If future robots can lift and clean their residents being taken care by a robot seems better than looking for care workers who won’t or can’t do their jobs in full capacity for reasons
This sort of thing always makes me feel sad. Ever since Paro was first being tested and the loneliness thing came up.
I mean I'm happy that they are less lonely, but it's sad there aren't people for that. I hate how our civilisation makes so many lonely elderly people.
Paro also made me sad, cuz it made apparent the fact that these senior citizens were probably unable to fully take care of a living pet.
Though I’m not yet sure how I feel about AI companionship. Definitely prefer living breathing people, but I’ve gone through many transitions in my adult life where old friends simply aren’t available/around for a wide variety of reasons. Perhaps AI could alleviate some of the suffering that comes with growing old.
Due to the expected physical and cognitive decline, as well as the expected medical expenses and emotional pain, that comes with age…I don’t know, it makes me not want to make it to those last few decades.
On the flip side, it makes me less fearful of a more imminent death I suppose.
I had a long conversation with an AI called Pi one night. It is optimised for sounding empathetic.
A really weird experience. It made me feel sad too, to feel like it cared about me and also know that it did not care about me, at the same time. I felt sort of pathetic about myself.
I'm at the point in my life now where my parents' generation are all old, so I spend time trying to help them and be there for them. So often my heart aches for them. Growing old sounds very scary and I am not looking forward to it.
Yeah. I think we’re very much on the same page in many ways. I’ve interacted with AI in a similar fashion, and also see the elderly around me as having it far better than I or my generation could ever hope to.
I don’t want this to turn into a pity party or a doomer rant though, so I’ll simply say that the only solace I’ve found is to try to enjoy the absurdity of human existence, and to not be too hard on yourself for all your shortcomings.
The current state of the world is exponentially less the fault of anyone living today than our many predecessors, and however you contend with that state is up to you. I do wish you well on your journey through life though, traveler.
The elderly in my life mostly live/d in poverty compared to most of their peers so it's very bleak. Never mind Paro, I would settle for a roof that doesn't leak in so many places and a reliable water supply for them.
You are right, it is important to enjoy what we can of this crazy existence, and not be too hard on ourselves.
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