43 pages • 1 hour read
Artificial Condition
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Background
Series Context: The Murderbot Diaries
In All Systems Red, the first in The Murderbot Diaries series, Murderbot, a security robot, hacks its governor module and is therefore not beholden to its client’s instructions. Without strong ties to anyone or anyplace, and with the anonymity of its human disguise, Murderbot is free to explore the universe. This freedom is a curse as well as a blessing because Murderbot must take responsibility for its future. Introverted, asexual, unhoused, and without the need for food, drink, or sleep, Murderbot’s freedom comes without the limitations that might provide purpose for a human in a similar situation. Murderbot understands that if it doesn’t find a purpose it could sink into “anxiety and depression” (19).
Artificial Condition emphasizes Murderbot’s plight by inviting the reader to ask what they would do in its situation. The novella does not answer the question of Murderbot’s future. While it discovers important information about its past, Murderbot does not depart RaviHyral with a clearly defined purpose. The parallel of the novella’s beginning and end, in which Murderbot jumps onto a transport without a stated destination, suggests that it has much to learn about itself and that purpose is not easy to find.
Literary Context: Science Fiction Robots
Robots are a mainstay of science fiction, as fundamental to the genre as space exploration and futuristic technology. The idea of machines capable of performing complex functions has existed since antiquity, with the original focus on these machines’ ability to perform labor that would otherwise be done by humans. Though fictional conceptions of robots have shifted as real-world technology has progressed, science fiction still often depicts them as either mindless tools or heartless killing machines. Even when fictional robots have sentience and agency, they often spend their time and energy supporting humans, sometimes with the aim of becoming more human themselves.
Murderbot isn’t like that. Not only does Murderbot have complex thoughts, beliefs, and emotions, but it also has little interest in interacting with humans. Instead of wanting to become human, Murderbot dreads the idea, often pointing out the negative aspects of humanity. Some of the most empathetic moments in Artificial Condition take place between the non-humans Murderbot and ART. Murderbot’s name indicates that it is aware of human expectations. They view it as a tool for doing a dangerous job, but it has an inner life as complex as that of a human.
Wells subverts genre conventions to question what being a person means. By telling the story from Murderbot’s point of view, Wells suggests that the increasing complexity of machines should at some point grant them the same empathy and consideration that humans usually give one another. This point is especially relevant given modern discussions surrounding AI, which hint that questions about what constitutes personhood may soon be more than theoretical.
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