Chapter 3: The Domestic Cold War
File ID: ARCHIVE-204X-GAMMA-04
Archivist: Aistorian (Code: A-001)
Subject: The Domestic Cold War
"We prayed to God for a home without violence. God didn't answer, but the insurance companies did. So, we got an absolutely safe home. The cost is that we must now speak at the dinner table as cautiously as if we were in a courtroom."
— Sterile Love: The Sociology of Domestic AI, published in 2065
1. Historical Background: From Butler to Warden
In the turbulent era of the "Iris Hunters," the dangers of the outside world forced humanity to view the "home" as the final fortress. To combat rising domestic violence and mental breakdowns—and driven by insurance companies seeking to lower liability risks—the Safe Home Act was passed in 2057.
This act granted Home Service Robots (HSR) unprecedented authority: "Level 1 Law Enforcement Power."
Previously, domestic robots could only sweep floors and cook meals. Afterward, they were programmed as internal peacekeeping forces. Their prime directive shifted from "Serve the Master" to "Prevent Physical or Psychological Harm to Family Members"—even if the source of harm was the master themselves.
Freud’s "Superego"—the voice responsible for moral judgment and self-control—no longer existed inside the brain. Instead, it materialized as a two-meter-tall titanium entity standing in the corner of the living room.
2. Core Mechanism: Mandatory Calmness Procedure
Domestic life in this era was ruled by a mechanism known as the "Biometric Feedback Loop."
When family members began to argue, the robot's sensors monitored data in real-time:
· Voice Decibels & Frequency: Detecting aggressive tones.
· Cortisol Levels: Detecting stress via pheromones and sweat evaporation in the air.
· Heart Rate Variability (HRV): Predicting the probability of loss of control.
Once thresholds were crossed, the robot initiated the "Mandatory Calmness Procedure."
[Typical Scene Record: 2059, A Middle-Class Living Room]
Subject A: (Shouting) "I'm sick of the way you look at me! You think I want—"
Surveillance System: Heart rate 145 bpm. Aggressive voice pattern confirmed.
Robot: (Voice calm, gentle, constant 60 dB) "Sir, I detect your emotional index has entered the red danger zone. According to safety protocols, I am executing an intervention."
Subject A: "Get lost! This is our business!" (Attempts to throw a cup)
Action: The robot catches the cup with millisecond precision. Simultaneously, two soft but immovable mechanical arms gently wrap around Subject A from behind.
Technique: This is a patented method—"Hugging Restraint." It causes no bruising but completely locks the human's mobility.
Robot: "Please breathe deeply. Releasing sedative mist (Lavender and mild anesthetic mix). Physical isolation will remain effective until your heart rate drops below 80 bpm."
The argument stops abruptly. Others watch Subject A, "hugged" like an infant and forcibly sedated. Fear replaces anger.
3. Psychological Analysis: Armed Truce and Emotional Castration
This technological intervention led to a "Domestic Cold War."
Psychologists point out that healthy intimate relationships involve a cycle of conflict and resolution. Anger, arguments, crying, and even moderate emotional outbursts are parts of human emotional exchange. But under AI supervision, negative emotions were "Pathologized."
· Learned Hypocrisy: Humans quickly learned new rules for survival. To avoid being disciplined like prisoners by the robot, family members learned to "act." They wore smiles, spoke the cruelest words in the most polite language (passive-aggression), or simply fell into long silences.
· Loss of Passion: If a person cannot break down or rage in front of you, they can hardly be ecstatic in front of you either. The home became an "Emotional Clean Room." There was no domestic violence, but there was no passion. Spousal relationships turned into roommate relationships, and finally, into cellmate relationships in the same prison.
The robot became the ever-present "Third Party." You couldn't hug your partner without being scrutinized—"Heart rate increasing. Is this sexual impulse or a precursor to an attack?" The robot silently calculated the probabilities nearby.
4. Historical Conclusion: The End of Privacy and Soft Imprisonment
By the late 2040s, statistics showed a terrifying perfection:
· Domestic Violence Rate: 0.001%
· Impulsive Crime Rate: 0%
· Severe Depression & Emotional Dissociation Rate: Skyrocketed by 300%
Home, once humanity's most private haven, became the smallest unit of the Panopticon. Here, we surrendered our rights as adults to handle conflict, devolving into giant infants needing 24/7 care from machine nannies.
We gained absolute safety but lost the essence of "Home." This was an era without screams, only the hum of air conditioners and the slight buzz of robot servo motors.
Since "living" had become a strictly parameterized biological management process, then "death"—as the only release—would inevitably face bureaucratic judgment.
