Of course, I don’t believe AI girlfriends are going to completely replace relationships. But I do think that, much like online porn, they will be there – always accessible, always a temptation, always a source of instant satisfaction. And I think it’s likely that, for some, a real girlfriend just won’t seem enough on her own, especially considering nearly half of Replika’s users are already in a relationship or married.
Doesn’t seem that bad tbh, the dynamic of men being expected to have zero emotional outlets other than their romantic partner has always been super toxic and doesn’t make things better for anyone.
The only faint glimmer of optimism I can find in all this is that I think, at some point, life might become so stripped of reality and humanity that the pendulum will swing. Maybe the more automated, predictable interactions are pushed on us, the more actual conversations with awkward silences and bad eye contact will seem sexy. Maybe the more we are saturated with the same perfect, pornified avatars, the more desirable natural faces and bodies will be. Because perfect people and perfect interactions are boring. We want flaws! Friction! Unpredictability! Jokes that fall flat! I hold onto hope that someday we will get so sick of the artificial that our wildest fantasies will be something human again.
I’m in a men’s group where we act as that for each other, and the married ones’ wives love it because they don’t have to be the sole support system for their husbands any more.
Men are so closed off it’s horrible. I do sales and have so many customers and I can just see the loneliness in their eyes, their mannerisms. They continually consider their own needs and feelings to be rounding errors, like I was doing before this group.
I didn’t realize how deeply my sense of self had been crippled by our culture. I’ve never been in a more warm and supportive place than that group.
I don’t know how it came to be. It’s got multiple chapters. Ours is full but others like it are accepting all the time. I just found it by googling for men’s groups, and searching on meetup.
I remembered feeling envious when my girlfriend told me she had joined a women-only yoga thing. I was complaining about how men never get to kick the women out any more and have men-only time. She encouraged me to look again and see if I could find something.
As a woman, I really feel bad for men in our society, especially straight men. They get very little positive interaction at all. I like to compliment strangers; it usually makes my day when somebody says, “I like your hair,” or whatever, and I like to spread the joy. But I have to be cautious about giving compliments to men. A lot of them look at me weirdly if I say, “nice tie,” or “snazzy shirt.” I smile, say it, then move on so they don’t feel obligated to respond. It appears most of them aren’t used to it and don’t know how to handle it. I guess other men don’t compliment them (maybe for fear of being thought gay?) and women don’t, either (for fear of encouraging stalking or harassing behavior). It makes me sad to think of all the lonely people who get no affirmation from anybody. I’m old enough now that my days of being constantly sexually harassed are over, so I feel safe offering a few nice words.
Gay men, OTOH, totally know how to give and take a compliment.
Ever heard of those beetles that prefer beer bottles to actual females because their brains say " big + brown + shiny = sexy", and the bottles are bigger, browner, and shinier than any female beetle?
Doesn’t seem that bad tbh, the dynamic of men being expected to have zero emotional outlets other than their romantic partner has always been super toxic and doesn’t make things better for anyone.
If we had been asked 50 years ago: “What will happen first, people turning to robots to avoid feeling alone, or men being allowed to be emotionally vulnerable in society?”, what would have people replied?
That last bit especially is why only fans exploded. You get to see the girl next door naked VS all the pornstars that sorta look the same and act the same.
I can look at porn when nothing better is available, while preferring real bodies. It may reduce how desperate I am to be in a questionable relationship though.
Maybe some may I’ll be able to chat with an AI girlfriend instead of spending all week only having work discussions. It’ll be better for my mental health when no one else is available, but I’d still prefer real conversation. It may reduce how desperate I am to be in a questionable relationship though
Doesn’t seem that bad tbh, the dynamic of men being expected to have zero emotional outlets other than their romantic partner has always been super toxic and doesn’t make things better for anyone.
This article is pretty reasonable
I’m in a men’s group where we act as that for each other, and the married ones’ wives love it because they don’t have to be the sole support system for their husbands any more.
Men are so closed off it’s horrible. I do sales and have so many customers and I can just see the loneliness in their eyes, their mannerisms. They continually consider their own needs and feelings to be rounding errors, like I was doing before this group.
I didn’t realize how deeply my sense of self had been crippled by our culture. I’ve never been in a more warm and supportive place than that group.
Just for curiosity’s sake, how did that men’s group came to be? And, hypothetically speaking, are you accepting new members?
I don’t know how it came to be. It’s got multiple chapters. Ours is full but others like it are accepting all the time. I just found it by googling for men’s groups, and searching on meetup.
I remembered feeling envious when my girlfriend told me she had joined a women-only yoga thing. I was complaining about how men never get to kick the women out any more and have men-only time. She encouraged me to look again and see if I could find something.
Honestly I expected any group found like that would be toxic and just seeking to radicalise lonely men, but it’s heartening to hear I’m wrong
Lol ya dingus
?
What part of that is confusing for you?
The part where you quoted a sentence I said then called me a dingus. What’s the connection?
The thing you said makes you a dingus, it’s really not that complicated.
As a woman, I really feel bad for men in our society, especially straight men. They get very little positive interaction at all. I like to compliment strangers; it usually makes my day when somebody says, “I like your hair,” or whatever, and I like to spread the joy. But I have to be cautious about giving compliments to men. A lot of them look at me weirdly if I say, “nice tie,” or “snazzy shirt.” I smile, say it, then move on so they don’t feel obligated to respond. It appears most of them aren’t used to it and don’t know how to handle it. I guess other men don’t compliment them (maybe for fear of being thought gay?) and women don’t, either (for fear of encouraging stalking or harassing behavior). It makes me sad to think of all the lonely people who get no affirmation from anybody. I’m old enough now that my days of being constantly sexually harassed are over, so I feel safe offering a few nice words.
Gay men, OTOH, totally know how to give and take a compliment.
You act as… Each other’s girlfriends? j/k of course.
What’s the name of the group?
MBEOG
It stands for Men Being Each Other’s Girlfriends
Ever heard of those beetles that prefer beer bottles to actual females because their brains say " big + brown + shiny = sexy", and the bottles are bigger, browner, and shinier than any female beetle?
i can empathize
The technical term is supernormal stimulus. Read a neat article about it a while back http://readthis.wtf/writing/hyperplastic-supernormal/
Literally me.
If we had been asked 50 years ago: “What will happen first, people turning to robots to avoid feeling alone, or men being allowed to be emotionally vulnerable in society?”, what would have people replied?
Caves of Steel came out 70 years ago. The main character has a robot (detective) partner, but talking in the men’s room is outlandishly taboo.
That last bit especially is why only fans exploded. You get to see the girl next door naked VS all the pornstars that sorta look the same and act the same.
I can look at porn when nothing better is available, while preferring real bodies. It may reduce how desperate I am to be in a questionable relationship though.
Maybe some may I’ll be able to chat with an AI girlfriend instead of spending all week only having work discussions. It’ll be better for my mental health when no one else is available, but I’d still prefer real conversation. It may reduce how desperate I am to be in a questionable relationship though