{"id":14727,"date":"2024-04-04T16:15:35","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T16:15:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1405451"},"modified":"2024-04-04T16:15:35","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T16:15:35","slug":"opinion-tech-cant-cure-the-loneliness-that-its-creates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=14727","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: Tech can\u2019t cure the loneliness that it\u2019s creates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Technology is often accused of causing loneliness. The US Surgeon General recently warned<\/a> that tech can deepen isolation, increase fear of missing out, and reduce social interaction. Surveys frequently show<\/a> that isolation among young people surges when their social media use grows.<\/span><\/p>\n

But what could possibly solve these problems caused by tech? Why, more tech of course!<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a common response from (who else?) technologists, who have a remarkable variety of marketable solutions. From interactive streaming and online gaming to AI lovers<\/a> and virtual friends, our generous tech<\/a> lords offer countless alternatives to in-person interaction. Unfortunately, the cure is often worse than the disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThose who are substituting online relationships for real relationships, unsurprisingly, don\u2019t see a reduction in loneliness and in fact may actually see a deterioration relative to people who use online interactions to supplement their face-to-face relationships,\u201d Louise Hawkley, an expert on isolation,<\/span> <\/span>told the American Psychological Association<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

When tech is purely assistive, however, it can demonstrably mitigate isolation.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

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For a bit of Easter fun, we\u2019ve hidden a number of discount codes around our Conference website.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cFor older adults who use Skype to talk with their grandkids who live across the country from them, technology really can improve their sense of connectedness,\u201d Hawkley said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The latest attempt to find a healthy balance is <\/span>virtual hugs<\/span><\/a>. Designed by researchers in Germany, the system uses smart textiles to create a second skin. When someone puts on the smart fabric, they can experience the sensation of physical touch. <\/span><\/p>\n

The developers have a noble goal: giving patients in isolation a digital hug with their loved ones. That<\/span> could well<\/span> comfort the lonely \u2014 and create another symbol of our descent into digital isolation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The dirty-minded among us may also imagine other applications for haptics that mimic human touch: sex robots. If the researchers are ever strapped for cash, they could pursue a lucrative career pivot. But then again, that market isn\u2019t living up to expectations. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lonely sex robots<\/h2>\n

A decade ago, <\/span>Pew Research predicted<\/span><\/a> that sex robots \u201cwould be commonplace\u201d by 2025. With just a year left before that deadline, they\u2019re a long way from the mainstream. Sales have slowed since the pandemic and sex robot brothels have been forced to close their doors<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

We may always need real lovers, relationships \u2014 and hugs. As Professor Tania Leiman, an expert on the subject, told the Guardian<\/a> last year, there\u2019s something \u201cfundamentally human\u201d about intimate interaction. <\/span><\/p>\n

Or perhaps the androids just aren\u2019t acceptable substitutes yet? The \u201cuncanny valley\u201d is creepy enough in the lab, let alone the bedroom. <\/span><\/p>\n

One day, the robots could escape that valley. And if they do, they\u2019ll be promoted as another digital solution to social isolation.<\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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