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Sex Robots: The Beginning of the End of Human Intimacy

Rather than popularizing the robots, let's address the reasons as to why they are getting so popular.

By Michael ThielmannPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
Top Story - April 2018
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Is a commitment-free "relationship" the fantasy of many men (and women) in the modern world?  

Sex without commitment, without love or intimacy and indeed without an actual partner are ever-increasing symptoms of a problematic world.

There are articles floating around that tout the perceived benefits of sex robots but I am far from convinced of their benefit both from a clinical standpoint as well as on a basic human level.

Trying to isolate sex as something separate from human interaction is a dangerous game because it runs contrary to basic biological, psychological and indeed spiritual impulses that are at the very core of our human nature. As the picture above depicts, the growing business of robotic sex partners predominantly cater to a male clientele for a variety of reasons that we can discuss.

My previous article outlining the isolationist tendencies of many men in regards to pornography highlights one manifestation of this problem. The advent of robotic sex dolls is, in my mind, like unhealthy sexuality 2.0.

I don't mean to imply that only men are affected by these problems but for the sake of simplicity I will use men as my example here. The basic reality is that if men are able to satisfy their sexual drives without actual human partners, the desire to cultivate deep, meaningful relationships will decline over time.

Part of what makes human society function in a traditional sense is that men are required to woo and seduce prospective sex partners. They have to put themselves out there, take risks, and develop positive qualities in themselves as part of their desire for sex and ultimately deeper relationships as well which lead to starting families.

This burgeoning industry promoting glorified masturbation with artificial partners strips men of that necessity. A relatively financially affluent man can now simply order a custom sex robot and isolate at home. The time, energy, and money he would have otherwise invested in pursuing and cultivating real world relationships can be replaced by artificial means.

Imagine a man who has been having sex with a robot for a year, 5 years, 10 years, and so on. One day he wakes up and realizes how unfulfilled he really is. He sees people around him or on social media getting married, having children, and generally getting on with their human lives.

He realizes he wants something more, he yearns to connect with an actual partner himself. How difficult might it be for such a man to begin dating and connecting? Any social skills will likely be underdeveloped in this area as his robotic companion demands nothing from him and can be turned off (or on) with a flip of a switch.

Just as we see teenagers and young adult males who grow up with internet porn having trouble in the relationship department this problem will only proliferate with the development and normalization of sex robots and whatever further aberrations may be created and marketed.

We live in a free market culture dictated largely by supply and demand. The question I want to pose to my readers, my clients, and humanity at large is why is there such a high demand for artificial sexual stimulation?

One obvious thing to look at is the highly charged issue of sexual impropriety in the media, Hollywood, in workplaces, and in the culture at large. We see scandals happening all the time around consent (and lack thereof) where the boundaries of appropriate sexual behavior seem more vague than they have ever been.

The temptation to simply opt out of the game of human relationships can indeed be strong for many of us. The ability to work and play remotely means face-to-face interaction is on the decline in many people's lives.

I want to urge humanity to not lose sight of the basic biological and spiritual realities that no amount of technology can usurp. We all have an innate drive to connect in meaningful ways, and healthy sexuality is a large part of that. A robot can give you pleasure, but it can never love you. (Even if it is programmed to tell you that it can.)

Let us rediscover and celebrate healthy sexuality between consenting adults and leave the robots to their own devices.

www.seedsoflove.ca

taboo
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About the Creator

Michael Thielmann

I am an addiction and mental health counsellor living in Salmon Arm British Columbia. I love engaging with people about overcoming any challenges in their life and being vulnerable and open about my own process as well. <3

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