🤖 Is it OK to flirt with chatbots?

Happy Monday! It’s October 9 — people are talking about Israel’s declaration of war on Hamas, the debate over chatbot cheating, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly.

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🇮🇱 In the news: Israel’s declaration of war

After a devastating attack in Gaza, Israel officially declared war on Hamas. Critics debate who's to blame, and how the war will end.

🇮🇱 CNN: Israel officially declared war on Hamas after a surprise assault killed 800+ Israelis near the Gaza-Israel border. Netanyahu promised "mighty vengeance" for those killed.

🇮🇱 The WSJ said this is Israel's chance to end Hamas once and for all, and free the millions of Gazans trapped under authoritarian rule. Biden should pledge his support immediately.

🇮🇱 Haaretz thinks Israel has already lost, no matter what happens. This is the most significant government failure since the October War under Golda Meir. It’s time for the fascists in the Israeli government to leave.

🇮🇱 The NYT said Netanyahu is to blame. He pursued "politics of division" instead of national security interests. It's already bad, but it will get worse if Saudi Arabia and Iran get involved.

🇮🇱 Another NYT opinion was that this war might be what brings peace to the region. The Hamas attack will likely galvanize international support for Israel, and could give Gaza back to the people.

🤖 Cultural trend: Is it OK to flirt with chatbots?

Should flirting/sexting with an AI chatbot considered cheating, or is it a harmless way to blow off steam and practice flirting skills?

🤖 The Guardian: One user said it's a harmless way to "refresh" a relationship that's gone stale. But relationship counselor Peter Saddington says it's much better to address the staleness head-on.

🤖 But comedian David Chawner said you're chatting with "bits of plastic", not a real person. How can that be considered cheating?

🤖 Rolling Stone thinks it’s cheating if you treat the bot like a real person. Also, it seems like bots are pretty good at tricking people — if your partner falls for it, they're both unfaithful and stupid. Get rid of them!

🤖 A Reddit thread on r/Singularity thread said each relationship is different. In many cases, the bot can improve someone's flirting skills — and your partner might really appreciate that.

Quick hits

🇮🇱 The Biden administration ordered military ships and aircraft to move closer to Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas attack. (Al Jazeera)

⚫ The Taliban said an earthquake in Afghanistan killed at least 2,400 people — making it one of the deadliest earthquakes of 2023. (Reuters)

🤸‍♀️ Simone Biles won her 22nd world championship title at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. (CNN)

🏎 Red Bull's Max Verstappen clinched his 3rd consecutive F1 title after finishing 2nd in the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race. (Yahoo Sports)

That’s it for today. Reply at [email protected] to let me know what you think of our newsletter, or to suggest a topic for next time.

Here at Shades we’re trying something new – quick summaries from different points of view. We think it’s a better way to stay informed and see the big picture. Please reach out if you’re curious to learn more!

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)