New guy and wanting to know if someone would like to break down exactly what virtual cuddling is about? Thank you in advance.
A virtual session is whatever makes you comfortable! Some have the phone positioned so we’re chatting while laying down, or just simply sitting on a couch talking away. I’ve had some that like to sing with me, others play word games or board games. If you have suggestions, I’m certainly open to learning new ways to Video chat ☺️
It's just chatting with someone via video chat. If you're lonely and need some company, it might be just what you need. If you have a social life and a group of friends you talk with regularly, it might not be worthwhile.
Lol, thank you for clearing that for me. I feel so stupid. Every time I came across something about it I would be thinking of things like using 3D goggles or movies like Johnny Mnuemonic.
@Ngray4782 ~ "...using 3D goggles..." You might be on to something there ~ I mean I'd try it if it were available!
The difficulty with 3D goggles, is that the communication can only work one way ; because the other person can't see the face of the wearer, just someone wearing goggles. I'm sure there's a technical solution, perhaps using a more sophisticated display such as Google glasses, or even a connection into the optic centre of the brain.
Another idea is Deepfake technology, which creates facial images based on a voice signal, and hence allows a person to be seen saying things that they have never said. I also think that such technology could be used to allow a safely masked-up healthcare worker, wearing a PC tablet over their chest, to be "seen" saying the words they are saying.
The only problem perhaps, is that it then becomes possible for CGI to replace actors ; including virtual cuddlers, and those in the sex industry who work over video.
I say 'problem' because it is instead perhaps a solution, allowing avatars or robots to say and do things, that a human being would find psychologically harmful. We seem to have accepted video games in which avatars are gruesomely killed for fun, and enjoyed watching 'Westworld' where robots are killed for fun. Imagine if Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein, Sir Jimmy Saville, Roger Ailes etc. could have enjoyed themselves in a world which existed only in their computers. They evaded consequences for so long, because they didn't allow how they behaved in private, to be seen in public ; and if their only interaction with any humans, had been their public persona, who would have minded ?
We are all properly outraged by sex acts against those who are below the age of consent, or in positions of low power ; but most people seem happy for those fantasies to be created, by either legal-age spouses or sex workers. If they can be realistically created with no human at all, perhaps that would protect the humans.
Maybe not. Maybe such technology would be as dangerous and addictive as Class A drugs, which act directly on the pleasure centre of the brain.
@geoff1000 ~ huh....? That's a lot to consider! Here I was thinking I'd try it out because it would be safe ~ I'd be sitting or lying down with no worries about potentially knocking into things, tripping, falling, etc. Clearly I didn't think this through....
So how about holograms? Or better still, how about teleportation that has a built in decontamination feature?
N/M ~ At this point I'd be stoked to have a well worn t-shirt, soaked in kindness extract, to put around my pillow so I'm better able to imagine I'm with another caring individual. And no, I have no idea what "kindness extract" might be, but I'm sure someone could create some sort of pairing algorithm between people's personality traits and how they smell to figure it out. This has to have less to be concerned with than 3D or "... a connection into the optic centre of the brain." Right?!
@quixotic_life Scent is definitely powerful emotionally. I think it's something about the brain sitting on top of the nasal cavity, meaning the signals get there unfiltered. It's used in some theatrical museums or Odorama.
Perhaps the next "virtual contact" development will be the ability to analyse scent, and recreate it at a distance. Next best would be for someone to wear a T-shirt for a day, then seal it in a plastic bag and post it. It would need suitable decontamination for Covid-19, but postal services say the time delay is enough.
I heard of an experiment where young women were asked to rate young men, based on the scent of their T-shirts. It turned out that they were most attracted to those who had different antibodies, suggesting their offspring would be protected against a wider range of diseases.
T-shirt for a day...? Hmm...? Could literally be the shirt off a number of backs from CC folks, and you'd know you were getting quality kindness by reading their forum &/or karma comments. I bet there are a lot of people who would be willing to pay s&h (plus shirt cost) for this!
Maybe this is it! The next big thing to help people get through this & we figured it out!
But.... That would be a pretty big ask of those who are already so giving, thoughtful and kind to others in this community ~ It just wouldn't be right to take advantage of someone's inherent kindness by asking them to literally package and send their essence. Also, this type of thing (capturing one's essence) has been the plot point of many cartoons, comics and sci-fi works - and it never ends well!
Sigh... Sorry @geoff1000, I guess this isn't "it" after all.
In "Species" an alien race sends the digital record of their DNA, so that humankind can make one of them in a lab. That doesn't turn out so well either. ☹️
Johnny Pneumatic if you're not careful...zoinks!
This is something that I think I might like, this virtual cuddling. Haven't tried it yet with anybody, but I'm interested!
@CTCuddleDude Look up ASMR on YouTube, that will give you a taste. There are many scenarios to choose from. The difference with a virtual cuddle, is that you are likely to be able to do it for real before too long.
Virtual cuddling is like a good way to connect and feel close to someone who may not be necessarily close at all. Usually Folks from out of town Would request this