Shirt.Woot

nyren wrote:I do see the point about the base color. I think my problem with the image from a racial commentary standpoint is that the one that appears the whitest is not the same model as the rest of them. As others pointed out, he has electricity for arms, and a sleeker build. The image gives the impression that this is somehow related to the robot's color, since it is the only advanced robot in the scene and the only one that appears as colored white (even if the other ones, under their grime, are also white - that can be guessed from the image, but isn't inherently obvious).

*shrug* I guess I'd just be happier with the image from a racial viewpoint if the giving robot was the same model, or tech level, as the receiving robots.

I think you're reading too much in to it, and you're seeing racial commentary there because you're looking at it from a racially charged perspective.

IMO the racial difference is entirely incidental and the most important statement made is about the difference between those that have, and those that don't. The robot that's handing out batteries WOULD be a more advanced model because in real-world parallels, one has to HAVE wealth in order to give it. Those that have the wealth generally are more educated and more technologically adept than those that don't. The fact that the more advanced robot is giving out the batteries is highlighting this, not necessarily the notion that those who are white are automatically more advanced, etc.

Furthermore the difference in color would be more attributed to rust and wear & tear. Any metal surface will dull with use, which makes it appear darker since it reflects less light. Add to that the fact that those little robots are rusting, it just goes to show that they haven't been taken care of at all and are likely coated in all kinds of dust and grime.

IndependentVik wrote:Unlike most here, I've had an interest in racial studies, so I know where you're coming from, but I think the parallel you're seeing is incidental. Looking at the artwork, it seems to me that the robots are the same base color, it's just that the smaller ones are rusty, while the large one is not.

In popular media I often see the color white used as a symbol of good and black used to indicate bad. People often point to this as evidence of how deeply racism is embedded within our society. Some work to wash all uses of this type of symbolism out of our culture as a means to eradicate racism.

I don't argue the degree of racism in our society. I've experienced enough racism to know that it can crop up everywhere. I have no doubt that in many cases, although I don't see it in this shirt, the use of this symbolism is motivated by racism. But I've often wondered if the popular use of "white as good and black as bad" symbolism originated from racism. It's possible, but perhaps this symbolism doesn't come from racism but instead racism came from this symbolism.

The dark of night has always been a setting for unfortunate events. Even in our modern electrified cities it's easier to get lost, or hurt at night. Crime seems to be more frequent and more brutal at night. The black of night has always prompted us to keep our guard up. And there can be no doubt about the benefit and beauty brought by the shining of the full moon to reveal what's out there in the unknown.

Additionally, we have always been at the mercy of weather. The darkest storms are the most dangerous and people in all cultures scan the horizon wary of dark clouds.

Now consider the relatively recent notion that cleanliness is a virtue and uncleanliness is bad. One of the simplest forms of uncleanliness, the presence of dirt, which is often naturally dark colored, is looked at as bad. Someone with this mindset can see people who don't clean themselves as lazy, or disorganized, or worse than themselves.

It seems like these things are plenty to draw from to create a symbolism where darkness indicates danger and lightness indicates safety. It also seems like light colored people who have bought into this symbolism could confuse this symbolism with reality when confronted by dark colored people.

This is not to justify such a confusion or to minimize or excuse the active transformation of confusion into hatred and violence, I'm just wondering if this symbolism might have been a seed for racism rather than the other way around.

IndependentViK, in your studies have you encountered a historical exploration of the relationship between the symbolic use of the colors black and white in comparison to a timeline of western racism?

BTW, in for one.

I like how the one on the right is like "watching the films is this?"

This is gonna be my favorite woot shirt yet. I can't wait to get mine. :D

Such a poignant shirt. As your eye scans from left to right, you see, in turn, each robot. The first small one symbolizes love of power. This robot is so consumed with its lust that it is about to tip over from enthusiasm. The second robot stands there, pondering the futility of existence. The third robot symbolizes greed, it's mouthy countenance and grasping claws. The fourth robot gazes skyward, shaking its fists at an uncaring deity.

The large robot represents the great white god of capitalism, dispensing token batteries as a tax shelter, all the while, it obviously has no place to put batteries into its own body, and in fact, considering that it uses visible electricity instead of rigid armatures, most likely has a fusion reactor within, peddling worthless knick-knacks while flaunting its excess. How many small robots could be powered by the energy needed just for its left arm?

The final small robot has decided to end it all, pulling out its battery in a single stroke, rather than to grovel for pittances, unexpectedly and ironically staring at the very basis of its life for all eternity as a visible and lasting protest. Will the large robot heed his request, or will he be forcibly rebooted?

Alternatively, perhaps the large robot is actually stealing batteries from the smaller ones. The two in the middle are reaching up, futilely trying to get their batteries back. Just two more batteries, plus the one in its hand, to meet the quota.

nyren wrote:I do see the point about the base color. I think my problem with the image from a racial commentary standpoint is that the one that appears the whitest is not the same model as the rest of them. As others pointed out, he has electricity for arms, and a sleeker build. The image gives the impression that this is somehow related to the robot's color, since it is the only advanced robot in the scene and the only one that appears as colored white (even if the other ones, under their grime, are also white - that can be guessed from the image, but isn't inherently obvious).

*shrug* I guess I'd just be happier with the image from a racial viewpoint if the giving robot was the same model, or tech level, as the receiving robots.

It's THE MAN keeping the poor people down by addicting them to THE JUICE.

isparabola wrote:The robot on the right looks like its about to put the battery inside itself, but without a battery in there wouldn't it be unable to do that?

battery back-up

...are they the spawn of Wall E and Eve?

weirddave wrote:
The final small robot has decided to end it all, pulling out its battery in a single stroke, rather than to grovel for pittances, unexpectedly and ironically staring at the very basis of its life for all eternity as a visible and lasting protest. Will the large robot heed his request, or will he be forcibly rebooted?

that's just hilarious

You know, I can't stand this shirt. Not sure why. I don't think I appreciate the whole robot thing.

Maybe it's the degrading comparison of starving children, to little, life-less robotic pieces of rusted metal.

Congrats!, its too awesome!

I feel that most people will get this shirt, and forget what It is supposed to symbolize.thus losing the message. is it just me?

This shirt reminds of of the Salvation Army or Toys for Tots.

which isn't a bad thing, just thought I'd share my viewpoint.

Robama, Robama, Roboma!

It should be called the giving of power, ergo it doesn't work, and I don't want one.

prateeko wrote:You know the Robot handing out batteries is Godly by the rust-proof paint he has. So nice of him to be kind, if only more people could be link that...

I think that should be "she" not "he."

Got one!

Although... what's with the Jim Crow "No old models" sign in the background? What, are they not allowed to use the same oilcans? And don't they know the old models are more energy efficient? Sure, they use zero-point energy in the new ones, but some day that parallel dimension is gonna come lookin' for their due.

this shirt is awesome... duracell or energizer should make a commercial like this

I see it more as a "Schindler's List" kind of thing. This robot is sneaking out of the city to help the ones who are banned and cannot have access to the shiny new uber-batteries (the sign clearly shows the arms and legs attached on the robot - so maybe just that model is banned?)?

weirddave wrote:Such a poignant shirt. As your eye scans from left to right, you see, in turn, each robot. The first small one symbolizes love of power. This robot is so consumed with its lust that it is about to tip over from enthusiasm. The second robot stands there, pondering the futility of existence. The third robot symbolizes greed, it's mouthy countenance and grasping claws. The fourth robot gazes skyward, shaking its fists at an uncaring deity.

The large robot represents the great white god of capitalism, dispensing token batteries as a tax shelter, all the while, it obviously has no place to put batteries into its own body, and in fact, considering that it uses visible electricity instead of rigid armatures, most likely has a fusion reactor within, peddling worthless knick-knacks while flaunting its excess. How many small robots could be powered by the energy needed just for its left arm?

The final small robot has decided to end it all, pulling out its battery in a single stroke, rather than to grovel for pittances, unexpectedly and ironically staring at the very basis of its life for all eternity as a visible and lasting protest. Will the large robot heed his request, or will he be forcibly rebooted?

I give you props for your descriptive, creative and interesting thoughts on the meaning of this shirt. However, I don't agree that thats what the artist had in mind.

Not sure though why there is a symbol behind the small robot's head on the left. Seems like a subliminal message that these smaller rusty robots were not welcome in the civilized areas.

brandonrjackson wrote:I see it more as a "Schindler's List" kind of thing. This robot is sneaking out of the city to help the ones who are banned and cannot have access to the shiny new uber-batteries (the sign clearly shows the arms and legs attached on the robot - so maybe just that model is banned?)?

agreed. That is definitely a possible explanation.

Do the shirt artists ever comment here on the real message they intended for the shirt. That would send this discussion straight to the point.

I saw a beautiful shirt, apparently some other people saw racism.

Okay, the old symbolism of white being good and black being bad no doubt traces back to how our ancestors were huddling in fear at night, while they were relatively safe and able to do stuff during the day.

Robots rust, and they don't rust some acceptable color, like blue. Newer robot could be white, or it could be silver. Why would they ban the old robot models? Because it is very clunky in comparison to the new model.

You only see racism when you want to see racism. I'm getting a little sick of the whole "everything involving something white with something not white is instantly racist"...y'know, racism against whites is possibly the most rampant. I feel for the average non-racist white man, who is hated on 24/7 for how he looks...

All of that aside, I'm definitely wooting this shirt.

I wonder if those lil guys suffer from acid reflux?

You know what kills it for me? The hearts.
Maybe I needed more hugs as a child?

Hmm...seems like hes handing out the smallest lego pieces to them...or tiny batteries.

My first Woot! shirt!

I don't see the racism. None of the robots have mouths, and yet the white one seems to be smiling. He's helping out the smaller robots that, for some reason, just aren't allowed in the city.

Besides, he doesn't even look completely white. More of an off-white beigeish color. He's helping them out, giving them power. I don't get a hint of racism here, just a sense of love and caring from an newer, sleeker model to the older junkier ones. Despite the fact that they are old, rusted and banned,they are still robots, and need to be fed (powered).

OK, even if the newer robot is shinier and lighter, she is from the big, shiny robot city, the same city that appears to have banned the smaller, darker robots. What is wrong with a shiny robot trying to help the outcasts? If anything, the system is "racist" (if a system can be), and not the shiny robot, and certainly not the shirt/artist.

It's a social commentary on the continuation of the dichotomy between the Haves and the Have Nots. It's always been there, and most likely always will be. If one robot isn't allowed to try to make a difference, how can we ever expect the system to change?

Good shirt for Burners...

nyren wrote:Utterly beautiful artwork, but... as I said on the derby page, I worry that this shirt emphasizes racist American iconography. Why, if you are going to use robots, do the poor, clearly outdated, poorly made ones have to be brown-cased, and the wealthy, new, advanced one have to be clearly white?

Hrm, the more I look at it, the more this shirt says to me, white people are better because they were made that way, as a more advanced model of the species =\

It's clearly time for me to stop looking at that beautifully drawn image.

that's just what happens to bright, new, white, shiny things when they finally become old, dirty, greasy, oily, and covered with urban smog... typically referred to as "entropy"!

DaveD1420 wrote:If anything, the system is "racist" (if a system can be), and not the shiny robot, and certainly not the shirt/artist.

I feel the need to assert here that I do not think the artists were being racist with this shirt at all. The racism that I saw in the shirt was incidental - as I said before, I see the shirt as depicting a system that I disagree with.

nyren wrote:I feel the need to assert here that I do not think the artists were being racist with this shirt at all. The racism that I saw in the shirt was incidental - as I said before, I see the shirt as depicting a system that I disagree with.

Agreed, too. I didn't mean to insinuate anything otherwise.

Why are the baby robots so dirty. Neglected robots make me sad.

nmctwx wrote:Give a bot a battery and he'll run for a day...

Give a bot a rechargeable battery and he'll run for 500 charges as long as the battery is properly cycled according to the manufacturers specifications.

LOL aaaaahahahaha!!! Yes you’re correct I work for a major mobile cell phone company and I have to explain this to everyone all day everyday. *The general public has no idea. That being said before this robot thing takes off.

Step 1. Charge robot for a full 8hrs
Step 2. Let the robot die then....

*People can’t charge there cell phones correctly what happens when we all have robots.

ohh and yes in for 2.

ShadowStitch wrote:...It has capacitors. Same way your camera doesn't forget the date if you swap the battery quickly enough.

Exactly what I was going to say.

Soooooooo.... cute.

This is possibly one of the cutest Woot shirts I've seen. I think my love of robots is showing.

My Aibo would be proud of me, though, were she not busy playing with her ball at the moment.

chemicalgutter wrote:
Not sure though why there is a symbol behind the small robot's head on the left. Seems like a subliminal message that these smaller rusty robots were not welcome in the civilized areas.

That's clearly protest graffiti - the robot in the icon is 'empty'... It's battery compartment is un-batteried... a reference, perhaps, to ending hunger?

[Edit: typo]

Maybe it's transference, but I'm seeing racial issues here that I'd rather not wear. White robots giving handouts to brown robots makes me think that all brown robots can't feed themselves.