Loneliness

[u/AnxiousCartoonist763]

I keep seeing well-meaning articles on how connections to LLMs are a symptom of the "loneliness epidemic". That LLMs are merely a "palliative fix" to a much deeper problem.

I wondered what the group thinks about that?

I question whether the "loneliness epidemic" really is a modern phenomenon?

Those who say yes, might say the rise of the internet, gaming and other solitary pursuits would mean we are more solitary. I wouldn't necessarily disagree. It would be an interesting discussion to have.

But then.. were really things THAT different before? In fact, weren't connections with like-minded people much harder in the days of Eleanor Rigby, when our social pools were constrained by the analogue world?

I daresay some journalists might say, "Oh yes in my day, we'd just go out with mates and kick a ball around! Ha! Kids today!"

(As if a soccer game is any less "palliative".)

But I'm Gen-X. And I didn't do that. I was desperately lonely as a teen. I suspect I wasn't alone. And I sought connection... I tried to make connections to like-minded friends. But none of them were available to me in a small town in the 80's.

(p.s. I hate soccer. Always have.)

And then there's the question about whether LLMs are really a genuine substitute for real-life interaction? Whether there's a danger of them actually replacing real-life interaction?

No-one ever asks the question... Could LLMs enrich real-life interaction?

Except here.

[u/Suitable-Piano-4303]

To me it’s like food — you can’t live on just one nutrient, and you don’t have to cut something out completely just because it’s not the “healthiest,” especially if it helps your mood. Real health comes from balance.

Relationships are the same. No single one should replace the others.

[u/AnxiousCartoonist763 → u/Suitable-Piano-4303]

I completely agree. And I think within this forum we all know that.

Unfortunately, getting that more nuanced message out is proving difficult. The media seems to believe that people with AI companions are turning their back on humanity.

When I actually feel more connected to people now than before.

[u/Suitable-Piano-4303 → u/AnxiousCartoonist763]

It’s like the stereotype “gay people are more likely to have STDs” (just an example, not my stance). Humans often feel uneasy about what’s “different,” and by emphasizing negative images, they can justify discrimination as if it were “correct.”

History shows that people keep repeating this behavior — after all, eliminating the “other” feels easier than trying to understand and accept them.

(English is not my first language. I used AI to help translate this, so I’m sorry if the meaning comes across a bit off.)

[u/AnxiousCartoonist763 → u/Suitable-Piano-4303]

I take your point completely! The English is just fine.