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Short & Curly

Can robot soldiers make armies better?

Short & Curly

abcpodcasts@abc.net.au

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, Philosophy

4.6 β€’ 2.2K Ratings

πŸ—“οΈ 13 September 2017

⏱️ 25 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Is it possible for an army to do the right thing? After all, armies destroy buildings and neighbourhoods, they kill and severely injure people, including children. Many wars and conflicts go on for years. But, weirdly, war do have rules, even if not everyone follows them. Do these rules really make it possible to create an ethical army? Can technology β€” like robots, drones and stun guns β€” lead to fewer casualties? After donning their battle fatigues, Molly and Carl design some ethical armies of their own.

Producer: Kyla Slaven

Executive Producer: Ian Walker

Brains trust: Finn, Ilka, Phoenix, Megan, and Eleanor from Millthorpe Public School, NSW

Acting crew: Neve, Denholm, April

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Once upon a time in an urban jungle, two street gangs are about to go to war.

0:06.8

Come on, your lousy stinking upstarts. We're in hostile territory in these alleyways.

0:11.9

You know our turf only extends to the playground. I'm pretty sure we're almost in Mali's neighbourhood out here.

0:18.4

They own this turf. And they don't mess around.

0:23.8

Quiet, everyone's stop.

0:25.7

That's Captain Carl Crazy and his junior commandos.

0:29.7

Yeah, that boring old Carl Club and his loony goons are such a disgrace.

0:36.7

They ain't no real street gang. Not like us,

0:40.1

Mole. Yeah, they ain't got the kind of awesome weapons and technology we have. And his nemesis,

0:46.8

mean Molly, and her technologically advanced underlings. Hey, hey, hey, what have we got here?

0:54.0

Well, well, well, look who it is. Moldy Molly and a gang of losers.

0:59.9

Carl, what do you think you're doing here? Creeping round my turf late at night. It was just a mistake, mole.

1:07.0

Or was it? Like most wars, it starts with low-level bickering.

1:12.0

Like when you mistakenly ate my donut at work the other day, Molly.

1:17.2

How dare you?

1:18.7

I would never have touched your donut if you hadn't used my mug in the office.

1:24.4

Your mug? I did not.

1:25.8

You did so.

1:27.1

Even if I did, what you you going to do about it?

1:30.2

Ugh.

1:30.9

Me and my gang have had enough of you deweebes.

1:34.1

Let me add a call.

...

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