"The West, the professor contended, has a problem with the idea of things having spirits and feels that anthropomorphism, the attribution of human-like attributes to things or animals, is childish, primitive, or even bad. He argued that the Luddites who smashed the automated looms that were eliminating their jobs in the 19th century were an example of that, and for contrast he showed an image of a Japanese robot in a factory wearing a cap, having a name and being treated like a colleague rather than a creepy enemy."

I'm sorry, but that is a stupid statement. First, westerners have no issue with anthropomorphizing (it's a word if I want it to be) inanimate objects. We do it all the damn time. My roomba is named Lenny (hard working, but not too bright).

Second, how on earth is this a valid comparison? "Just look at the facts guys! The luddites destroyed machines that in one fell swoop eliminated the livelihood of a significant portion of people, and this robot has a hat!"