We won't "just hang out"
Speculation about an AI-driven, post-scarcity future raises fears that work, education, and shared technical problems—the contexts where many people now form friendships—will disappear, leaving humans isolated and overstimulated by personalized digital media. Many commenters push back, arguing that people will still seek meaning, status, and connection through activities AI can’t replace: caregiving, sports, crafts, nature, spirituality, and in-person community life, especially if basic needs are met. Underneath the debate is a deeper question about how much of human social life is tied to economic necessity versus intrinsic desires for challenge, intimacy, and shared experience—and whether current trends in technology are already eroding those foundations.
Overall reaction to the article’s bleak future
- Many commenters find the “we’ll just get high on AI and stop socializing” thesis overstated or one‑dimensional.
- Others say it resonates with current trends: atomization, internet immersion, and declining in‑person social life are already visible.
Work, practice communities, and “shared friction”
- Strong support for the idea that communities of practice (open source, study, shared problem‑solving) are powerful friendship engines; AI replacing these paths feels like a real loss.
- Several extend this to “shared friction” in non‑tech domains: raising kids, local politics, care work, maintenance. These may remain key sources of connection.
- Others counter that the author overidentifies relationships with tech/work; people already form rich bonds via sports, dance, crafts, service, religion, caregiving, etc.
Education, skill, and meaning
- Many reject the claim that education becomes “pointless” without labor markets. People already study purely for curiosity or self‑cultivation.
- Some argue learning without application risks feeling like “solitaire,” but others see intrinsic learning and craft as central to a good life.
- Example analogies: people still run despite cars, play chess despite engines, brew beer despite supermarkets.
Status, sexuality, and motivation
- Multiple threads argue that status competition and sexual selection won’t disappear. Humans will still optimize for appearance, physical skills, social charisma, etc.
- Disagreement on outcomes:
- One side predicts more hobbies, sports, and physical skills as new status arenas.
- Another expects darker dynamics: nepotism, intrigue, even violence as primary status games.
Digital escapism, simulations, and “wireheading”
- Widespread concern about AI‑driven “superstimulus” (TikTok‑like feeds, VR, simulations) leading some to effectively drop out of reality.
- Some predict stratification: motivated minorities in real communities vs. large groups lost in addictive digital environments.
- A few push further: status losers may retreat into perfect simulations, leaving a shrinking “real” society.
UBI, post‑scarcity, and power
- Sharp skepticism that UBI or true post‑scarcity will ever be broadly implemented under current capitalist power structures.
- Others see UBI (or similar) as the cheapest tool elites could use to prevent unrest if AI wipes out jobs.
- Unclear: whether AI leads to more free time and social energy, or to wage deflation, poverty, and intensified control.
Third places, internet, and locality
- Some note the decline of “third places” (libraries, skateparks, community centers), especially in austerity‑oriented or US contexts, as a real barrier to offline socializing.
- Others report active local communities where the internet is mainly a coordination tool.
- There’s disagreement over whether “canonical reality” now lives online or whether plenty of offline‑centric communities quietly persist.