[ExI] AI "friends" are bad for people and society

[spike at rainier66.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of Ben Zaiboc via extropy-chat
Sent: Friday, 18 July, 2025 1:20 PM
To: extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
Cc: Ben Zaiboc <ben at zaiboc.net>
Subject: Re: [ExI] AI "friends" are bad for people and society

On 18/07/2025 17:06, BillK quoted:
>>... The rise of AI chatbots and “virtual
> girlfriend” apps has replaced social interaction and real 
> relationships. Introverts with social anxiety are offered an addictive 
> “relationship” with nobody, instead of being motivated by a craving 
> for connection to go out, take risks, and meet people.

>...I think that anyone with 'a craving for connection to go out, take risks, and meet people' can hardly be described as an introvert with social anxiety!

A lot of people seem to write about introverts without having a clue what introversion actually is.

--
Ben

_______________________________________________



Ben we need an international introversion competition.  The introversion Olympics.  I bet I can out-introvert anyone here!

The internet has been such a blessing for us introverts.  We can be as social as we want here, and no one can really tell how socially awkward we are.  Here we don't even know if we commit a grave faux pas.  

But other than that, here isn't much like real life.  The real world is for social butterflies.  But what about us lonely social horseflies.  And our friends, the social cockroaches?  We should have a place too, other than our parents' basements I mean.

Note, I never inhabited such a place.  I woulda but my parents couldn't afford a basement.

The online world is great!  Nerds RULE here!  What a gift.  Before the internet, the jocks, the rich, the beautiful, the popular ran everything.  Now we hire them to do things for us, if we need something, such as someone to mow and trim, while we cheerfully rule the world.  Well... cheerfully rule the world right up until AI takes over and destroys humanity.  But until then, it will be lotsa fun.

Everybody think of events we could have for the Introvert Olympics.  The shyathon?  The 1000 meter flee from all human contact?  Speed-typing?

spike