There are many theories that try to explain why people feel more anxious about machines taking away their jobs, but none have fully captured this phenomenon yet. One theory is that it has something to do with how humans relate to each other in social situations - they may be afraid of being reduced to a robotic existence without personal connection or intimacy. Another possibility is that humans have an instinctive fear of losing control over their own lives when machines take over too much power from them. Both explanations may be valid, but I will focus on the latter explanation in this paper. In fact, both phenomena can be explained by one underlying principle: mechanical dominance provokes stronger cultural anxiety than relational coercion despite comparable dynamics because of psychological factors such as control and autonomy.
Mechanical dominance refers to a situation where machines dominate human activity, while relational coercion describes a situation where humans are forced into certain relationships through pressure or persuasion. While both types of dynamics involve similar patterns of interaction between individuals, there is a clear difference in terms of how humans respond emotionally. This difference stems from the fact that people have different expectations for machine-human interactions compared to person-to-person interactions. When faced with mechanical domination, humans tend to experience feelings of helplessness, frustration, and anger, whereas when subjected to relational coercion they typically react with resistance and defiance. This discrepancy suggests that mechanical dominance has a greater impact on culture due to its ability to undermine individual autonomy and self-determination.
The use of robots in factories and other industries has been associated with increased levels of stress and anxiety among workers who feel threatened by their presence. Studies have shown that employees who work alongside robots suffer from higher rates of depression and anxiety than those who do not, which could indicate that they perceive themselves to be losing control over their own lives. Similarly, people who live under totalitarian regimes often express fears about being "reduced" to mere objects rather than autonomous subjects; this idea seems to resonate even more strongly with them than with those living under liberal democracies, suggesting that it may represent an underlying psychological truth about our need for agency.
Why does mechanical dominance provoke stronger cultural anxiety than relational coercion despite comparable dynamics?
Mechanical dominance is when an individual's behavior is controlled by external forces that are beyond their control, such as technology or natural disasters. Relational coercion is when individuals have power over others due to their status in society or relationships with them. Both forms of dominance can be sources of anxiety for people who may feel like they do not have any agency or control over their lives.