Gongol.com Archives: July 2025
July 12, 2025
It can be dangerous to read too much into any reporting on trends, since it's much too easy to extrapolate one or two examples of behavior into widespread evidence of a fad. But when evidence of a fad is compatible with things we know about human nature, then it's sensible to give it at least a fair hearing. ■ There is some reporting to suggest that some online daters are using ChatGPT to make their online flirtation more likely to get hits. It's plausible enough, given the stakes involved and the risks mot people associate with making a good impression. ■ It is entirely possible that people aren't thinking this far ahead, but it seems like it should be obvious that trying to initiate a relationship without using one's own words is a terrible act of self-sabotage. A relationship begun on false premises (like using a computer's words instead of speaking or writing honestly) should only be expected to last under extraordinary circumstances. ■ There's nothing new in searching for the right words, nor for thinking that a pretty face trained to parrot the right words would be enough. It's a story much older than George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion". But a petty impersonation of well-cultivated language isn't the same as sharing insights or creating a real connection.
