Friction Maxxing

Friction Maxxing. 

You've heard of this, right?

It's the practice of deliberately choosing inconvenience over efficiency. 

Practical examples of friction maxxing include:
▪️ creating a hand-written note instead of a text
▪️ navigating without GPS
▪️ walking on a trail instead of a treadmill

The entire concept is fitting for how we can create AI chatbots as a rehearsal for relationships instead of a replacement. I think chatbots should be built for friction maxxing. Imagine how human relationships could flourish if digital interactions were a training ground for connection.

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗯𝗼𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀:
➕ Sitting with discomfort during disagreement
Chatbot types "Let's slow your process down so you can unpack underlying patterns involved."

➕ Navigating ambiguity without immediate answers
Chatbot types "I have no advice or answers to offer, because many things in life are layered, complex, and sometimes unresolvable."

➕ Tolerating the wait when someone can't respond right now
Chatbot types "Let's take a 30 minute break and I encourage you to take a walk, stretch, paint, or anything else that supports your mental health."

➕ Practicing repair after inevitable ruptures
Chatbot types "Let's role play the repair so you feel confident doing it in real life."

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁?
Friction maxxing can act as a sort of "psychological vaccine" or inoculation that builds immunity against future friction (aka: every day life). 

Because we don't simply need more human connection, we need the capacity to tolerate the friction present in our existing relationships.

(𝘗𝘚. 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴...𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘫𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘹𝘹𝘪𝘯𝘨).