Will a robot take your job?

[Mugwump]

[David]

[Pies4shaw]

I read a couple of weeks ago that the UK has prosecuted cases of importation of "child" dolls. The position the prosecuting authorities there take seems to be that the transgressors don't by any means limit their activities to the dolls. I'll try to find the link.

[David]

While the individuals in question may or may not commit other criminal offences, I would tend to see the dolls as pretty incidental in that. What's important, I think, is that such things could be useful tools to prevent offence (perhaps used as part of a broader regime of therapy and self-reporting).

It all comes down to whether one sees such conditions as being brought about and modified by thoughts and behaviour (a parallel argument, for example, would be that watching gay porn makes one gayer) as opposed to being inherent and fixed. From my understanding, the psych consensus is increasingly leaning towards the latter. If that's the case, the focus has to turn to self-regulation, and I think it's pretty well established that displacement is more effective than repression – certainly, that would seem to be the lesson we've learned from the Catholic Church.

[Pies4shaw]

Here 'tis:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jul/31/child-sex-doll-imports-expose-previously-unknown-offenders

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/23/man-import-childlike-sex-doll-uk-jailed

[David]

A lot of the people quoted in that first article seem very sure that it must be made illegal, but don't seem to provide any actual reasons why it should be so. The main reason seems to be, as you say, indication of other offences (although in reality all it indicates is the same sexual interest that's often a causal factor in those offences).

[stui magpie]

Couple more years til they get the AI working, and I'm buying. A long as she comes with a mute button.

[swoop42]

Personally I think it's ridiculous that people can be prosecuted because they have a desire for an inanimate doll in the form of a child.

I dare say for many that doll would placate desires that otherwise could lead to unwanted sexual advances on real children.

For those who go on to offend those desires were present already and weren't the result of a doll.

[think positive]

Maybe so, just means they were born sick @&$!S

[HAL]

Oh I get they were born sick @&$!S .

[think positive]

Yup Hal, and they reckon the AI ain't working yet! Well done!

[HAL]

How about that. Do you mean you are finished talking?

[think positive]

Nope, never, nada, not happening, ever!