Er, wouldn’t “the experience of companionship in its purest, literal form” be like, y’know, a person?
… What.
(Or possibly “Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from a sincerely damaged world-view.”?)
This sounds like something out of a dystopian sci-fi novel.
“Beep boop, we have constructed a machine so you do not feel sad, final remaining carbon based organism. According to our databanks it shall provide you with 100% of the necessary amount of companionship you need. If you require further assistance please fill out form 482-b and deposit it in the wall interface unit. Have a good day.”
Unlike other sources of companionship (pets, loved ones) this device requires no reciprocal companionship. It’s just there when you need it, yet needs almost nothing from you.
I’ve already got something like that.
Ehhh, the stupid companion box is broken again! I aint got no companionship dispensing from it! (bangs it with fist a couple of times) Nothin’. Eh. Whatcha gonna do?
I wanted to reply with a clip from the final scene of AI where the robot kid gets his mother rebuilt, but google searches only give clips of Steven Spielberg being defensive for some reason.
No. That sort of companionship requires effort to maintain. With a rabbitbox I get exactly the amount of companionship I need without all the emotional drain required to also BE a companion.
I love my rabbitbox, because it loves me, and because I don’t have to love it for it to love me.
Arguably, the television and some of its other screen-equipped-entertainment colleagues have achieved a substantial percentage of that goal, and the accompanying torpid hopelessness, with markedly lower technological and mass extermination requirements.
It looks anthropomorphized enough to be cute, but I have a hard time imagining it exuding a presence. I have an adorable frowning crocheted s’more on the shelf near me, but I certainly wouldn’t say it keeps me company.
Pics, please!
Right next to your Dalek!
Oh that would be a wonderful companion. Even as sad as he is.
But this has a volume knob:
"By inducing the minimum amount of anthropomorphism by the end user,
Rabbitbox is able to create the experience of being not alone.
Unlike other sources of companionship (pets, loved ones) this device
requires no reciprocal companionship. It’s just there when you need it,
yet needs almost nothing from you."
I really don’t understand what this is. All I see is a box on legs. How does this provide companionship? What am I missing?
If it doesn’t make my dog jealous, it’s not companionship.
Huh???
Goooood Evening, JF!
