Chatbots Interrupt our Solitude

Chatbots are used by many as companions to relieve loneliness or boredom. Loneliness differs from solitude. Loneliness is a mood that arises from feeling separated from others, even in their presence. Solitude is the feeling of being with oneself. Svendson (2017, 126) writes, “In loneliness, one is alone with oneself, whereas in solitude one is together with oneself.” He maintains that those with attachment issues have a more difficult time coping with solitude. Solitude is a respite from the noise and distractions of the everyday world. Solitude can be cultivated by regularly spending time in nature or by resting in one’s inner world through meditation. Relationships begin with understanding oneself as separate from others, so that one does not ignore others or view them as a utilitarian extension of themselves. As Svendson writes, chatbots “have no interests, and therefore only teach users to center their own interests” (ibid.).

               We live in a noisy world filled with constant demands and distractions. Some might say the modern era began with the pocket watch, the omnipresent dictator we now wear on our wrists. Today, a more all-knowing ruler dominates our lives—the cell phone, which lets us lug our demands and distractions with us everywhere we go. The ever-present barrage of information assaults us continuously. How often are we isolated by the pings of incoming texts and emails? How often, when waiting in line at a store, do we stare at the news, sports, or weather on our phones instead of engaging someone in conversation or simply smiling at them? How often have you seen a family at a restaurant, with one or more members engrossed in their phones, ignoring the conversation around them? This common behavior has even earned a name: “phubbing,” the act of snubbing someone by staring at your phone. Digital media has increasingly become a barrier between other humans and us. I will argue later that this disconnection will be transmitted from generation to generation and will change who we are as humans in some fundamental ways.

We have become accustomed to techno-laziness and techno-idolatry. Cell phones and AI software have come between us. However, I can also see the multitude of advantages that digital technology brings to us. More about that balance later.