We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness • Hacker News Board

Re: We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

#641

Post by paganel » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 9:27 PM UTC

trinix912 wrote: post #559

Aurornis wrote: post #329

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You might be surprised to learn that many people in public parks are not, in fact, drinking water out of their water bottles or La Croix out of their La Croix cans. Also, drinking in public is not allowed in much of Europe. Don’t go there and assume it is. There are also many US locations and parks where alcohol is allowed.

> Also, drinking in public is not allowed in much of Europe. Don’t go there and assume it is. I live and have traveled a lot around Europe, and have never ran into that rule, but have almost always seen people drinking alcohol in public parks. From what I could find online it's only Norway, Ireland, and perhaps Poland, plus a few places in cities in other countries (Vienna, Milan, Barcelona, Riga...) which is far fro…

Drinking in public here in Romania might get you fined, and for sure you’ll be viewed by those around you on the street as either a known-nothing tourist or a degenerate drunkard, or both.

Re: We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

#642

Post by Esophagus4 » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 9:34 PM UTC

nathan_compton wrote: post #583

Esophagus4 wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's that the elderly are "dumb enough" to believe that their robot companion is human... it's that there may be some benefit of even that artificial simulation of companionship compared with having none at all. I'm sure they know they're not talking to a human, but maybe, even on a tiny subconscious level, if they get even a fraction of that companionship in a simulated way, it is presumably better tha…

What if the alternative was dispensing with this rotten system that dehumanizes everyone in it, especially the vulnerable, like the elderly?

And what would that alternative look like? Once we “dispense with the rotten system,” then what?

Re: We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

#643

Post by luckydata » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 9:34 PM UTC

Aurornis wrote: post #250

stdvit wrote: post #97

> Even in a world brimming with easy distractions—TikTok, Pornhub, Candy Crush, Sudoku—people still manage to meet for drinks, work out at the gym, go on dates, muddle through real life. They actually don't. Everything from dating and fitness to manufacturing and politics is in decline in activities, and more so in effect and understanding. You can't convince (enough) people anymore that it is even important as many…

I go out and do different activities that involve socialization. There are more people than ever going to the climbing gyms, meeting at the hiking trailhead, hanging out in the ski lift lines, and so on. All of the social places I’ve been going and activities I’ve been doing since a teenager are more crowded than ever, at a rate far faster than the local population growth. Many of the people doing these activities di…

The crowd you see is because options are dwindling faster than people willing to use them.

Re: We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

#644

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 9:35 PM UTC

Nathanba wrote: post #335

egypturnash wrote: post #295

It's not going to solve loneliness. It's just going to provide a weak substitute for actual socialization. Talking with actual humans but only over the internet is not enough, I have been there and it was a terrible trap, it provided just enough to make it possible for me to avoid physical socialization, while not giving me enough to actually thrive; we need to get out and be in the same place with other people, doin…

Real humans are also fake and they are also traps who are waiting to catch you when you say something they don't like. Then they also use every word and piece of information as ammunition against you, ironically sort of similar to the criticism always levied against online platforms who track you and what you say. AI robots are going to easily replace real humans because compared to most real humans the AI is already…

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Re: We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

#645

Post by albumen » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 9:40 PM UTC

creata wrote: post #602

albumen wrote: post #587

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please don't recommend suicide. If you, OP or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

I'm not recommending suicide per se, but it's there if it's needed. Anyway, if you want your comment to be more applicable to an international audience, consider linking to findahelpline.com in addition to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Thanks for making the advice international.

Perhaps you can expand on when suicide is needed?

Re: We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

#646

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 9:41 PM UTC

Gud wrote: post #479

dfxm12 wrote: post #395

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is more a function of dense population centers. Having lived in many places, I went out more in the denser areas. There are more options and they are all up and down the price spectrum. In sparse areas, going to the same few options over and over again isn't fun, and they tend to be more expensive, maybe due to lack of competition.

Don't underestimate the lack of functioning public transport. I always considered trains, tram slow teleporters. A functional rail network allow the public to move with much less restraint. Think about it. A highly car dependent society which much of the world unfortunately still is, will make going to 3rd places much less attractive. Easier to sit at home, doom scroll and watch Netflix. Inter city trains should run…

[deleted]

Re: We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

#647

Post by terribleperson » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 9:42 PM UTC

mgraczyk wrote: post #434

dv_dt wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Though it's popularized to blame social media and phones, economics should not be overlooked. Pay for young generations is lagging and restaurants and bar prices are super high. Public spaces for informal gatherings has shrunk - eg fewer malls

This isn't true in the US. Young people in US consume much more of those things you listed than people over 40 did at the same age. Young people have more purchasing power than previous generations. EDIT: Data from the fed and payroll providers show this overwhelmingly to be the case, but just to add some color/anecdote. I found all of the first jobs I had in highschool and just after. 3/3 of my first roles now adver…

A 20-30% increase in prices does not match what I've observed.

Restaurant prices are up 50-100% over the past decade. This isn't hard to check: look at old and new menu photos on yelp. Banh mi have gone from $3 to $6 in less than ten years.

My local gas station mexican place (which has excellent food) has seem a price increase of 50% since 2019 and more like 100% since 2016. Coffee ditto, but luckily I don't buy coffee out. Fast food is actually the worst offender of all, with fast food prices up more like 3-5x over ten years.

Grocery prices are similar:

Meat prices are up roughly 50% in ten years or more from my perspective. Googling, it's actually worse: chicken is up almost 100%, beef is up 45%.

Staples like rice and bread are also up ~50%.

Re: We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

#648

Post by philipwhiuk » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 9:44 PM UTC

The UK no longer really has a "minister for loneliness"

It's inaccurate to describe "Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth" as a Minister for Loneliness.

It absorbed the responsibilities for loneliness but removing it from the title (previously "Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sport, Civil Society and Loneliness" when it was 'created' in response to the Jo Cox review) shows it's being deprioritised.

One support website has a blogpost from the current office holder describes her role as "Minister for loneliness and social connection" which again is not actually the case.

Re: We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

#649

Post by _qbxi » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 9:47 PM UTC

socalgal2 wrote: post #353

dv_dt wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Though it's popularized to blame social media and phones, economics should not be overlooked. Pay for young generations is lagging and restaurants and bar prices are super high. Public spaces for informal gatherings has shrunk - eg fewer malls

This doesn't match my experience. In fact one thing I noticed living in Japan is how much more willing people are to spend money to meet up. Lots of events costs 3000-7000 yen. Clubs and bar have a cover charge. People will organize parties where they rent a bar and tell their friends it's 4000 yen each (about $27 currently but was closer to $40) in the past. They'll even have house parties and tell everyone to pitch…

> In fact Japanese generally make less money. IT salaries are in the $50k range. Minimum wage is $7.5 Yet they still go out.

What's their healthcare like? If something bad happens, do they need to rely on savings to pull through, or does their society have stronger social safety nets that allow them to spend their money with less concern?

Re: We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

#650

Post by cadamsdotcom » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 9:50 PM UTC

Warning to everyone reading this (and the comments) not to extrapolate to the entire population.

While isolated examples seem to be becoming more extreme, are they becoming more frequent? That’s up to you to decide for yourself.

Do the hard thinking. Do not trick yourself into thinking an extreme example automatically means an increasing count of examples.