I was reading this article about a resort where lonely guys go to pretend they gave girlfriends, who they can see though the screens of their iphones or whatever, and I was laughing too, even though I'm alone right now.

Then I read this quote in the comments:

high population density and sensory overload locks you into your own tiny personal space. The only way to control the world around you is to turn inward and focus on yourself; soon the only world that matters to you is the virtual one in your head and through the device in your hands.

And the same thing is happening here. When you see people in a coffee shop checking their twitter rather than talking to each other. Skipping a date with a girl to wait in line for a new phone. Changing your status to married while you're still on the alter. People who spend their time playing online games rather than going outside. People who's idea of social interaction is reading Friendface or posting on web blogs.

This guy isn't a freak, he's our future in about 4-5 years when we realize that "I <3 U" looks the same on your phone whether is comes from a real girl or a fake one.

And that's just it. What happens when you have a lonely guy full of emotions, who wants to care for someone and who wants to be cared for, that nobody notices or cares about? Where does *that* energy go?

I mean, to be crude for a second, if a guy is just looking for sex, there's pornography and fapping, right? Everyone knows about that. Everyone jokes about that.

But what if someone is *emotionally* starved? That's where these things come in, for better or worse. I'm gonna say worse, obviously, but where else have these guys got left to go? Sure you can care for a pet, but it will never text you with an "I <3 U". And for people looking for that, when reality denies them, this is like the only comfort they will ever get. Basically emoting with a chatbot. You end up caring for the sprite on the screen, or the avatar, and in return you get the illusion it cares back, even if it's just a pre-programmed script.

So I laugh at 'em, but I cry, because I understand it. We are pretty close to a world where the guys who left behind just aren't going to care anymore that the words of love on their screen are a fake script. They'll just log in, tune out and get what shallow comfort they can.

'"I <3 U" looks the same on your phone whether is comes from a real girl or a fake one.'

For some people left behind by the world, it feels the same, too. Try not to laugh too hard at them, the "losers", because if not for the grace of Kami or what-have-you, you might not have anyone either. The world doesn't make it easy for everyone to just find someone else.

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