Comment by roywiggins
21 hours ago
This sort of thing from LLMs seems at least superficially similar to "love bombing":
> Love bombing is a coordinated effort, usually under the direction of leadership, that involves long-term members' flooding recruits and newer members with flattery, verbal seduction, affectionate but usually nonsexual touching, and lots of attention to their every remark. Love bombing—or the offer of instant companionship—is a deceptive ploy accounting for many successful recruitment drives.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_bombing
Needless to say, many or indeed most people will find infinite attention paid to their every word compelling, and that's one thing LLMs appear to offer.
Love bombing can apply in individual, non-group settings too. If you ever come across a person who seems very into you right after meeting, giving gifts, going out of their way, etc. it's possibly love bombing. Once you're hooked they turn around and take what they actually came for.
LLMs feel a bit more culty in that they really do have infinite patience, in the same way a cult can organize to offer boundless attention to new recruits, whereas a single human has to use different strategies (gifts, etc)
> LLMs feel a bit more culty
LLM users too - judging by some of the replies in this thread already…