Sorry for the late reply.

I agree it doesn’t have much practical value. I thought it was “philosophically” interesting. This is because it seems an important benchmark in terms of our relationship with machines. 
 

The hypothesis is that our intuitive / system 1 aporoximation to treating machines as thinking beings depends on a benchmark we already passed.

I wrote it down because i want to refer it in future pieces (like the one on ai and loneliness)
 

I guess that could be true.

Just another thought that might add to that, I believe our values are highly dependant on our communities. Sort of a bandwaggon effect.

So from the outside, I don’t like that possible future. Maybe when we’re there i might prefer it. However it might be a local optimum for everyone involved (like using social networks currently).

I think many people, if given the choice, would choose social networks not to exist

I agree!

I forgot to mention all this happened in Argentina, where this not yet the case. Also, he was only learning how to use social media stuff.

But yeah, there are more pressures than just the social one. I think they have to do with network effects as well. Just thought loneliness was even one more important topic

I suppose there is also a Moloch dynamic: if every other kid believes in Santa, the one who doesn’t might be left out. In worse cases, other kids might react agressively to their comments. Something similar happens to atheist adults in strongly christian communities.

The “sense of wonder” argument may be a rationalization for “I don’t want my kid to be the only one who doesn’t share THIS socially important sense of wonder with the rest”. The kid who obsesses with space shuttles instead of santa might be socially worse off.

If this is the case, arguing against the explicit arguments of santaism won’t be so effective, because the attitude isn’t rationally founded, but rather a post-hoc justification of an individual incentive within the Moloch dynamic. I suspect the main issue here is the lock-in effect.

I’m not sure what the solution would be. It might need coordination (a group of parents whose kids are friends agreeing on not telling the “noble lie” and finding alternatives instead). Maybe, if it works better (or, at least, if it gets easier) once a small critical mass is achieved, more parents will adopt this approach.