This seems obvious to the vast majority of the human population, but here you get called a luddite for saying this fundamental truth.
This seems obvious to the vast majority of the human population, but here you get called a luddite for saying this fundamental truth.
You can tell yourself that's all just synapses firing in the brain anyway, or a good enough simulation is indistinguishable from reality etc, but I simply don't accept that it will be equivalent and it may come at a signficant long term cost as people don't put in the work and accept the failures associated with trying to find someone for truly meaningful connection.
The association with drugs, and vices, or junk food all make sense to me.
Most people are casuals who prefer easy mode. How many people cheat when they play games? People eventually opting for the solution to fill XYZ need with least friction/blowback possible seems like the most obvious outcome. That's not counting economics, relationship with (some) real women are expensive. We still live in society where there's disproportionate expectation for men to contribute more. Not to mention most people are frankly mid. You hear it from both sides of dating, the options out there suck, because everyone has high expectations, your soul mate might be out there, but the journey to find them maybe long and arduous versus a click. IMO eventually for most people, the real thing won't be as good as tailor crafted artificial thing.