Ego, and the Look of Love

dale coba · Post by **dale coba** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:44 am

Lately, I'm thinking that a crucial principle of compelling fembots is their lack of Ego. Obviously, they will obey your every sexy command; but there's more to it than that.

When considering the Automaton or the Stepford Wife, we are charmed by any evidence of the absence of her Self. Lacking trivial glances and motions, the persistent thousand-mile stare of the blank Droid contradicts the suggestion that she is a living person; in Stepford, She stares into you and through you, in a haze of adoration so profound that it leaves no room for an internal, reflective consciousness. She is embodying the Fembot, lost within a perpetual, hyper-sexualized afterglow. And any gorgeous, but unpleasant woman such as a boss, teacher, or nagging spouse will still be your delicious treat, so long as that annoying personality subroutine closes after drama has sufficiently sparked your desire.

The Ego is not located in the limbic, libidinous parts of the brain. To epitomize the Fembot is to be fully within the conceptual space of the erotic. Her experience is all primary process. To execute Her programming in an un-human manner is to be utilized as an Object. And when an independent-minded woman discovers that she is merely a sex-robot in the throes of orgasms of malfunction, her Ego is vanquished as a hoax and a farce.

(Ego and mind)-lessness is key for writing or performing convincing fembot roles. We intuit this, while non-fetishists may need help to find their characters' (lack of) motivation.

Thoughts?

- Dale Coba

WilloWisp · Post by **WilloWisp** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 11:56 am

This is one of those things that almost certainly will not get agreed upon completely by any two technosexualists.

For me, part of the eroticism of the fembot is the illusion of ego, frequently coupled with the breakdown of that illusion. For example, many of those who frequent this board are big fans of the "sleeper" storyline, in which the fembot "believes" herself to be human. In the "complete absence of ego" model, there is no room for this narrative style, yet I find it far more appealing than a simple "obedient zombie" style story.

I can see appeal in that style of story, if done properly: Fection's writing does this especially well, but still dwells on that imperfect illusion of humanity (and by extension, illusion of ego and self).

Much has been said on this forum with respect to the concept of the "uncanny valley," but I think it needs to be understood that this fetish is, in some ways, an artifact of the uncanny valley phenomenon. Strange though it may seem, the human emotional responses of "scary," "sexy," and "funny" are very closely linked. Freudians might attribute this to cultural repression of sexual urges, while behavioral psychologists might hypothesize that they are simply different manifestations of primitive instincts. Whatever the case, funny, frightening and erotic are closely related responses.

Since the valley is, itself, a socio-psychological concept, it's not going to fall in the same place for everyone. The tipping point for "creepy" may occur at something as unnatural as a muppet for some people, while others may find Actroids to be perfect imitations of humans. Similarly, while two people may say "That robot misses human movement by 15% or so", their response to that missing 15% could be completely different.

Most people, when presented with an uncanny valley dweller (Say, an Actroid) will respond with fear at her near-miss of human movement. Some will respond with laughter at her incongruous facial expressions, and obliviousness to her surroundings. We find those exact things sexually appealing. We just plain like to hang out in the uncanny valley.

Outsider · Post by **Outsider** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:10 pm

That's what I don't want - I don't want to become an automaton or to see anyone else become an automaton.

I have my submissive side, but I'd like to become more complete, and to see others become more complete. I often enjoy stories where the main character breaks free. I have considered writing a story where one of the main characters wants to submit to another of the main characters, and the other main character wants to have a more equal relationship.

But then, transformation stories can help us explore what it is to be human. That doesn't have anything to do with any fetish, though if they hit two birds with one stone...

I still haven't read The Academy. I'm planning to, but I'm dealing with some personal issues and I don't want to be distracted.

Borias · Post by **Borias** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:31 pm

dale coba · Post by **dale coba** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:16 am

Forgive my sweeping generalizations.

My model for the core of the fetish is that there is a conflict between two types of thought: the gray matter is not necessarily irrational or immoral, and can be manipulated by will.

But the "reptile brain", the evolutionary imperatives in the older brain substructures, that stuff most certainly is amoral, irrational, and intractable.

At the boundaries between the two aspects, you have a choice as to how to knit together the territories.

The Fundamentalist throws up a wall, denies, blocks, demonizes and divides himself from himself.

The Sociopath draws themes straight from his lizard id, and uncritically amplifies them across his broader brain, manifesting evil actions upon others.

What strategies do you employ?

I say, know your id, and celebrate it in the form of Play. As the Caretaker explained to Kirk on the "Shore Leave" paradise/simulation planet: "The more complex the mind, the greater the need for play."

I had neglected to consider that others would focus on working out emotional concerns of the gray matter in stories, sex, and fantasy. I was focusing on the lustful drives, and how to make peace with them.

- Dale Coba