Interacting with robots, or even actual humans, online, necessarily shields you from a lot of the awkwardness and mess of real human interaction. I think as a result we're sort of collectively losing our tolerance for feelings/experiences like embarrassment, or left-out-ness (?) or kicking yourself over saying the wrong thing! These normal, sometimes uncomfortable emotions are such a key part of being human and so inextricable from building genuine relationships of all kinds- but increasingly people can't tolerate them without devolving into anxiety spirals. So the tech reliance and the mental health struggles become a mutually reinforcing cycle, I think.
Yeah, it sounds nice to have some program to practice conversation with, but then I actually think about it for two seconds and I realize how silly this is. The majority of quality conversation is listening. The point of conversation is knowing someone better, sharing the experience of being human. It’s not a game of shuffling scripts and following the right patterns.
As such, a chatbot ends up being a virtual sound board for lonely people venting their spleen. I imagine this feels cathartic and probably becomes addictive for introverts who’re encouraged to become more self-absorbed and less interested in others.
Thus, the proliferation of chatbots will do the precise opposite of what’s intended. Pushing users ever inward on themselves and making them ever less willing to initiate or sustain conversation with other human beings.
But I’m sure there’s an app for resolving such an issue.
That's such a good point that the majority of quality conversation is listening. How does a chatbot teach that skill? How do you signal with non verbal cues that you're paying attention to a computer screen????
So glad you mentioned the movie "Her." It's excellent. And I keep wildly gesturing toward it anytime AI chatbots are even brought up. Did anyone take away a valuable lesson from that film...?
Interacting with robots, or even actual humans, online, necessarily shields you from a lot of the awkwardness and mess of real human interaction. I think as a result we're sort of collectively losing our tolerance for feelings/experiences like embarrassment, or left-out-ness (?) or kicking yourself over saying the wrong thing! These normal, sometimes uncomfortable emotions are such a key part of being human and so inextricable from building genuine relationships of all kinds- but increasingly people can't tolerate them without devolving into anxiety spirals. So the tech reliance and the mental health struggles become a mutually reinforcing cycle, I think.
Yeah, it sounds nice to have some program to practice conversation with, but then I actually think about it for two seconds and I realize how silly this is. The majority of quality conversation is listening. The point of conversation is knowing someone better, sharing the experience of being human. It’s not a game of shuffling scripts and following the right patterns.
As such, a chatbot ends up being a virtual sound board for lonely people venting their spleen. I imagine this feels cathartic and probably becomes addictive for introverts who’re encouraged to become more self-absorbed and less interested in others.
Thus, the proliferation of chatbots will do the precise opposite of what’s intended. Pushing users ever inward on themselves and making them ever less willing to initiate or sustain conversation with other human beings.
But I’m sure there’s an app for resolving such an issue.
That's such a good point that the majority of quality conversation is listening. How does a chatbot teach that skill? How do you signal with non verbal cues that you're paying attention to a computer screen????
So glad you mentioned the movie "Her." It's excellent. And I keep wildly gesturing toward it anytime AI chatbots are even brought up. Did anyone take away a valuable lesson from that film...?
haha, yeah I really liked it. But I had no idea at the time how close to reality it was going to be.
Hey Jim, just wanted to say that I’ve been really enjoying your work — keep it up
Thank you so much!