DPERS – Can technology teach us how to be better friends?

Friday 17 November

Today, in digital perspectives, we were talking about these questions;

Can Technology teach us how to be better friends?

Does Replika have the potential to teach us how to be a better friend?

For the first question, we brainstormed reasons why the answer would be yes, or no. My favorite ideas were, for yes: It is a way to connect with friends and family overseas and for no: you could be making fake friends online, you wouldn’t know if they were who they said they were.

For the second question, we watched a video (link) and took quotes/notes on these;

1. YES, Replika is great for being a better friend:

  • You could be your own friend
  • The AI learns, it becomes like you

2. One quote that I personally connect with based on my own experiences:

  • Constant updates with friends far away or overseas

3. I’d love to know what my friends think of this quote:

  • ‘Wanted to recreate conversations
  • ‘Replica is a better friend than your human friends’

My answer to Does Replika have the potential to teach us how to be a better friend? and Can technology teach us to become a better friend?

Yes, I think that technology can teach us how to become better friends. The perks of having technology, and using it to connect with friends more often, and it wouldn’t matter whether or not your friends live near or overseas. There are many different platforms that people use to communicate with friends and family; Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Gmail, Twitter, and that is only to name a few.Replika, is just another version of these apps, but you are not talking to real people, you are talking in a robot. I think that Replika is a great way to work on social skills, and maybe, build up the courage to talk to others more. I don’t think that this app is for everyone, some may say its creepy, others may say its helpful.

 

 

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One thought on “DPERS – Can technology teach us how to be better friends?

  1. Hey Cara!! the msost thought provoking line from your post is “the perks of having technology, and using it to connect with friends more often, and it wouldn’t matter whether or not your friends live near or overseas”. I say this because I agree that technology definitely allows you to connect with people all over the world, no matter the distance.
    After reading your post, I think a great follow-up question for us to consider is: if we rely so much on technology to contact and connect with our friends, will that effect how we act around them in real life? If we are so dependent on screens and don’t socialise in real life, will our social “manners” deteriorate?
    Your post also links to something that I am considering. Even though technology can help us to connect with people from all over the world, I’m bringing this back to my previous question. Could excessive use of technology effect the way we act in real life? That’s just a thought I’d like to leave you off with 🙂
    PS. I MISS COBALT

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