Creepy and fascinating and feels inevitable that we’re heading in this direction. As a couples therapist it brings up compelling questions and challenges about the nature of relating.
Thanks for this post! I watched the Black Mirror episode when it originally came out. I actually stopped watching the show after that because it depressed me too much. I also feel that with the recent developments in AI this has become "strangely relevant" again. Another very interestic and - at least for me - less creepy and depressing artistic take on this topic is the excellent graphic novel "Artificial" by Amy Kurzweil (daughter of Ray Kurzweil): https://www.npr.org/2023/10/19/1205898776/new-yorker-cartoonist-amy-kurzweils-graphic-memoir-artificial-a-love-story
I can't help but invoke Buddhist teaching here in response to how we view death. I'm a big proponent of AI especially in the domain of health care. I shock my friends when I say that I'm looking forward having a competent and caring humanoid seeing to my last needs. I imagine that I won't be all that aware of the lack of subtleties that drove Martha crazy about robot Ashe. However, I'm so saddened by our need to cling to the idea of everlasting life and denial of death that we will resort to our own personal Ashes. Here I'll recommend Ernest Becker's book Denial of Death. As for the Buddhist teaching, death is a natural part of life and essentially everything about this life has an impermanence to it. Instead of clinging and attachment in all its forms which causes suffering, I would encourage folks to meditate on the principle of impermanence and in doing create an opening for living the best life possible.
Gone is gone, and dead is dead. Anything that gets in way of appreciating that is delusion, and while craving that delusion is reasonable, its not helpful in the medium or long term. I can imagine so many more scenarios of dependance and chronic, and more comprehensive, delusion developing from utilising the short term “grief crutch” than i can versions where the user self-weans themselves off of the simulation (like training wheels on a bike, when you’re learning to ride).
I am just up to the part of Severance where Dylan's wife is visiting his "innie" and *mild spoiler* starting to recognise that she likes this more confident, less pedestrian version better. The whole show creates dramatic friction between who you are and who the other you is.
WIll the increasing probability of our captured selves being available to others in these ways impact our behaviour and self-identity? How does it distort celebrities ideas about themselves now, for good or ill? What does it mean to Dylan to know that he could be this other, more exciting way? What does it mean to his wife? We wrestle with some of these dynamics right now (too many scotches, anyone?)
(Just occurred to me that you and the Wizards are likely discussing all of this...)
Creepy and fascinating and feels inevitable that we’re heading in this direction. As a couples therapist it brings up compelling questions and challenges about the nature of relating.
"it’s three in the morning, and you’re awake," discuss this with your partner now. At least you'll know.
Yes, it's always Scarlett Johansson isn't it? (and why not?)
Thanks for this post! I watched the Black Mirror episode when it originally came out. I actually stopped watching the show after that because it depressed me too much. I also feel that with the recent developments in AI this has become "strangely relevant" again. Another very interestic and - at least for me - less creepy and depressing artistic take on this topic is the excellent graphic novel "Artificial" by Amy Kurzweil (daughter of Ray Kurzweil): https://www.npr.org/2023/10/19/1205898776/new-yorker-cartoonist-amy-kurzweils-graphic-memoir-artificial-a-love-story
I can't help but invoke Buddhist teaching here in response to how we view death. I'm a big proponent of AI especially in the domain of health care. I shock my friends when I say that I'm looking forward having a competent and caring humanoid seeing to my last needs. I imagine that I won't be all that aware of the lack of subtleties that drove Martha crazy about robot Ashe. However, I'm so saddened by our need to cling to the idea of everlasting life and denial of death that we will resort to our own personal Ashes. Here I'll recommend Ernest Becker's book Denial of Death. As for the Buddhist teaching, death is a natural part of life and essentially everything about this life has an impermanence to it. Instead of clinging and attachment in all its forms which causes suffering, I would encourage folks to meditate on the principle of impermanence and in doing create an opening for living the best life possible.
Gone is gone, and dead is dead. Anything that gets in way of appreciating that is delusion, and while craving that delusion is reasonable, its not helpful in the medium or long term. I can imagine so many more scenarios of dependance and chronic, and more comprehensive, delusion developing from utilising the short term “grief crutch” than i can versions where the user self-weans themselves off of the simulation (like training wheels on a bike, when you’re learning to ride).
The implications of this are quite scary. I fear for the unintended consequences, by which time it will be too late, the horse will have bolted
I am just up to the part of Severance where Dylan's wife is visiting his "innie" and *mild spoiler* starting to recognise that she likes this more confident, less pedestrian version better. The whole show creates dramatic friction between who you are and who the other you is.
WIll the increasing probability of our captured selves being available to others in these ways impact our behaviour and self-identity? How does it distort celebrities ideas about themselves now, for good or ill? What does it mean to Dylan to know that he could be this other, more exciting way? What does it mean to his wife? We wrestle with some of these dynamics right now (too many scotches, anyone?)
(Just occurred to me that you and the Wizards are likely discussing all of this...)
Anyways, an intriguing idea. Cheers.