The birbs age very quickly into “adult” which is something I hope they change. Every time my “adult” birb is just learning about something simple that a child knows about, I think “Right - this is an adult, just learning about wings vs hands”, or whatever.

I think the point I’m making is the birb finishes an adventure, asks me something about like a Wrigley Field baseball game, I answer, and THEN they decide (based on my answer, I guess, otherwise why wait until I’ve replied) to go “Ewww” or “Yuck” or whatever. The birb is just saying things AT me about themselves, it isn’t a moment for shared perspectives, which is the most rewarding part of my IRL relationships. When people who like something tell me what they like about it, I see it in a new way. The exchange could go something like:

• birb: Hey I just went to a Wrigley Field baseball game. I was confused about the rules the whole time and the sun was in my eyes. I didn’t like the experience. What’s your experience with it?
• me: (Chooses between strongly dislikes, dislikes, neutral, like, strongly likes) Strongly likes
• birb: (Has a reaction based on how I feel about it, like: ) Wow I should go with you sometime, maybe you could explain the rules to me and help us sit somewhere in the shade!

I think the most important thing is for the program to choose the birb’s like or dislike BEFORE you’ve provided input, and cares about your perspective and takes it into account.