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I’d go a step further and ask if our online interactions are really simulating ape tribes. The social and emotional dynamics online do not really substitute for

I’d go a step further and ask if our online interactions are really simulating ape tribes. The social and emotional dynamics online do not really substitute for real human relationships. Though they do serve some emotional needs, our social circuitry is hacked in a way by technology. We are set up to engage in an ideological discourse that leads to conflict. Not all human tribes engage in war; there is an ecological condition that triggers this impulse. Our digital ecology is not designed to be aligned with our well-being, but instead aligned with the interests of a capitalist system. In general, substances can be marketed which hack the human system and addict them to habits counter to their own well-being —- for instance, narcotics. Technology can be made to work harmoniously with human social orders, but doing so requires a strong model of human behavior in societies.

agumonkey 5y ago
I thought about it a lot, because I used to be a complete recluse, avoidant, loner.. growing up half a nerd I spent a lot of time living online. When I tried to go back to a more normal social life, I realized a few differences: - online is way less intense, people assume disconnected chats, and transient random strangers coming on and off. face to face less so, if you speak to someone you don't quit all of a sudden for instance, you have to communicate more. - physical proximity matters a lot, you don't let people you don't like close, safety reflex ? some form of subconscious emotional match ? still, if you let someone close to you in the real world it's a lot more impacting (IMO) than even the closest people you get online. - I also feel that in real life you're naturally more social, you don't approach strangers like on a comment thread, trying to debate intense polemics out of the blue. It can happen in the street or at a bar, but most of the time people try to find nice stuff to bond around. digital makes some slightly egotistic part of us shine stronger.
- go_elmo 5y ago
  It is an interesting psychological thing, online, no one is inhibited, your for yourself in your thoughts in a cozy place, so its easy to speak unfiltered. What I found astonishing is starting playing VR ping pong against other players. Suddenly, youre no longer alone in a place, you see gestures of hand and head movement and know the other person sees yours. There is a sudden feel of presence, and the behaviour shifts. Everyone is friendly (even muted players make friendly gestures) and one can have good conversations. Really interesting and pleasant experience, which I can highly recommend, especially for the home office.
  - agumonkey 5y ago
    Interesting. I dismissed a lot of AR/VR due to the `simulacre` nature of it which felt really pale, fake (uncanny valley and all that) and even limited. That said I can imagine how having a more real time feeling of someone else even virtually can suddenly change your feelings toward the moment.

agumonkey 5y ago

I thought about it a lot, because I used to be a complete recluse, avoidant, loner.. growing up half a nerd I spent a lot of time living online. When I tried to go back to a more normal social life, I realized a few differences: - online is way less intense, people assume disconnected chats, and transient random strangers coming on and off. face to face less so, if you speak to someone you don't quit all of a sudden for instance, you have to communicate more. - physical proximity matters a lot, you don't let people you don't like close, safety reflex ? some form of subconscious emotional match ? still, if you let someone close to you in the real world it's a lot more impacting (IMO) than even the closest people you get online. - I also feel that in real life you're naturally more social, you don't approach strangers like on a comment thread, trying to debate intense polemics out of the blue. It can happen in the street or at a bar, but most of the time people try to find nice stuff to bond around. digital makes some slightly egotistic part of us shine stronger.

go_elmo 5y ago
It is an interesting psychological thing, online, no one is inhibited, your for yourself in your thoughts in a cozy place, so its easy to speak unfiltered. What I found astonishing is starting playing VR ping pong against other players. Suddenly, youre no longer alone in a place, you see gestures of hand and head movement and know the other person sees yours. There is a sudden feel of presence, and the behaviour shifts. Everyone is friendly (even muted players make friendly gestures) and one can have good conversations. Really interesting and pleasant experience, which I can highly recommend, especially for the home office.
- agumonkey 5y ago
  Interesting. I dismissed a lot of AR/VR due to the `simulacre` nature of it which felt really pale, fake (uncanny valley and all that) and even limited. That said I can imagine how having a more real time feeling of someone else even virtually can suddenly change your feelings toward the moment.