Love, Virtually

As opposed to love, actually…

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Complete entry

Posted by veronica  on  12/13  at  01:52 PM

My first assumption was that these people were doing a psychology or social experiment, or trying to prove a point (not sure what), not that they truly sought this fake sort of companionship. Did anyone else think that?

Posted by Chako  on  12/13  at  06:17 PM

But isn't the difference between pillow-man & blow-up doll waiter compared to the woman who's mate is away proving something to us?
Hers is a relationship that has been established and grounded in what
appears to be socially acceptable (normal) face-to-face, adult behavior.

Pillow man may have a fetish, but this sounds more like he carts around a security blanket, for which he now says he feels real emotional attachment.
The waiter is sounding most like a typical young (immature even) man who cannot find a servant of his own!

I think what appears to be a fun and useful, new technological gadget is really
only showing us our poor communication skills and serious issue with human intimacy. These are skills that can be worked on and even improved upon,
(couples or singles psychotherapy counseling).

Might even cost less than $10,000, but then, when one has that kind of cash to spend, I suppose you do what you like. Developing robots and AI is one thing - perpetuating the astounding sexism that runs throughout our society is another.
Again, when you've got the bankroll, you call the shots.

very interesting, but slightly sad article.

thanks for reading my post.

Posted by Abraham  on  12/14  at  03:54 AM

I believe there's a world of difference between hearing "I love you" from someone you believe to have free will and hearing "I love you" from someone you believe not to have free will.

Posted by Chako  on  12/14  at  06:08 PM

hello again,

I think we also have to look closely at Japanese culture,
specifically their ideas about sex and women. My earlier
post might have sounded like a judgment and less of an observation.

Are Japanese robot-women developers more enlightened about sex?
or are they in the dark ages in their attitudes towards women?

Is having a robot-woman safer than say, catching a disease?
or a frying pan?

so many questions...
so many ways to get off.

Thanks for reading.

Posted by CygnusX1  on  12/15  at  03:32 PM

Whilst these types of stories can be mostly amusing, they often show that folks will do just about anything for media attention, or any attention for that matter. However, they do highlight a need to understand what the real motives for these kinds of attachments are?

Wife missing hubbie overseas? ..yeah.. this makes some sense. Cardboard cut-out as a life-long partner? Hmm. Beats me! Yet there are many kinds of "love" that are not sexual at all, love for a child or a pet or other animals, or moreover all animals. In fact, you may even be inclined to deduce that "love", (whatever this need really is), has no connection to sex at all, and is but a singular phenomenon or need that is projected by us in various ways and by various means : is that radical thinking?

The virtual world of gaming and escapism is looking at heading, and maybe even yet promoted as leading the way to a more respectable way to vent one's so called wants and needs. Yet should we take some care here? There are many termed deviant who vent their sexual wants and needs as violence and even killing. Are we to permit this kind of virtual practice if it does not stray into reality?

Or should we seek to find out what "love" and attachment and connectedness really is? There is a real opportunity for spiritual evolution to take the lead here, not merely another extension and way to promote independence and selfishness. The virtual world may lead us to understand "love" in a form of complete connectedness that our consciousness may be unable to establish as individuals in bodies.

In "Avatar", James Cameron has gone to great lengths and time to envisage and create a virtual and diverse world of jungles, plants, animals, birds and humanoids, (and warfare) : wow! Are we really that bored with planet Earth? Is this planet not diverse enough with life and animals, and plants? Should we get our priorities into perspective and conserve planet Earth first?

Posted by Kyle  on  12/17  at  02:19 AM

I have a lot of thoughts on this subject. I am not sure where to start. I have read the preceding comments and contemplated them a while. I am male and I wonder what I might feel if my supposed wife found complete sexual release in a terrific male robot who could just do it like a porn star? Or vice verse what might she think of my fun toys? I think that deep 'spiritual' love does exist outside of sex. But at the same time sex and love seem to go hand in hand. This must be very subjective to different people and situations.
I am not so sure if literally marrying an object like a sex toy or an effigy of a forlorn lover is healthy unless the marriage is itself admittedly a fantasy like some sort of cathartic wish or voodoo ritual in the hope of some gratifying future. Although if it makes one happy why re-invent the wheel? It is no more or less harmful than masturbation when all of the 'chips are down' and we all know what a big industry that is.
Over all it seems to me to be rather constructive to realize and accept the use of robotic devices as a means of personal and sexual fulfillment. The insecurity and shame of constant competition for fulfilling sexual and spiritual mates, in our increasingly crowded world, seems to interrupt cooperation far more than the regular acceptance of personal fulfillment through fantastic means may do. Competition in the sex arena sure does seem to sell a lot of cars, makeup, clothes, drugs and alchohol, heck just about everything. (Chalk one up for big business folks. Who else could possibly keep us so busy being a big shot?)
May-hap that the final end of our spiritual and intellectual realizations could be some 'perfect' effigy (like barbie?) of an ideal human being that is created by some bio mechanical means? Would that not be the 'fleshed' out manifestation of some divine savior? Of course created according to the individual consumer's own whim. A sort of re-invention of the 'personal jesus'.

Posted by porno izle  on  01/02  at  11:05 AM

May-hap that the final end of our spiritual and intellectual realizations could be some 'perfect' effigy (like barbie?) of an ideal human being that is created by some bio mechanical means? Would that not be the 'fleshed' out manifestation of some divine savior? Of course created according to the individual consumer's own whim. A sort of re-invention of the 'personal jesus'.

Posted by Jeejo  on  01/11  at  08:45 AM

I think that deep 'spiritual' love does exist outside of sex. But at the same time sex and love seem to go hand in hand. This must be very subjective to different people and situations.

Posted by Jeejo  on  01/11  at  12:42 PM

It is no more or less harmful than masturbation when all of the 'chips are down' and we all know what a big industry that is.

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