Fast Cheap and Out of Control

My friend Kevin recommended I see Fast, Cheap and Out of Control recently. He knew (and was right) that it was in my wheelhouse and actually sent me a copy from Amazon. Merry Christmas, Kevs...

It's a very unique Errol Morris documentary shot by the cinematographer who did Natural Born Killers (a movie I'm secretly very fond of). It follows a topiary gardener, a biologist that studies mole rats, a lion tamer, and a robotics engineer. All seemingly disparate topics that eventually blend into a pretty brilliant theme about man's role in nature.

My favorite is the robotics engineer (though the lion tamer comes close), who has a brilliant digression about how robots begin to take on identities. There is a sense of being that can transcend their programming, where they are simply reacting to their environment. He goes on to specify how absurd it is to have consciousness without a body - a very subtle (and maybe unintentional) reminder that the separation of mind and body is a myth.

It's funny to watch that idea in action with this collection of robot videos (the best from 2008). The robots playing violin and soccer is fun to watch, but this one is the most singularity-esque and seemingly applicable to humanity. Skip ahead to 3:50 to see this strength suit in action.