this post was submitted on 07 Jan 2024
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[–] chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 74 points 11 months ago (5 children)

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.

This article is pretty reasonable

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 47 points 11 months ago (3 children)

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.

[–] SanndyTheManndy@lemmy.kya.moe 15 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Just for curiosity's sake, how did that men's group came to be? And, hypothetically speaking, are you accepting new members?

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 5 points 11 months ago (2 children)

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.

[–] MBM@lemmings.world 1 points 11 months ago

I just found it by googling for men’s groups, and searching on meetup.

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

[–] WldFyre@lemm.ee -3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I was complaining about how men never get to kick the women out any more and have men-only time

Lol ya dingus

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee -1 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] WldFyre@lemm.ee 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

What part of that is confusing for you?

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The part where you quoted a sentence I said then called me a dingus. What’s the connection?

[–] WldFyre@lemm.ee -1 points 11 months ago

The thing you said makes you a dingus, it's really not that complicated.

[–] calypsopub@lemmy.world 10 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

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.

[–] acockworkorange@mander.xyz 4 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

You act as... Each other's girlfriends? j/k of course.

What's the name of the group?

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 2 points 11 months ago

MBEOG

It stands for Men Being Each Other's Girlfriends

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 30 points 11 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] Riven@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 11 months ago

I was having this conversation with my girlfriend a couple weeks ago. If I hadn't met her when I did and this came out, I would 100 percent have just gotten an AI girlfriend. Heck as it is, if there's a decent bubbly girl AI assistant I'll probably get it.

She has a friend who is a bit on one of the spectrums and he desperately wants a girlfriend. Honestly if it wasn't for my girlfriend and another friend he would be on his way to being Chris chan minus the online precense. They've kept him pretty grounded and have been there for him in situations where Chris chan didn't have anyone. I suggested to her to try recommending an AI girlfriend for him once they're better, a bit more companionship could go a long way for people.

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 24 points 11 months ago (3 children)

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?

[–] mmagod@lemmy.world 20 points 11 months ago

" big + brown + shiny = sexy"

i can empathize

[–] Omniraptor@lemm.ee 9 points 11 months ago

The technical term is supernormal stimulus. Read a neat article about it a while back http://readthis.wtf/writing/hyperplastic-supernormal/

[–] Rosco@sh.itjust.works 1 points 11 months ago
[–] SuddenDownpour@sh.itjust.works 12 points 11 months ago (1 children)

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?

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 9 points 11 months ago

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.

[–] Riven@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 11 months ago

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.