Do you remember the electronic chicken you played with when you were a child? Back then, our pursuit was very simple—something that needed me.

Only when I grew up did I realize that the demand has upgraded. Now, I crave to be understood more.

These two may seem similar, but in fact, they are very different. Virtual pets like electronic chickens are purely companionship built over time. Invest time to interact, and it will grow, very directly. But being understood? That’s a different story. It requires genuine interaction, building relationships, and someone truly stepping into your world.

Products like Kindred are doing the latter—focusing on this higher-level, more scarce human need. There are many products in the market that cater to the former, but far fewer that address the latter. From a hierarchy of needs perspective, the value of understanding is indeed higher. These are two different dimensions of competition.