This is not a personal attack, but just my observation of how people perceive the way social interactions should work. Part of these perceptions would also be why people are driven to chat with women on OnlyFans, and why an AI would be effective....
A long time ago I started noting when people (esp. my partner) said they like certain things in my phone, then I get them as gifts days, weeks, months, years later. People now think I'm very thoughtful, but I'm just a good note taker. The experience made me think that people who are naturally more "thoughtful", at least partially, just have better memories.
I also second your approach. I have a todo.txt file of various restaurants, experiences, places my gf wants to visit. Next time I want to plan a date, I look up the list ("Hey babe, let's go that that [RESTAURANT MENTIONED 3 MONTHS AGO] tonight. It's proven to be a very good system. <3
IMO one of the major problems of the very online era is that we hypothesize about what somebody might find objectionable, and then act like it really matters. Some people might find anything creepy and objectionable. But we managed to get by—even with the knowledge that some people didn’t like is—before we invented all these theories.
And if you do need to do that for work functions or something, you don't have to disclose that you are just doing how to win friends and influence people.
(Same, not a personal attack, I'm interested in this subject and good to see it from different views).
But like others in the thread I do believe that practicing socialization will cause you to improve at it.
And at the same time people will think you're creepy and awkward if you "don't do it right", and if you tell them it's something you are consciously trying to improve on and you show them your written test cases, they might also think you're creepy and weird. One of society's non-rational double standards.
From my view:
/Ok ready? uhhhh ooooo here goes!/
Me: "Hey nice shoes."
You: "... thanks?"
/OMG I DID IT/
Me: "this is my stop, have a great day!"
/OMGEXCELLENTFINISHSOHAPPY/
Me: "Hey nice shoes!"
You: "Thanks" (weirdo)...?
Me: "this is my stop, have a great day!"
You: /wow, ... i think he genuinely just wanted to give a compliment. didn't even try to bum money off me. huh./
point is - doesn't matter if they're confused or surprised you spoke to them. there's an assumption that if you speak up you must be out to manipulate them (sell something, convert someone, beg, etc.) and when you prove youre not, you help normalize ambient conversation AND fix your own sense of isolation.
That's not to say that no one should ever say anything to an stranger, it's just to point out that there are non-zero consequences to your actions.
I think that depending on who you talk to they'll give more or less consequence to making someone feel uncomfortable. (I'm not strictly talking about dating or talking to someone you are possibly romantically interested in). Some specific extreme examples are: at work or if you are in a position of power over someone (you are their boss or their teacher)- or these situations there are more consequences to having an interaction where someone felt uncomfortable.
Yes, those are cherry-picked relationships, but just to say that fear of making people uncomfortable is a real and valid concern. Is your discomfort made up in your head? Many times it is.
Back to OP, relationships are complicated... it's not hard to see why people end up talking to AI bots instead.
Fact is, the more you worry, the less success you'll have. Which reminds me of Hamlet -- the original worry-wart -- who said it best:
> 'conscience does make cowards of us all,'
I get it that the article is about incorporating LLMs/chatbots. Don't many/most dating apps play similar dirty tricks?
Technology only enhances what we are.
There's always gonna be supply, and there's always gonna be demand, you can never get rid of it since you can't get rid of biology. Even some animals provide sex in exchange for goods. As long as both parties are adults and consenting, I don't really see the fuss on this topic. Just legalize it, regulate it, tax it, and everyone wins.
"But it's not allowed according to the $RELIGIOUS_BOOK..." Shut up and mind your own business. If you live in a secular society, religion has no say in this.