[Windchaser]

We could have coffee made today by automated coffee vending machines, but many people still prefer to go to a coffee shop. Why is that?

Sometimes we don’t choose the cheaper automated product, and instead opt for the “human experience”. I don’t imagine this will change any time soon. Humans like being around humans.

[hilariously]

Mostly because machine coffee tastes like shit, the incentives are off for it; its usually in a place where you cant get good coffee and they do not give a fuck if you like it or not, enjoy your caffeine that you are addicted to.

[RicoElectrico]

Some ingredients for a good coffee still need to be fresh, like milk - refilled daily. And the machine cleaned. Might as well employ a human at this point.

[ACCount37]

If that is true, then, why is it that the "human experience" has been on decline for decades - since the very moment it became possible to start cutting down on it?

If "humans like being around humans", why does human behavior say otherwise?

[red-iron-pine]

> why does human behavior say otherwise?

because economics and practical realities demand it.

most Gen Z don't drink because they can't afford it, not because they don't like bars.

a movie ticket w/ drinks and popcorn is now $55 for me and the wife. I'd love to see it in the theater w/ people but netflix is half that per month, unlimited viewing.

starbucks championed the 3rd place but is aggressively culling their own stores to chase profits

public transport isn't there in many places so if you don't have a car you can't go anywhere, whomp whomp

lots of people would go out more -- they just can't. so you do the best w/ what you have, and that's usually smartphone, streaming, and staying in

[RandomLensman]

What are your KPIs there? Global concert attendence is pretty high these days, for example.

[ACCount37]

Estimates on the count of close friendships, amount of acquaintances, dating, sexual activity, etc - all falling.

People have fewer and fewer relationships, and even fewer close or intimate relationships. "Third places" are in decline, demand-induced - social activity takes place "in person" less and less, and more and more of it moves "online".

If your idea of "human experience" is "close relationship in person" or "group activities offline", and not something like "a friend chat group with memes and games, most of them never met in person", "social media posting", "parasocial relationship with a streamer" or "public Minecraft and Roblox servers", then "human experience" is on decline by just about any metric available.

Those aren't new trends either. They predate things like companion/roleplay AI chatbots - which seem popular with Gen Z and Gen Alpha in particular.

How that new thing shakes out is still unclear, but modern AIs are probably the closest thing to a "human experience" one can get without involving a human at all. So there's even more room for the metrics to fall now - regardless of whether "hanging out in a streamer's chat" counts as "human experience" to you.

[RandomLensman]

But do people want fewer and fewer physical relationships, friendships, etc. ("loniless epidemic" comes to mind here, for example)?

Humans liking being around other humans doesn't preclude failure there - but that wouldn't mean that the statement isn't true. And as I said, some real life activities involving other humans are at quite high levels these days (concerts, higher end restaurants or explorations).

[ACCount37]

Oh, a lot of people want "physical relationships, friendships, etc". As a stated preference. As a revealed preference though? All in decline.

It sure seems like quite an amount of people doesn't want those things enough to go through the hassle of actually forming and maintaining those relationships.

If you could just get yourself a genuine Close Physical Relationship in a box, same-day delivery, enjoyment guaranteed or your money back? I bet they would. But as is? With the time, the effort, the sheer uncertainty involved? A lot of people forgo it.

For every example you list, there's two more examples of "third places" fading away into nothingness because people just aren't using them anymore.

[RandomLensman]

Not convinced that we are seeing revealed preferences or something else (being "priced out", for example).

Failure and uncertainty are part of life, so I have no issue with those.

What would be "genuine" about the physical relationship in a box? A sentient, conscious being with autonomy and agency would bring uncertainty etc. right back no?

[ben_w]

> Estimates on the count of close friendships, amount of acquaintances, dating, sexual activity, etc - all falling.

Personally I would blame this on smartphones and/or apps, not the people. There's a lot of people who report finding these things addictive, and Meta's getting sued right now by people who have shown that Meta knew the users were upset about being addicted to the platform:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48817682

[vatsachak]

Automated coffee vending machines are not at the level of barista.

Plus a coffee shop is about the experience, not the price.

But most jobs that aren't service are not about the experience.