We’re at the Robot centennial, a century of mutual influence and inspiration between culture and technology, art and policy, science and science fiction. The invented Czech word "Robot" is suggestive of forced labor. “Rossum”, the name used for the Billionaire-scientist who created the robots, is reminiscent of "Rozum" – reason, rational, intellect, in Czech. According to Čapek and through the eyes of Rossum, the captain of Industry & brilliant scientist – logic demands the creation of robots. The rational mind brings forth advanced technologies which beg the replacement of the human by non-human (in dangerous or tedious tasks only, of course), and in the name of progress, allows for and demands – slavery. Čapek saw the deep connections between massive wealth (held by a few), global trade, advanced technologies, human misery and the rise of the robots. Utopia will focus this year on the relationship between logic and servitude, extreme wealth, technological progress, human misery and (robot) revolution. Masters and slaves. Rossums and Robots. Who were they, who are they now, who will they become in the future? Are they inevitable in any society? Would we ever be free of both?
