Source
r/DontPanic•
HappyEngineer

Marvin's personality is remarkably unchanging despite being trillions of years old.

My only explanation for this is that he was already a trillion years old when we first meet him, so adding another trillion in between chapters in the 2nd book just doesn't change him at all.

Alternative theories? Maybe he's like the terminator before his learning switch is enabled in Terminator 2? Or, his depression is so absolute that it just doesn't allow for circumstances to change it.

Posted Nov 5, 2022, 10:02 PM UTC

5110
WildEyedBoyFreecloud•

Genuine People Personality - he's programmed that way. And nobody changes his programming. Or the diodes on his left hand side.

44
HappyEngineerOP•

It's honestly impressive that those diodes haven't just turned to dust after trillions of years. They may make horrible personalities, but the quality of their bad diodes is top notch!

15
hibernativenaptosis•

My theory is that Marvin's intelligence is so immense that he can more or less predict the future, which allows him to be depressed about things that haven't happened to him yet.

19
beibiddybibo•

Here he is, brain the size of a planet, and you want him to work on his personality? And with all that terrible pain in the diodes down his left side? Call that job satisfaction? Cause I don't...

13
ununseptimus•

His Genuine People Personality might be to blame. He was (according to the record, can't remember if it's true of the radio or novel) a prototype. I reckon it could only have developed one way - if not exactly like this, then in a manner very like it.

"Okay, boss, we reckon the way to go is to make this one as knowledgeable and insightful about sentient beings as possible: their motives, their feelings, that sort of thing. And this guy here is going to understand it! We're gonna give him a brain the size of a planet -- don't ask how, it's really technical -- and he's going to devote that brain to understanding you, understanding me, understanding everyone around him, all the ways we relate to each other. And that should make him the ideal companion, because he. Understands. You. And he knows what's up."

"Sounds like you and the eggheads have done a hell of a job! The marketing boys might have overhyped this, so I gotta admit I was worried, but you might just have put my mind at rest. In your own time, guys."

"O-kay. Moment of truth. Activate Marvin!"

"He seems kinda quiet."

"That's normal. He's looking around, trying to take it all in. His surroundings, us, everything about every world. Just imagine it! That's sheer, cosmic wonder."

"I think you ought to know I'm feeling very depressed."

10
Gharik15•

I read this in Cave Johnsons voice. Nice!

1
thekiltedpiper•

I'm thinking that his personality is hard coded and fixed. He can learn new info, but it won't ever change his personality.

5
BunRabbitMattress•

Never had any experience of job satisfaction.

2
st0pmakings3ns3•

That's good robotics for you. The marketing department of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation may be a bunch of mindless jerks but the engineers were actually quite a handy lot.

2
-tiberius•

A lot of great explanations, but I prefer to think of him as a Robot Bukowski. In obscurity or fame, he knows who he is and has no desire to be anyone else.

1