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This is a social problem in need of a technical solution. I'm waiting for a startup that can be accurately described as "Uber, but for real friends." Eventual

This is a social problem in need of a technical solution. I'm waiting for a startup that can be accurately described as "Uber, but for real friends." Eventually they can phase out the contractors in favor of an ML/AI/ELIZA solution. /s

tehsauce 7y ago
This is satire right?
- AlexandrB 7y ago
  It's marked as such (the "/s" at the end). But I didn't realize that it was satire until I got to the "/s". Which is scary.
  - CharlesColeman 7y ago
    > But I didn't realize that it was satire until I got to the "/s". Which is scary. Yeah, I'm only starting to really come to terms with how much technical culture has really twisted many important concepts to suit itself (and only itself), and has so normalized those distortions that your eyes just glide over the contradictions they create.
- joker3 7y ago
  I guarantee you someone out there is thinking seriously about it.
  - daodedickinson 7y ago
    And even more people who think they are thinking seriously about it as they engineer sex slave robots and work to legalize more pimping.
- spamizbad 7y ago
  His post is, but there's probably like 20 people working on VC pitches that aren't.
- BonesJustice 7y ago
  Only until it comes true, at which point it will be considered prophecy.
- jodrellblank 7y ago
  A Modest Proposal to eat the lonely?
  - NeedMoreTea 7y ago
    Worked for Swift. :)
dpeck 7y ago
That is basically what AdultFriendFinder started as. I realize your comment was for humor but it has been tried several times and seems to always move in the direction of a hookup app.
Animats 7y ago
There's an app for that. Replika[1] And in Japan, Gatebox.[2] Gatebox is like Amazon's and Google's home "speakers", but with a more personal AI and a display that shows, inevitably, a cute female animated character. [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/parmyolson/2018/03/08/replika-chatbot-google-machine-learning/#6e4d6e514ffa https://www.forbes.com/sites/parmyolson/2018/03/08/replika-c... [2] https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/gatebox-azuma-hikari-virtual-assistant-news/ https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/gatebox-azuma-hikari-virt...
com2kid 7y ago
My company, https://www.thawd.net https://www.thawd.net, is working to solve this problem. We help people meet up and have fun. Creating lasting friendships is a hard problem though. There are only two things that seem to work: 1. A lot of time. On the order of 120 hours spent together to solidify a friendship. 2. Going through a prolonged stressful situation together. At least 1 of these needs to be present for a long lasting friendship to form. Combine these two and it is why so many people make great friends in college, lots of time spent together with a small group of people, and the stress level is jacked sky high. People working at together at startups bond for the same reason. I am pretty sure of my solution for getting people off the couch, away from Netflix, and talking to each other. What comes next? That is a much harder problem.
- crankylinuxuser 7y ago
  Uhm. I'm pretty sure that user:CharlesColeman was saying that in a sarcastic jest, and not as a open petition for someone to actually do that. I'd hate to see how you sabotage friendship so you can make money.
  - com2kid 7y ago
    > I'm pretty sure that user:CharlesColeman was saying that in a sarcastic jest, and not as a open petition for someone to actually do that. Right now technology gives us all sorts of easy ways to be entertained. A lot of those forms of entertainment aren't long term psychologically sustainable (social media, binging streaming TV), but give a short term burst of entertainment/happiness. Thawd makes getting up, leaving the house, and going out with other people, really easy. It doesn't replace friendships, but if you and a friend want to go to an escape room, we can help you find another 2 people to fill out the reservation. > I'd hate to see how you sabotage friendship so you can make money. The plan is to make money from partner companies, such as the aforementioned escape room. Lots of types of businesses lose money if there is a hole in their schedule. From that side of things, we fill those holes up. We also aim to help businesses run local community events on a short notice, as soon as a few days in advance. Events with no money coming to us are the majority of what is on the platform, #1 goal is to help people have fun and socialize more, and the event suggestion algorithm is completely unbiased in what events it selects. (especially since we are pre-launch and don't have any partners!) Technology can be used to help improve people's lives, it doesn't all have to be bad.
cirgue 7y ago
“We sell authenticity”
laurex 7y ago
I recognise the sarcasm, but technology isn't completely incapable of helping. Instead of trying to solve the "matching problem" which has all kinds of issues, there are apps (I work for one) that are helping people have more authentic relationships with people they already care about but just don't have the time/schedule/location to spend time with.

tehsauce 7y ago

This is satire right?

AlexandrB 7y ago
It's marked as such (the "/s" at the end). But I didn't realize that it was satire until I got to the "/s". Which is scary.
- CharlesColeman 7y ago
  > But I didn't realize that it was satire until I got to the "/s". Which is scary. Yeah, I'm only starting to really come to terms with how much technical culture has really twisted many important concepts to suit itself (and only itself), and has so normalized those distortions that your eyes just glide over the contradictions they create.
joker3 7y ago
I guarantee you someone out there is thinking seriously about it.
- daodedickinson 7y ago
  And even more people who think they are thinking seriously about it as they engineer sex slave robots and work to legalize more pimping.
spamizbad 7y ago
His post is, but there's probably like 20 people working on VC pitches that aren't.
BonesJustice 7y ago
Only until it comes true, at which point it will be considered prophecy.
jodrellblank 7y ago
A Modest Proposal to eat the lonely?
- NeedMoreTea 7y ago
  Worked for Swift. :)

dpeck 7y ago

That is basically what AdultFriendFinder started as. I realize your comment was for humor but it has been tried several times and seems to always move in the direction of a hookup app.

Animats 7y ago

There's an app for that. Replika[1] And in Japan, Gatebox.[2] Gatebox is like Amazon's and Google's home "speakers", but with a more personal AI and a display that shows, inevitably, a cute female animated character. [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/parmyolson/2018/03/08/replika-chatbot-google-machine-learning/#6e4d6e514ffa https://www.forbes.com/sites/parmyolson/2018/03/08/replika-c... [2] https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/gatebox-azuma-hikari-virtual-assistant-news/ https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/gatebox-azuma-hikari-virt...

com2kid 7y ago

My company, https://www.thawd.net https://www.thawd.net, is working to solve this problem. We help people meet up and have fun. Creating lasting friendships is a hard problem though. There are only two things that seem to work: 1. A lot of time. On the order of 120 hours spent together to solidify a friendship. 2. Going through a prolonged stressful situation together. At least 1 of these needs to be present for a long lasting friendship to form. Combine these two and it is why so many people make great friends in college, lots of time spent together with a small group of people, and the stress level is jacked sky high. People working at together at startups bond for the same reason. I am pretty sure of my solution for getting people off the couch, away from Netflix, and talking to each other. What comes next? That is a much harder problem.

crankylinuxuser 7y ago
Uhm. I'm pretty sure that user:CharlesColeman was saying that in a sarcastic jest, and not as a open petition for someone to actually do that. I'd hate to see how you sabotage friendship so you can make money.
- com2kid 7y ago
  > I'm pretty sure that user:CharlesColeman was saying that in a sarcastic jest, and not as a open petition for someone to actually do that. Right now technology gives us all sorts of easy ways to be entertained. A lot of those forms of entertainment aren't long term psychologically sustainable (social media, binging streaming TV), but give a short term burst of entertainment/happiness. Thawd makes getting up, leaving the house, and going out with other people, really easy. It doesn't replace friendships, but if you and a friend want to go to an escape room, we can help you find another 2 people to fill out the reservation. > I'd hate to see how you sabotage friendship so you can make money. The plan is to make money from partner companies, such as the aforementioned escape room. Lots of types of businesses lose money if there is a hole in their schedule. From that side of things, we fill those holes up. We also aim to help businesses run local community events on a short notice, as soon as a few days in advance. Events with no money coming to us are the majority of what is on the platform, #1 goal is to help people have fun and socialize more, and the event suggestion algorithm is completely unbiased in what events it selects. (especially since we are pre-launch and don't have any partners!) Technology can be used to help improve people's lives, it doesn't all have to be bad.

cirgue 7y ago

“We sell authenticity”

laurex 7y ago

I recognise the sarcasm, but technology isn't completely incapable of helping. Instead of trying to solve the "matching problem" which has all kinds of issues, there are apps (I work for one) that are helping people have more authentic relationships with people they already care about but just don't have the time/schedule/location to spend time with.