Comment on He has cancer — so he made an AI version of himself for his wife after he dies
naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 months ago
My wife is fortunately still alive so maybe that colours my view. However when I’ve lost other people the blessed anaesthesia of forgetting has been essential in being able to function.
From the short quote it seems like she maybe has a healthy-ish attitude but idk… I feel like this would be a shallow simulacrum that prolongs grief.
One of my colleagues has something along the lines of superior autobiographical recall. He remembers in great detail major and minor events from childhood to today. It’s difficult for him to forget.
I myself have forgotten long stretches of my life, and even looking at pictures of myself from those times it feels unfamiliar.
There are some things that I wish I could remember better, but overall I prefer my forgetful brain to his never forget brain.
I’ve got that biographical detail and it’s kind of weird being able to remember times with my friends that they can’t remember.
Just feels lonely. Like imagine being the only person who can remember more than an hour ago. How your life would feel different than those living within that 1-hour window.
It’s like that just with a different scale.
henfredemars@infosec.pub 5 months ago
I don’t believe humans are meant to manage loss in this way — stretching out an imitation of our loved one. As painful as it is, I personally believe humans need to say goodbye. I feel this gets on the way of feeling and truly accepting the loss so that a person can move forward.
Loss is truly heavy, but I do not believe this is better or healthy.
Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca 5 months ago
My sister has hundreds of YouTube videos she used to help her students learn between music lessons. It will be two years soon since she died, I haven’t been able to watch even one.
I like to remember her in my mind, it hurts less than seeing her when she was alive.
naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 months ago
Yeah. I am not a Buddhist but I’ve always found something rings true in the reflections on impermanence. When we bond with someone we accept the pain of loss, and when we feel it most people seem to describe relief once able to “let go” an accept it being over.
It seems to me that encouraging clinging and reminiscening stunts you a bit and only really provides temporary relief of the loss while drawing out the time it takes to process it.
Idk though, maybe I’ll have the misfortune to feel differently some day. It’s hard to judge someone hanging out with their spouse watching death creep closer each day. I have approximately zero idea what my opinions would be in the face of that.
thingsiplay@beehaw.org 5 months ago
People who can’t get over someone losing will sorrow for the rest of the life, or until they get over it. And AI won’t help to get over it. Death is part of our life and as soon as you don’t accept it, it becomes pain.
It’s last year I think when I read someone created the lost son (or some other family member, I forgot) of a mother, in a VR environment. And she could see him/her again in the VR. Absolutely madness! What does this do to the person? Now couple that with an AI… man the future is grim…
henfredemars@infosec.pub 5 months ago
I had this conversation with my wife once. I let her know that it is my advance wish that you must allow me to complete the cycle of life. Anything else, any reconstruction of me that technology allows, is to me, an abomination. Keep the pictures, keep the memories, but don’t keep me here when I am gone.
I refrain from judging the decisions of others where possible, but this is my personal wish.
scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 5 months ago
I tried things like character AI to play with talking to “celebrities”. It was novel, it was fun. For about 15 minutes. Then… Eh. It’s not the person, and your brain knows it’s not them. It’s always an imitation. I got bored talking with people I’ve always wanted to talk to.
I can’t imagine it being a lived one who has passed. It would feel hollow, empty, and wouldn’t make the pain leave. Idk, it just wouldn’t be good at all
intensely_human@lemm.ee 5 months ago
Yes. Nothing about this idea sounds like a good idea. Honestly I’m kind of pissed at the dude for saddling his wife with this gift.