Submitted by el_gee t3_y7381v in Futurology
billjv t1_isshc7e wrote
The biggest problem that I see with this line of tech is that it could be used to take advantage of grieving people at their most vulnerable. There is a real danger in this from companies who profit off grief and death. But I think the most disconcerting thing about the tech is that it's going to get so good that it would be easy for a living person to become dependent on it. Addictive in the extreme. Can you imagine losing your wife or long-time girlfriend, and then having a digital representation to console you after their death? I'm not sure if in your grieving state you would even care that it's fake. You would just go to it, because it's better than the void they left behind for you in their death.
Now that I've gone and said the scary part out loud, the advantages to this tech are also very inviting. Having a "digital encyclopedia" of a person for future generations is absolutely incredible. Archiving our lives through interviews is a great idea, especially for those not prone to talking much about themselves. I would absolutely love to get to know my great grandmother more - she was a pioneer and an amazing woman. We have a book about her put together by family, but not much else.
One other aspect is that the digital self is only as good as the original self keeps it up to date. Old entries from someone that only get seen 10-20 years after they die are not a realistic picture of that person if they stopped or slowed updating in later years of their life.
All in all, I think the advantages could outweigh the disadvantages - but strict boundaries and guardrails need to be in place along with the tech so that people in their worst moments aren't taken for a ride.
Bomixes t1_isstp7o wrote
I agree , I have a friend who recently lost their father, the mom keeps visiting the grave site and gets upset at her kids because they don’t visit everyday. And when the site gets leaves and debris, she is there to make sure it is clean. To some it would be a nice one time thing, to others it would be a scary addiction.
toetx2 t1_isszysf wrote
Might be a generation or cultural thing, keeping the grave neat is a way of showing respect.
But yes, it becomes a problem when it looks like an addiction. It sounds harsh, but people that can't move on need help, or else they end up stuck in a depression that might be deadly as well.
TerpenesByMS t1_isw436u wrote
Good thing this exact scenario has been oreconceived in Sci-Fi. Black Mirror has a decent take, can't remember the name of the movie...
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