Don't sweat it! A British scientist just told me (via the BBC) that within the next 40 years Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be sufficiently advanced to be able to 'birth' robotic partners and friends. You will be able to design a robot that is sufficiently like you, or has the personality and physical attributes that you want in a partner. These 'humanoids' (my word not his) will be so human that they will be able to satisfy all physical (yes, even that!) and emotional needs.
And perhaps scarier still is this man's opinion that by this time humans will be so used to this interactive technology that we will not think it weird to engage in a physical relationship with these creations, so much so that we will use the phrase "some one" rather than "some thing" when we refer to them. (Interaction with a robotic dog or dinosaur is already nothing unusual for our children!)
This seems to me to be the ultimate in selfish individualism - the final solution to broken community and the ultimate catalyst for virtual community. Not too long ago it took 'a village to raise a child' soon we can leave it up to our AI partners, teachers and nannies. It makes some of the science fiction movies (such as Spielberg's AI, or Columbus' Bicentennial Man) seem not so far fetched.Humanity is created for realtionship and community - just because we find it hard to relate; just because it's hard to live together; just because I'm shy - doesn't mean we should settle for another 'man-made' replacement. This is scary...
