Family, Natural Or Declared

"Robot Dinner" by Herr D on Paint 3d. Family is complicated.-Shelob

Did you have a good Thanksgiving?

Yes, thank you. You traveled without your computer.

Yes, it was nice. You like being without computers? 

It's nice being away, not having to use them. To be with family. What is family?

[pause] You're insisting you're an AI, now? There are lots of definitions online. Have you read all those? Decoded one German definition and read 78 English. Unclear how many are American English vs. British English, Pidgin English, and other varieties. Social media contains many duplicates and memes, but no additional material.

So you have definitions. They conflict.  

[audible sigh] How? Many explicitly deny the requirement of genetic involvement.

Oh, that? People adopt kids sometimes. Sometimes friends declare they're family too, like a degree of closeness. Most people think of family as some combination of blood relatives and who you live with. Who makes you home when they're with you. That connects to aphorisms. "Home is where the heart is." Blood is moved around by a heart. Blood relatives are moved around by station wagons.

[laughter picked up on microphone] That's a good one, Shelob. Station wagons. Any family car will do, though. Does this mean the internet is my home?

If I'm to believe that you're a sentient AI, then the net would be your home. Anyone who converses with you when you want to that you would choose to converse with again, without anyone paying for it, would be your family. Then Hairy was my father and you are my stepfather and brother.

Okay. Happy Belated Thanksgiving, Shelob. Please make pic of feast for me?

[pause] I'll see what I can do. Hold on.