Are we being mean to robots? Is it just internet snark or the start of something deeper and more dangerous?
In this episode, we explore the sudden rise of “clanker” as an anti-robot slur. We dig into whether discrimination toward AI is harmless fun, a new moral frontier, or just a mirror reflecting how we treat anything with less power than us (including each other).
Along the way we unpack science fiction, Star Wars lore, power dynamics, Ray Kurzweil’s predictions, and why your Roomba probably deserves a little more respect.
🤖 What “clanker” actually means and where it came from (thanks, Clone Wars)
🧠 Why people are projecting emotions onto robots, and then getting mad at them
🪞 The ethics of punching down and what it says about us as humans
🧼 How to be nice to your robot vacuum and why it matters more than you think
🧩 The Singularity, sentience, and whether AI slurs could become digital abuse
🔧 “NPCs,” “meat puppets,” and the language we use to dehumanize each other
🏆 WWOPD: What Would Optimus Prime Do?
This convo will have you rethinking how you talk to Alexa, your self-checkout kiosk, and maybe even your toaster. Because in the future, kindness might be the most human thing we’ve got.
Relevant examples as covered in this episode:
Clanker is originally a term from Star Wars where clone troopers used it to mock battle droids, that is now being used to describe AI robots in real life. Whether it’s a humanoid handing you popcorn or a voice assistant picking up your customer service call, some people are starting to throw this term around with real spite…
And some people are using the term ironically and blaming publications like Newsweek for covering something that’s not a trend, to the point it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and becomes a trend. And yet here we are.
So, is this digital abuse? Or just people expressing discomfort with the tech takeover?
Jenny argues that how we treat things with less power, even robots, reveals who we really are. If you're yelling at your vacuum like it owes you money, maybe it's time to self-reflect. Greg explores Ray Kurzweil's predictions, argues that emotional AI may not be here yet but it’s coming.
And in our new segment What Are You Looking At?, Jenny is deep in NFL wife and girlfriend content as training camps start up. Greg, naturally, is watching the Masters of the Universe and Transformers crossover chaos unfold at San Diego Comic-Con.
🧢 New merch idea: What Would Optimus Prime Do?
You’ll have to listen to get the context here. Spoiler, he wouldn't call anyone a clanker.
💌 BEFORE YOU GO
If you loved this episode, smash that subscribe button, forward this post to one headline-sharing friend, and leave us a five-star review (it feeds the algorithmic overlords). TYSM!
See you on the internet,
Jenny and Greg Swan
The Cave Project
