From: utzoo!decvax!cca!hplabs!hao!menlo70!sytek!blk@sri-unix
Newsgroups: net.singles
Title: Re: More Lewis Carrol
Article-I.D.: sytek.225
Posted: Fri Nov 12 12:05:13 1982
Received: Tue Nov 16 04:52:05 1982

Sir Mark Mallett;
that was an intriguing little rumination - what is the attraction of
our little electronic postcard system?  Here are some thoughts applying
more directly to net.singles.
Ever talk to a teddy bear, or other stuffed animal?  If you have, you may
have experienced the same curious contradiction that caused me to give it
up (besides disturbing my fellow office workers):
	'Bear, I wish you could answer me, and yet still remain
	a senseless stuffed animal.'
After all, there have always been people around to talk to.  But then you
have to see them again, and know that *they* know!  Usually this is no big
deal - most of my acquaintances are the sensitive, understanding type.  
But somehow it makes for problems.  I think the trouble is with my
resulting self-image (what must he/she think of me?). 

A few times I have 'been there' for someone I hardly knew.  You know, a 
shoulder to cry on etc.  Each time, the next occasion we might have to
meet produced a certain distance, as if to say "Don't mention it".

Well, I'm talking about a much higher level of emotion than we get on this
net, but I think that the attraction people have to E-Mail has the same
roots.  You can't throw the terminal across the room like a stuffed animal,
but the level of intimacy is similar.  I know, this sounds disgusting
and a little frightening, but we spend so many hours with these things.
And face it, don't you feel like Andy T. is an old friend, even though
you don't know his hair color or if he speaks in a bass or high tenor?

Another note - when the original Liza program came out (remember the 
 senseless psychiatrist simulation?) psychology today reported that some
people prefered the machine to their human counterparts, and found that
they really helped.

Whatcha think?

			-brian