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The Uncanny Valley

Sep 5, 2009
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I have from time to time pondered the phenomenon of the polarizing effect of Lance Armstrong. Last night a parallel occurred to me. Let me try it out on you all.

There is a theory put forth in 1970 by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori that hold that the closer a robot comes to resembling human, the more emotional acceptance it will elicit *until* that point where it is very humanlike but still lacking, at which point the emotional response suddenly shifts from acceptance to revulsion. This theory is called The Uncanny Valley.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

A corrollary to the theory is:
According to writer Jamais Cascio, a similar "uncanny valley" effect could show up when humans begin modifying themselves with transhuman enhancements (cf. body modification), which aim to improve the abilities of the human body beyond what would normally be possible, be it eyesight, muscle strength, or cognition.[31] So long as these enhancements remain within a perceived norm of human behavior, a negative reaction is unlikely, but once individuals supplant normal human variety, revulsion can be expected.

I would suggest that Lance Armstrong has worked so hard at modelling himself into the perfect hero-image, but has clearly fallen short. Fallen, in fact, into the Uncanny Valley, and for many, their one time admiration has changed to loathing. The tragic part is that all the ingredients may in fact have been there for Armstrong to be a legitimate hero. However, for whatever reason he was not content with that, but felt the need to manipulate, manhandle, and otherwise fabricate the image of Lance Armstrong, the anti-cancer super bikeracer superhero into something that for a large number of people will never be a believable entity. And the result has been disgust and loathing for all that do not buy into the fabrication.
 
Ex-trackie said:
I have from time to time pondered the phenomenon of the polarizing effect of Lance Armstrong. Last night a parallel occurred to me. Let me try it out on you all.

There is a theory put forth in 1970 by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori that hold that the closer a robot comes to resembling human, the more emotional acceptance it will elicit *until* that point where it is very humanlike but still lacking, at which point the emotional response suddenly shifts from acceptance to revulsion. This theory is called The Uncanny Valley.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

A corrollary to the theory is:
According to writer Jamais Cascio, a similar "uncanny valley" effect could show up when humans begin modifying themselves with transhuman enhancements (cf. body modification), which aim to improve the abilities of the human body beyond what would normally be possible, be it eyesight, muscle strength, or cognition.[31] So long as these enhancements remain within a perceived norm of human behavior, a negative reaction is unlikely, but once individuals supplant normal human variety, revulsion can be expected.

I would suggest that Lance Armstrong has worked so hard at modelling himself into the perfect hero-image, but has clearly fallen short. Fallen, in fact, into the Uncanny Valley, and for many, their one time admiration has changed to loathing. The tragic part is that all the ingredients may in fact have been there for Armstrong to be a legitimate hero. However, for whatever reason he was not content with that, but felt the need to manipulate, manhandle, and otherwise fabricate the image of Lance Armstrong, the anti-cancer super bikeracer superhero into something that for a large number of people will never be a believable entity. And the result has been disgust and loathing for all that do not buy into the fabrication.

Or it just might be due to the combination of bullying behaviour, lying, rampant drug use while propogating BS, spin and manipulation of the media, and being a general a$$.
 
Oct 29, 2009
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Thanks for posting, Ex-Trackie, that's really interesting.

Are you saying LA is on the nose because he resembles a perfect machine, but somehow lacks other human-like emotions like humility and compassion? Other riders have had similar palmares or even better (Merckyx, Hinault, Coppi) but they engender affection. What is/was it about those riders that mark them out for different treatment? By all accounts Hinault was a perfect **** and somewhat of a bully at times but he was also being true to his nature, not something you can say of the PR-manufactured Armstrong.

This may be a large part of the LA-aversion: like a robot there's this sense of inauthenticity about him, his methods, his motives, his deeds. On a different subject altogether, this is similar to the Tiger Woods affair - it's not his infidelity but his inauthenticity that has disappointed so many.

When you claim to be someone you're not...
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I remember watching him in 1995 gesturing to the sky (someone who is an atheist gesturing to the sky? How do you point to nowhere?) after the death of Casartelli and my impression was that he was someone who went through the motions of what he thought people would think was genuine. He has always given me that impression. He likes to act genuine, but that does not mean he is genuine. People don't like a fake.
 
Ex-trackie said:
There is a theory put forth in 1970 by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori that hold that the closer a robot comes to resembling human, the more emotional acceptance it will elicit *until* that point where it is very humanlike but still lacking, at which point the emotional response suddenly shifts from acceptance to revulsion. This theory is called The Uncanny Valley.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

A corrollary to the theory is:
According to writer Jamais Cascio, a similar "uncanny valley" effect could show up when humans begin modifying themselves with transhuman enhancements (cf. body modification), which aim to improve the abilities of the human body beyond what would normally be possible, be it eyesight, muscle strength, or cognition.[31] So long as these enhancements remain within a perceived norm of human behavior, a negative reaction is unlikely, but once individuals supplant normal human variety, revulsion can be expected.

I would suggest that Lance Armstrong has worked so hard at modelling himself into the perfect hero-image, but has clearly fallen short. Fallen, in fact, into the Uncanny Valley, and for many, their one time admiration has changed to loathing. The tragic part is that all the ingredients may in fact have been there for Armstrong to be a legitimate hero. However, for whatever reason he was not content with that, but felt the need to manipulate, manhandle, and otherwise fabricate the image of Lance Armstrong, the anti-cancer super bikeracer superhero into something that for a large number of people will never be a believable entity. And the result has been disgust and loathing for all that do not buy into the fabrication.

try this Uncanny subject....
news_anemi.jpg
 
Dec 18, 2009
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Ex-trackie said:
I have from time to time pondered the phenomenon of the polarizing effect of Lance Armstrong. Last night a parallel occurred to me. Let me try it out on you all.

There is a theory put forth in 1970 by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori that hold that the closer a robot comes to resembling human, the more emotional acceptance it will elicit *until* that point where it is very humanlike but still lacking, at which point the emotional response suddenly shifts from acceptance to revulsion. This theory is called The Uncanny Valley.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

A corrollary to the theory is:
According to writer Jamais Cascio, a similar "uncanny valley" effect could show up when humans begin modifying themselves with transhuman enhancements (cf. body modification), which aim to improve the abilities of the human body beyond what would normally be possible, be it eyesight, muscle strength, or cognition.[31] So long as these enhancements remain within a perceived norm of human behavior, a negative reaction is unlikely, but once individuals supplant normal human variety, revulsion can be expected.

I would suggest that Lance Armstrong has worked so hard at modelling himself into the perfect hero-image, but has clearly fallen short. Fallen, in fact, into the Uncanny Valley, and for many, their one time admiration has changed to loathing. The tragic part is that all the ingredients may in fact have been there for Armstrong to be a legitimate hero. However, for whatever reason he was not content with that, but felt the need to manipulate, manhandle, and otherwise fabricate the image of Lance Armstrong, the anti-cancer super bikeracer superhero into something that for a large number of people will never be a believable entity. And the result has been disgust and loathing for all that do not buy into the fabrication.

Lance is very machine like in his racing and ability to take apart the competition. He also has strong PR skills. This would correltate well with your theory.
 
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Phantom Menace said:
Lance is very machine like in his racing and ability to take apart the competition. He also has strong PR skills. This would correltate well with your theory.

Well, all but two of them. In the TT, Contador did the machine like taking apart. Did you see Lance's face at the end. Man, I almost felt sorry for him, but his tears made me feel all happy.
 
Mar 13, 2009
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No need to overcomplicate things. He's reviled b/c he's a drug cheat and lier.

Despite his other deficiencies, if he was clean, I would be a supporter.
 

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