The Age of the Cyborgs

The art installation, "Can't Help Myself," served as a profound inspiration for episode 7 of our podcast titled "The Age of the Cyborg." This piece, a poignant commentary on survival, is designed to continuously attempt to contain the hydraulic fluid it constantly leaks - a fluid that is ironically not essential for its operation. This futile struggle for survival mirrors the existential questions we grapple with in the age of the cyborg. When "Can't Help Myself" was first unveiled in 2016, it was a lively and interactive piece, performing 'happy dances' for spectators whenever it successfully contained the spill. However, as time passed, the leaks became larger and more frequent, leaving it with less time for interaction and more time spent in a desperate struggle for survival. This transformation from a vibrant piece to a desperate entity caught in a never-ending cycle of self-preservation was a heartbreaking sight. In 2019, the piece finally came to a standstill, marking its 'death.' But the twist was that the piece was actually powered by electricity, not hydraulics. It spent its entire existence fighting for something it didn't even need, deceived by the system it was born into. This narrative served as a powerful metaphor for our discussion in episode seven, "The Age of the Cyborg." The installation's struggle mirrors the existential questions we face as we become more intertwined with technology. It forces us to question our own struggles and the systems we're a part of. Despite being a mechanical piece, "Can't Help Myself" offers a profound lesson about life, survival, and the blurred lines between man and machine.