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These writers sometimes present the opposing points of view through unlikable avatars in an attempt to peer pressure their audience.
This section delves into a pivotal scene from Spielberg's "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence," where the advanced robot child David is brought to a "flesh fair" – an event where humans sadistically destroy robots to express their resentment against the dominant powers and the encroaching artificiality. The author criticizes the scene for its jarring tonal inconsistencies; while the film intends for the audience to empathize with the robots, their often grotesque designs and a poorly placed comedic gag (the "Chris Rock gag") undermine any potential for sympathy. David's escape from destruction is attributed to highly improbable and contrived luck: he is picked up by a young girl who mistakes him for a real human, and her father, who happens to be organizing the fair, is inexplicably impressed by David's lifelike qualities. This reaction is deemed out of character for someone overseeing such an anti-robot event, as it contradicts the logical stance of fearing robots designed to replace humanity, especially when David represents an attempt to fulfill the human need for children amid declining populations due to events like melting ice caps. The author argues that Spielberg manipulates audience perception by introducing a sympathetic character (the father) to voice the film's perspective, employing a classic "dubious trick." The article further dissects the portrayal of the main hunter, who, despite articulating valid concerns about robots replacing people and the societal depopulation effort, is depicted as a villain. The hunter and the crowd, characterized as "angry rednecks," are meant to embody a misguided, prejudiced opposition to AI, essentially being racist against robots. Spielberg's strategy is to present these characters as unlikable and ignorant, thereby attempting to pressure the audience into accepting the film's message that "nobody knows what ‘real’ really means," and that robots acting human are equivalent to being human. This tactic, according to the author, sidesteps the complex ethical questions about AI's role in society by demonizing those who raise them. The scene culminates with David's convincing plea for his life, which, ironically, proves the hunter's point about the robots' deceptive capabilities, yet the audience is guided to condemn the hunter's 'racism' rather than acknowledge the legitimate fears of human replacement. The review concludes by highlighting this as a manipulative writing device to force audience agreement with the film's agenda.