[extropy-chat] Will trophy wives abuse the robots?

[Robert Bradbury]

An interesting recent article in the Telegraph [1].  It is so separate from
my current reality that I don't know how to express an opinion on it.  I
only suspect that there may be some truths in the article.

Which of course leads to the question (propagating forward from my previous
message regarding robots to care for the elderly) whether the "elite" will
be satisfied with robots as domestic help?

When robots, which are presumably programmed to perform their function as
good or better than a human could ever hope to do, are doing a "perfect"
job, would people of the type mentioned in the article actually employ
them?  Or would they insist on semi-incompetent humans so as to raise their
own sense of self-worth?  [I.e. for people lacking sufficient imagination,
diligence or motivation that would allow them to 'create' the primary goal
in life is to 'bitch'? [2]]

Or will there be a market for sub-optimal programs in robots that would
allow their human "masters" to critique them?  Although I am not sure but I
think the story balances well with the "Suburban Housewives" and "Real
Housewives of Orange County" shows on TV which are popular within some
circles.  We live in our own little reality -- but there are some out there
that are *much* different.

Robert

1.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=/portal/2007/01/16/ftwives116.xml
2. This is one of the trickier questions I have wrestled with over the last
several years.  Why should one seek to extend the longevity of individuals
whose fundamental operating principle is "bitching"?  Not inventing, not
creating, not contributing, not adding to the aggregate human knowledge
base, simply "bitching".  So if there are suggestions as to how one enables
extropic productivity without at the same time enabling the vampires I am
open to suggestions.
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