That's a good point. I was tinking the same thing. I'm writting an essay about it on Medium. I'll share it once it's done.

Now I'm worried I sound like a computer. 😂

OMG, she's gorgeous!

I'm none of those things. By the way, how about those O's?

That's funny. No.

Good for you. Welcome to the realm of the still-virtual-but- kinder-at-not-insane.

That is surely one important source of isolation. Why do I have to buy something just to be in a space with people? I'd also add the increasing hostility towards the unhoused and the rise of pocket parks that are locked up to keep people out.

And yet, policies and practices at the individual level have implications and the population and societal levels that, while beneficial to individuals, has untoward effects on society as a whole. It's something to think about.

There is a lot of research exploring the value of chat boxes for elderly people in nursing homes or otherwise experiencing isolation. I'm always cautious, however, about the impact of new technology at the sytems level. What may be true at the individual level is not true at the population level.

If your intuition is correct, perhaps that might be one of the potential entryways for engagement.

That's an interesting assessment. Sometimes, in an effort connect and create community--a necessary for wellness--people can connect with communities that might support maladaptive behaviors and viewpoints. This is why people join cults and gangs. Such organizations are fulfilling a human need.

This is true, and technologically mediated interaction is no substitute for genuine, authentic human interaction.

The timing of this technology, on the heels of the social isolation and traumas of the (still here) Covid pandemic is terrible. Folks, especially young people, have never been more isolated, and the mental health risks never more pronounced.

Great thinking!

Trapped in a death spiral of increasing social isolation thanks to a bunch of socially awkward assholes in Silicon Valley.

It might also be the case that having absolute power + loads of money mixed with the social insulation/isolation that inherently comes with it breaks people’s brains. A chicken vs. egg situation, if you will. www.forbes.com/sites/freder...