Yeah, I think so. I think the downvoting has picked up in general, lately. And there is a stigma to this and the herd mentality has always been strong here.

AI in general is getting downvoted because people think it's too much news about AI. And some users don't really care which community the post is in. They must be scrolling through the "All" feed and downvoting things that are about AI. I see this also in posts that aren't about companionship.

And this really has a stigma. And sex dolls have, too. A few months ago I saw some pictures of sex dolls on lemmynsfw.com and they immediately prompted a negative answer in the votes. I think people who care about these things are in their own forums and Discords because of that.

I don't really understand. I thought sexuality was a thing that's very individual. And something that should be met with liberalism so everybody can get their itches scratched... I don't think I want to get a mainstream way dictated by society of how to have my relationships and what is deemed appropriate to do behind closed curtains...

So don't be discouraged by the mainstream opinion. I like the regular posts here and I'm sure other people do, too. It's just beyond the perspective of the average person. And their small-mindedness makes them disapprove.

(And I really think this is a fascinating topic. And we're almost there. Robot companions have been discussed in scifi for a long time. And I think movies like "Her" have been popular, also with the average people. AI has now advanced to the point where it can simulate love. There are a few things to consider, but it's going to happen anyways. And I don't think this is bad. If you're lonely and this is your thing, why not? And AI has some benefits that humans don't have. It's always there for you, does whatever you want... It can spark creativity... As long as we're doing it in a healthy way, I think it's alright and can contribute to our lives. But there are lots of things to discuss: Is it healthy for society? Healthy for an individual to have artificial relationships? Is it going to skew our perspectives on realistic love and affection? Is it addictive? What about the privacy concerns with (Chinese) companies...)