Can Technology Help Foster Synthetic Relationships? For much of history, sex and love have been distinctly human attributes. People fall in love, have sex, and build intimate relationships with each other. However, as technology has come into our lives, these relationships are no longer confined to two (or more) individuals. Instead, synthetic relationships are becoming more widespread, even if they’re still relatively niche and not mainstream yet.
When it comes to synthetic relationships, there are two primary options available for users. First, they might fall in love with a robot or program. If you’ve seen the movie Her, you know what we’re talking about.
The second option is to develop digital bonds with an idealized representation of someone. In this case, instead of interacting with a human and building intimate connections, you experience them passively and attach feelings to them through these experiences. VR porn is one example of the latter synthetic relationships, with stars like Liya Silver VR illustrating the potential perfectly.
So, let’s dive into the world of synthetic relationships and see what the future holds.
A Brief History of Technology and Relationships
For the most part, synthetic relationships are a modern phenomenon that came about through advances in computer technology. While it’s possible individuals fell in love with machinery and equipment before computers, those instances were far less common if they occurred at all.
So, this trend can really be traced back to the late 80s and early 90s. As personal computers became more widespread, it was much easier for people to connect to each other and synthetic programs.
A big reason why this phenomenon exists is that programmers develop software and apps to be more interactive and human-like. One primary example is Siri or Alexa, which is kind and polite when interacting with users. Over time, these traits can develop into something more in the individual’s mind.
Robots are another area where synthetic relationships are inevitable. As robots become more lifelike, many people would prefer dating them than a real person. After all, a robot can be programmed to love and be affectionate. It’s much harder to get the same reactions from a human.
VR technology is also fostering synthetic interactions. Being in such an immersive environment means users can feel more connected to artificial characters or representations. VR porn can also tap into the animalistic side of synthetic relationships because they’re designed to appeal to that part of the brain.
Pros and Cons of Digital / Synthetic Relationships
As synthetic and digital relationships become more mainstream, there will be endless debates on the merits and side effects of this trend.
While we’re not going to try and come up with a universal solution, we can outline some of the benefits and disadvantages, like:
Pro: More Satisfying Engagement – Synthetic relationships are customized to fit the user’s needs. So, there’s far less chance of fighting and conflict between a person and a machine. As a rule, happier people are more productive and valuable to society.
Con: Increased Isolation – One adverse side effect of synthetic relationships is that they can create a warped sense of reality. Because programs and robots are always so accommodating, users may avoid real interactions as much as possible. Unfortunately, this trend is self-actualizing and can only worsen over time.
Pro: Better User-Friendliness – As technology learns to interact and adapt to humans, it will only become more user-friendly. As new generations are exposed to technology and synthetic relationships, tech-savviness will only become a more desirable trait.
Con: Limited Experience Potential – Since robots and high-tech devices are not capable of replacing reality yet, synthetic relationships can only go so far. Even as sites like SexLikeReal embrace the immersiveness of VR, they’re limited in the scope and function of the technology. So, as enticing as a synthetic relationship may be, it won’t supersede human interactions.
As we break new ground and forge into the future, it will be interesting to see how these relationships grow and change. There might come a day when human/robot couplings are commonplace and even encouraged. Until then, though, VR headsets and lifelike sex dolls will have to do.
Watch this space for updates in the Technology category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
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