"Not Everyone You Meet On The Road Is An Enemy..."

You might think that a tiny robot capable of moving in only one direction would have little hope of getting from one corner of twisty Washington Square Park to another, but thanks to a little human guidance, this wayward (and apparently recyclable) little creature seems to do just fine. Tweenbots are an art experiment by Kacie Kinzer that test how we share space with human-like objects. Would passersby who notice the robot struggling read its little flag ("Help Me!" followed by its destination) and point it in the right direction, or just keep walking? In the end the tweenbot crossed the park in 42 minutes -- extremely cute minutes, judging by the video on Kinzer's site -- thanks to the aid of 29 different people.

On the surface the Tweenbot looks like an unlikely candidate for the stern, warlike charioteer, but at heart they share the same values. The Charioteer -- thought by some to be the progeny of the two Lovers from the card directly preceding -- leaves the nest to make his own way in the world. He stands on the shoulders of the great society and family that produced him, but he'd prefer to make his own errors instead of replicating theirs: choosing his own direction carefully, he launches himself into space. Embarking requires courage and discipline, and so does maintaining a direct course to his target, but there's nothing about this neophyte that suggests he's incapable of finding his way; he's well-prepared and he's almost certain to prevail.

The Tweenbot sets out similarly, with a destination in mind, welcoming insight from fellow travelers -- and that, I think is an important example for you would-be Charioteers to follow. Not everyone you meet on the road is an enemy or an obstacle; the ability to learn and accept help from those you encounter on your mad dash to greatness might mean the difference between arriving as planned or spinning your wheels in a ditch. [Via]

Previously On Arcanalogue: The Chariot