatic experience even with limb replacement available.

FTFY.

Because seriously.

[Ravens_cry]

Hmm, Emily reminds me of Osaka from Azumanga Daioh right now.

[eee]

Hmm, Emily reminds me of Osaka from Azumanga Daioh right now.

Yes! And Claire DOES have a pony tail, and loose hair hanging from the sides of her head...

Let's see if Emily gets obsessed about those.

[Traab]

Honestly, the existence of cybernetic limbs seems like it would lead to Full Metal Alchemist. Where in that world they have whats called automail. About the same as cybernetics. And people actually choose to have parts removed so they can instal robotic limbs instead. Its often treated like getting a tattoo or piercing. If I could get a body part surgically removed and replaced, I might actually think about it.

[Coidzor]

Honestly, the existence of cybernetic limbs seems like it would lead to Full Metal Alchemist. Where in that world they have whats called automail. About the same as cybernetics. And people actually choose to have parts removed so they can instal robotic limbs instead. Its often treated like getting a tattoo or piercing. If I could get a body part surgically removed and replaced, I might actually think about it.

But not within a scant decade or two at the most.

[Traab]

But not within a scant decade or two at the most.

Actually, I think it would, if it was commonly known about and the idea of just getting a limb removed because you feel like it was acceptable under the law. It would be the newest fad. "Wait, you mean I can get my arms looking like Jax from mortal combat? HELL YEAH!"

[Ravens_cry]

Yes! And Claire DOES have a pony tail, and loose hair hanging from the sides of her head...

Let's see if Emily gets obsessed about those.

Chiyo-chan, however, is much more adorable than Claire.

[Morph Bark]

Actually, I think it would, if it was commonly known about and the idea of just getting a limb removed because you feel like it was acceptable under the law. It would be the newest fad. "Wait, you mean I can get my arms looking like Jax from mortal combat? HELL YEAH!"

It would be especially popular amongst people who are of the persuasion that their limbs are not their own, I imagine. Amputation is common among them already anyway, so perhaps a new, prosthetic limb would be much more fit to them, at least mentally speaking.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Honestly, the existence of cybernetic limbs seems like it would lead to Full Metal Alchemist. Where in that world they have whats called automail. About the same as cybernetics. And people actually choose to have parts removed so they can instal robotic limbs instead. Its often treated like getting a tattoo or piercing. If I could get a body part surgically removed and replaced, I might actually think about it.

Wait wut? I don't recall any of the people who had automail in the series choosing to get an Automail...

More on topic, is Emily starting to grate on anyone else's nerves? When she was introduced it was kind of funny; but the "I want to be a toaster" bit from today's comic firmly planted her in the annoying category for me.

[The Glyphstone]

Meh. Hannelore has become too well-adjusted and mainstream, the comic has a deficit of weird+zany to fill, and Clinton is too obnoxious to handle it by himself.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Hanelore I found pretty neat as the neurosis were funny and had some interesting implications; but Emiliy seems weird just for the sake of being weird. The things such as choosing being a Librarian cause you like how books smells I can understand; but wanting to be a toaster? No... I don't find it funny on any level.

[John Cribati]

Wait wut? I don't recall any of the people who had automail in the series choosing to get an Automail...

Well, there was a town somewhere where there was a very disproportionate number of people with automail, so either there was a high rate of deformity/accidents, or at least half of them did it on their own.

[Marnath]

Hanelore I found pretty neat as the neurosis were funny and had some interesting implications; but Emiliy seems weird just for the sake of being weird. The things such as choosing being a Librarian cause you like how books smells I can understand; but wanting to be a toaster? No... I don't find it funny on any level.

I wouldn't say she's funny, but I think it's a fitting level of oddness. She doesn't seem overdone to me. Maybe that just means I've known too many weirdos.

[Turalisj]

Well, there was a town somewhere where there was a very disproportionate number of people with automail, so either there was a high rate of deformity/accidents, or at least half of them did it on their own.

High rate of deformity/accidents. It's the mecha of automail.

[Simius]

You guys are all underestimating how much fun toasters have.

[Dusk Eclipse]

High rate of deformity/accidents. It's the mecha of automail.

I think you mean mecca or was it a pun?

And I just don't find that kind of silliness funny, personal taste and whatnot

[Morph Bark]

I think you mean mecca or was it a pun?

And I just don't find that kind of silliness funny, personal taste and whatnot

Shhhh, we can't let the world know Mohammed was the first mecha pilot.

[Coidzor]

You guys are all underestimating how much fun toasters have.

Yes.

Fun is what toasters have. As anyone who has watched the Brave Little Toaster can attest.

[Othniel Edden]

Shhhh, we can't let the world know Mohammed was the first mecha pilot.

But but but Djinn class... oh...

[Traab]

High rate of deformity/accidents. It's the mecha of automail.

Nope, that town was full of people who willingly removed limbs to get tricked out and turbo charged limbs for themselves. It was like a combination hot rod show and contest to see who could give themselves the most extreme makeover. One of the substories was about a near legendary automail mechanic about to go out of business specifically because he refused to take part in that kind of crap, to him automail is serious business meant to help the unfortunate, not status symbols to be shown off and upgraded like your new sports car. And his adopted daughter or whatever, was determined to prove his work was the best despite it not being fancy.

[MoonCat]

Emily...

I keep on wanting to like her quirkiness, and her being different, but honestly I get really close to liking he,r and then she does something bloody stupid and I hate her again. Like, the offensive questions about AI's. And that's happened repeatedly with her.

Gabby is kind of bland right now, but I totally love Claire. She makes me happy. ^.^

[Marnath]

Emily...

I keep on wanting to like her quirkiness, and her being different, but honestly I get really close to liking he,r and then she does something bloody stupid and I hate her again. Like, the offensive questions about AI's. And that's happened repeatedly with her.

Gabby is kind of bland right now, but I totally love Claire. She makes me happy. ^.^

Momo doesn't really look offended though. The "owner" comment got to her, but other than that she seems to be fine with the questions.

[eee]

Momo's explanation raises interesting considerations about Station, apparently one of the biggest AIs around...

[Somebloke]

I find it interesting that the author is now taking the time to explore sf ideas in what is essentially a web comic about a group of wacky characters.

[Morph Bark]

I find it interesting that the author is now taking the time to explore sf ideas in what is essentially a web comic about a group of wacky characters.

Other than the webcomic part, that sounds like the premise of several movies/shows/video games.

[Ravens_cry]

I agree. Though not the central premise, exploring the differences between this universe and ours is fascinating, though such human-like full sized anthro-pc chassis do somewhat conflict with the robot boyfriend arc.
'He' was much more robotic, despite being supposedly state of the art.

[Somebloke]

Above all I love the optimism.

So many times we've been confronted by the whole 'AIs are automatically hostile'. It's really nice to see the growth of AIs as a positive thing- not even a 'they take over but for the best' but as a meeting of minds where both parties act humanely and with honour.

[Ravens_cry]

Above all I love the optimism.

So many times we've been confronted by the whole 'AIs are automatically hostile'. It's really nice to see the growth of AIs as a positive thing- not even a 'they take over but for the best' but as a meeting of minds where both parties act humanely and with honour.

Yeah, that is special. If we ever create mind-like AI, I hope we treat it with the same dignity and mutual respect seen here.
There is much opportunity for abuse. It would be easy, or at least as easy as creating an AI at all, to create a slave race that was happy to be slaves, whose only will is to serve us.
Freefall has a similar optimism, though not all in-universe recognize it.