When Isaac Asimov wrote his first Three Laws of Robotics, particular the First Law – which states that a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm – he may very well have had automated transport in mind. The benefits of self-driving trucks, if conducted safely and in accordance with the Laws of Robotics, seem to generally outweigh the potential disadvantages. What Asimov failed to account for, however, is country musicians and the people who enjoy them, as Thomas Stajcer points out in his latest single, “Who Will Listen To Country Music When Trucks Drive Themselves?”.
What level of harm can be considered “acceptable” for a robot to inflict upon a human? Bodily harm causing injury or death is clearly well over the line, but what about financial hardship or cultural failure? Beyond the immediate concerns of truckers themselves who have lost their livelihoods to an army of Elon Musk’s highway-faring rollerdrones, there’s a possible detriment to a whole swath of humanity who believe in longhorns as suitable hood ornaments. Might a cultural identity vanish without an occupational linchpin? In which case, to what end do robots benefit humanity if not, ultimately, in the pursuit of culture?
Stajcer, a proponent and habitual user of flip-phones, cautions a moderate approach, however, as “Not every song about the future can be an ode to society lost.”
Rather pragmatically, Stajcer responds to his own question with another one: “Where are the people? What are they doing if not driving trucks or listening to country music?” Or in the words of Paula Cole, “Where have all the cowboys gone?”
“Who Will Listen To Country Music When Trucks Drive Themselves?” has been released on all digital platforms, but for those who desire a more analogue experience, the single is also available as a 45” single backed with the previously unreleased “If I Had One Bottle More” on the B-Side. You can pre-order a copy HERE.