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“I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

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Re: “I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

#171

Post by mod »

jacquesm wrote: post #124
SG- wrote: post #68

Basically virtual escorting as a service (not all escorting is sex, some of it is just companionship). For now there's no sex involved but with how easy it is to connect people nearby you could easily see this type of service expand in markets where it's legal. I could see nude selfies being sent too down the road (again a different service, not exactly this one).

> I could see nude selfies being sent too down the road (again a different service, not exactly this one). That's called instagram.

Uhh no, it's called snapchat.

Re: “I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

#172

Post by briholt »

discardorama wrote: post #168
briholt wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just learned about this today. This is the greatest marketing concept since "million dollar homepage." My life is a failure for not having thought of this.

> My life is a failure for not having thought of this. Actually, I did think of this, many times. But my biggest bottleneck was: how will I scale up the replies? I could handle being a "boyfriend" for, say, 10 women. But any bigger, and I'd need help. I considered MTurk, but thought that quality control would be an issue. (What if the MTurk guy really starts hitting on the woman, they exchange numbers and then he sta…

No, this would be so easy to code. Enter 100 basic phrases:

You look so [appearance adjective], my [affection term].

Hey [affection term], I'll see you at the [social location] tonight.

... and so on

Then enter possible variables:

affection term = [baby, honey, sweetheart]

.. and so on

Then buy 100 stock headshot photos and generate a random list of first/last names for each. Set up a FB/email account for each.

Then integrate with Twilio for SMS sending. Write a little cron script to send 1-2 messages to each user per day.

Done. A week's worth of work to launch.

Re: “I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

#173

Post by Torgo »

ergl wrote: post #141

I wonder what would happen if you signed up for a boyfriend and a girlfriend and had them talk to each other

So uh, there are attractive girls on Fiverr that will pretend to be your girlfriend on Facebook for a month (friending, n posts/likes on your posts per month, etc) for five dollars. I paid two of them to "fight" over me just to troll my friends. It turns out this piques interest in other women :-P

This is why I don't use my real name on HN.

Re: “I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

#174

Post by Kenji »

UrMomReadsHN wrote: post #152
Kenji wrote: post #28

With some effort, you could get a visible boyfriend for 0$. But yeah, it's hard to overcome laziness.

Laziness? If you just enter a relationship just for the sake of having a relationship thats not fair to the other person involved. (Source: been the "other person.")

A proper relationship needs effort. Even if all the feelings are involved. The hurdle to start one is especially high, you have to go out there, open yourself up and prepare to get hurt. Now, of course you can say this is a very cold and unromantic way to look at it. It is, yes, but I'm not on HN to romanticise. I'm sorry to hear what happened to you.

Re: “I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

#175

Post by Karunamon »

sharkweek wrote: post #131
xianshou wrote: post #2

A perfect application of the Forer effect: humans have an amazing ability to interpret what can apply to anyone as having special significance for themselves. It's the same reason why horoscopes and fortune cookies work. Stepping back and thinking logically, it's easy to see why their messages might apply to a lot of people. But when you're reading one, you can't help but think, "Ah! It says that I would encounter ad…

Same thing with the "crossing over" folks who claim to talk to dead relatives right? "You had a family member who passed recently right? Or someone really close to you" "Yes, yes! My aunt passed away earlier this year!" "Ah, yes! And... and... she was sick right? Or in pain close to her death?" "Wow, yes!!" "You were close with her, or you were close with her family right?" ...etc

That theory kind of breaks down when they get into specifics about military service, clothing, scars, etc. Things that a cold reader wouldn't have any access to.

Re: “I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

#176

Post by EGreg »

drzaiusapelord wrote: post #97
EGreg wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a liberal but probably not the demographic you think. Compare if the situation was reversed for the following phrase: "Oh, you're so much more dependable than my actual gf." Or "Oh, you're so much funnier than my actual girlfriend". Men would get far more offended than women. Why is that? Why aren't there as many female comedians? I think that biologically, women value the intimacy and sexual appeal that their ma…

Justifying dual standards with questionable evolutionary psychology, frankly, is just not convincing. If I found my wife flirting with other men online, be it via a "fake" service - whatever that may mean, its a serious violation of my trust and damages our relationship on a significant level. I don't care what hamfisted biological theories you toss out, its hurtful and disloyal. We're not all Sheldon Cooper. >advent…

I hear what you are saying, but we're not all the same. Women typically are attracted guys taller and stronger than them. Men typically find themselves attracted to women who are thinner and weaker than them. And like you, I don't find it particularly convincing that a culture of forced monogamy is more beneficial to individuals or even the society at large. You mentioned the state, which leads me to believe you might be receptive to considering the plight of the individual. The way you described it, it almost sounds like you are bitter that society has forced you into behaviors that you would not naturally choose yourself, and now you want yourself and your wife to conform to those behaviors because you both owe it each other.

What if it was shown that your mutual happiness would be greatly improved by recognizing that the two of you have different priorities derive your happiness in diff ways and get jealous of different things? It's all well and good to put down different theories, but you also base your life on a theory. A theory of complete equality. After all, if you look at society at large, they don't exactly conform to this standard of monogamy that you put forth as the most moral. In fact, people cheat and lie quite immorally in order to get around it, and do it secretly. Is that really much better? Why is the state coersion morally better? What is your overall point?

Re: “I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

#177

Post by justathrow2k »

Torgo wrote: post #173
ergl wrote: post #141

I wonder what would happen if you signed up for a boyfriend and a girlfriend and had them talk to each other

So uh, there are attractive girls on Fiverr that will pretend to be your girlfriend on Facebook for a month (friending, n posts/likes on your posts per month, etc) for five dollars. I paid two of them to "fight" over me just to troll my friends. It turns out this piques interest in other women :-P This is why I don't use my real name on HN.

>This is why I don't use my real name on HN.

Because you don't want the people in your life knowing that you pay money to manipulate and deceive those around you? Seems smart to keep that a secret.

Re: “I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

#178

Post by Torgo »

justathrow2k wrote: post #177
Torgo wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So uh, there are attractive girls on Fiverr that will pretend to be your girlfriend on Facebook for a month (friending, n posts/likes on your posts per month, etc) for five dollars. I paid two of them to "fight" over me just to troll my friends. It turns out this piques interest in other women :-P This is why I don't use my real name on HN.

>This is why I don't use my real name on HN. Because you don't want the people in your life knowing that you pay money to manipulate and deceive those around you? Seems smart to keep that a secret.

[edited because I was unnecessarily brusque.] It was a practical joke, pretty much at my own expense, and I told my friends afterwards. The "joke" is that two very attractive women fighting over me is very unbelievable.

Re: “I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

#179

Post by UrMomReadsHN »

Kenji wrote: post #174
UrMomReadsHN wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Laziness? If you just enter a relationship just for the sake of having a relationship thats not fair to the other person involved. (Source: been the "other person.")

A proper relationship needs effort. Even if all the feelings are involved. The hurdle to start one is especially high, you have to go out there, open yourself up and prepare to get hurt. Now, of course you can say this is a very cold and unromantic way to look at it. It is, yes, but I'm not on HN to romanticise. I'm sorry to hear what happened to you.

Duh. Everyone knows relationships take time effort and sacrifice to be successful.

The point is this service is being marketed for those who don't wish to be in a relationship for whatever reason but want to give the appearance of being in one to others. Perhaps they are semi closeted or asexual or don't have the time to devote to a significant other or simply just don't want to give up their autonomy yet (or ever).

If someone starts a relationship for the wrong reason - because they only want to be in a relationship, not because they are in love with the other person - it is not fair. The other person doesn't matter, anyone will do, feelings won't there. That isn't very nice to the other party and just leads to hurt.

This happens all the time. All the time. Especially with marriages.

Not everyone wants to be in a relationship (for whatever reason) and that is fine. That also isn't a very socially acceptable choice. This service is marketing to that segment.

It has nothing to do with laziness.

Re: “I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love”

#180

Post by TeMPOraL »

justathrow2k wrote: post #149
briholt wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just learned about this today. This is the greatest marketing concept since "million dollar homepage." My life is a failure for not having thought of this.

By greatest marketing concept you mean a quick and easy way to make money, yeah? I wouldn't be so hard on yourself for not having thought of it. Personally, I believe humanity would be at a net gain had no one thought of or executed on this idea.

I totally agree. I guess everything you could call "greatest marketing concept" is a net negative to humanity by the very definition.
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