[Dragaera] Helen O'loy (Was RE: Ways to lose a finger)

[Scott Schultz via Dragaera]

Wow, totally off-topic for the list but, gauche? I guess I'm seeing that
story through adolescent-colored lenses. I remember that story as being
somewhat touching and mildly satirical. I guess that if such a story is not
about the evils of stereo-typing (ala Stepford Wives) that it must be sexist
and misogynist according to the analysts who study these things?

I put Helen into the same category as Bradbury's Electric Grandmother.
Neither of them is a representation of an actual human being, and each of
them ends up being loved by their "families" precisely because they fill an
emotional need. Their status as an accurate portrayal of a human being is
irrelevant and, in fact, neither of them would be as successful at their
roles if they *did* accurately portray all of the complexities of a human
being.

Maybe I need to track down a copy of the story and re-read it after all
these years? Maybe Del Rey's narration is too convincing and critics feel
the need to treat it as if *his* ideal woman is a machine programmed to be
Suzy Homemaker? The real crux of the whole thing is that Helen develops an
actual personality and she likes her life and loves her creator. There's
never any indication (that I can remember) that her feelings are anything
but authentic.  Maybe that's evil? I dunno. 

I enjoyed it and thought it was an interesting vision of relationships.
Looking at the way that people interact with simulated people today (virtual
girlfriend "video games", attempts to build lifelike androids, social media
roleplay, even the recent film _Her_) I wouldn't ask, "Is it gauche?", I'd
ask, "How long until we see the first real-life example of Helen?"

Maybe I give Lester Del Rey too much credit.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: dragaera-bounces at lists.dragaera.info [mailto:dragaera-
> bounces at lists.dragaera.info] On Behalf Of Philip Hart
> 
> Helen O'Loy, gauche robot story - or not?
> http://www.jstor.org/stable/4240213