On the one hand, I agree that potential side effects are important. Shoulder advisors seem very similar to tulpas, and mental health disorders are very common (~50% or so) in the tulpamancy community. Though this paper argues that this is because mental health issues cause people to be drawn towards tulpamancy, and that tulpamancy can benefit those with mental illnesses. Of course, people who had negative experiences with tulpas would likely leave the community and not be available for surveys.
On the other hand, shoulder advisors and tulpas are fundamentally exercises in prediction. Your perception of the practice influences the results you’ll get. If you create shoulder advisors with the assumption that they’ll go wrong immediately, your odds of a beneficial outcome drop. It’s thus important not to over-emphasize potential negatives.
On the one hand, I agree that potential side effects are important. Shoulder advisors seem very similar to tulpas, and mental health disorders are very common (~50% or so) in the tulpamancy community. Though this paper argues that this is because mental health issues cause people to be drawn towards tulpamancy, and that tulpamancy can benefit those with mental illnesses. Of course, people who had negative experiences with tulpas would likely leave the community and not be available for surveys.
On the other hand, shoulder advisors and tulpas are fundamentally exercises in prediction. Your perception of the practice influences the results you’ll get. If you create shoulder advisors with the assumption that they’ll go wrong immediately, your odds of a beneficial outcome drop. It’s thus important not to over-emphasize potential negatives.
Agree.