On June 23, 2003, Linden Labs unveiled a website called Second Life. It is a website wherein individuals can interact and live a second life as an online character, called an avatar. In 2004, several politicians held virtual press conferences in Second Life. The Maldives and Sweden opened virtual embassies. Second life is still around, but used primarily by those without a life.
I can see it now...children out to eat with their parents (and maybe the parents too) not interacting with each other, but wearing those stupid headsets, interacting with another virtual world. Personally, I think Metaverse is sad and scary. Give children just one more thing to check out of reality. That being said, I'm not a gamer, so I don't get the whole ordeal. Also, I don't trust Zuckerberg. He knows exactly what he's doing, and I don't think it's for the common good.
I've had 2 iterations of VR. It can be a great gaming platform as one of the games is indeed Star Wars!
But as a human meeting device? Sorry, I want your handshake! One of the foremost ways to create a stone cold killer? Is to deny human interactions, especially to a child! We humans need touching! Called "my personal space" we protect ourselves from unwanted interaction, but at some point our personal space breaks down, sometimes all the way..into intimacy! Children seek each other out to play! Watch even brothers start wrestling with each other! It's not to see who's got the testosterone in the family, it generally ends wrapped up with the other in sleep! They need each other's touch! VR can only be good for games, storytelling, the latest headlines,, oh and don't forget "big screen" viewing of your photos! (Of your kids interacting with each other, that you took at the beach last summer)🤭 Also that roller coaster ride that you'd never get on for real? With this thing you can sit right beside your 12 year old, and go with him!
Your point in all this? Everything has good...and bad...uses!
I did a VR game when it first came out and hated it! I didn't like the environment or the feelings it gave me. I like being in control and having REAL things around me! I hated the quarantine of 2020 and kept going to work at my office (only 2 other coworkers did the same). I am NOT a fan of all this virtual reality stuff cuz it keeps us isolated and God didn't create us to be alone! How does one share the love of God and the good news if everyone is so isolated? Especially in a world of make believe? We aren't make believe and although we all need to escape reality now and then, to live in a permanent make believe world where you are always king or queen is not healthy for anyone!
Think RoboCop and Star Wars. The first is an example of transhumanism, the merger of man with technology, literally. It's already happening in medical applications, a good thing; however, it has the potential to and will be abused, if not by corporations and governments, by Uber-wealthy individuals, think diabolical villains in the James Bond films. The second is an example of cloning or some tech-augmented version of it. Do you seriously trust mankind to do the right thing with these potent and seemingly omnipotent, technologies, the same mankind that "invented" (discovered) nuclear weapons? This is not going to end well, but hey, no one promised it would. In the meantime, enjoy the ride. It's the only one on this big blue ball that we get.
Have you ever seen the movie Surrogates? It’s worth a watch if you haven’t. Gives a little glimpse of what could happen if people really disconnect from real life in favor of virtual reality.
I remember a Frazier episode where Frazier was telling a calker the amazing abilities of the world's most powerful electron mictoscope - able to see the almost infinitesimal sub-atomic particles that make and surround the nucleus. Then he finished with saying that as powerful as it was it couldn't find any interest on his part on the subject the caller was discussing.
Really great comments from all! For me, the stand-out of this piece is how it caught Erick on the chin (the realism of the interactions). For that reason alone I will probably pass. Drugs, donuts, or anything else that's engineered to hit my pleasure center that hard is something I'm not going to handle responsibly.
My first thought was Ready Player One and the OASIS. Players there lived out their whole lives from a haptic chair--if they could afford it. I have mixed feelings. I like the potential for interacting with other people--think of what it could do for homebound people or people with mobility disabilities. But I also see how human nature abuses technology. Addiction to escape seems a probability. Who would want to go face the physical world when they can act out life in a virtual one? Even your son already needs a timer.
After what has happened with the internet, something that should have been a great equalizer because everyone had access, I don't think Oculus is a great idea unless it is limited to gaming. Once it starts to replace actual human contact, I think, as Joe said, we move that much closer to trans-humanism.
Oculus is cool, but this puts us a step away from trans humanism which could be far more concerning for future generations than what we're dealing with now.
After reading through almost all the comments thus-far, and your description, this is just the newest iteration of escapist tech: For years it has been music. radios gave way to Boom Boxes, giving way to Walkmans, giving way to iPods, giving way to Bluetooth tech and now VR.
The tech itself is not intrinsically evil. Just as music (which is math) is not intrinsically evil. The words in the music will determine its good or evil. The context of VR will do the same. Think: alcohol is not prohibited in Scripture, yet it cause much damage to people.
While the whole Oculus trend is SciFi creepy (BTW, "The Foundation" on Apple+ is actually quite good--though it departs from the book significantly), I would think uncontrolled exposure would negatively affect our ability to remember. One of the eight parts of memory--Semantic--needs to have grounding in actual, immutable definitions of words, concepts and a history in order for our memories to remain cohesive and have integrity. This, and the Post-Truth culture in which we live--would severely mess with this. But this is part of the plan--not of the left, but of Satan.
I caught the whole "timer" thing--you're a wise parent Erick! Have fun!
Two thoughts....1)sitting on our butts all day in a virtual reality world is just what our overweight, unhealthy, depressed citizens need and 2) maybe the people who worship hatred for their fellow man and act on it will get addicted to this thing and leave the rest of us alone!
More than Huxley or Orwell, this makes me think of Asimov and " The Naked Sun," which takes place on a planet where everyone is isolated from one another. They use holographic projections to communicate and robots to do their bidding. Wanting to actually view someone in the flesh is considered "dirty." Now we see people changing from shaking hands to Vulcan greetings or elbow bumps, a jump in home grocery deliveries, working from home, studying/taking tests from home, restrictions on events, and I think perhaps it isn’t all that unlikely even if we're only in the earliest stages. (Perhaps in the same vein is the movie " Surrogates.)
Does anyone remember the song by Jim Stafford Wildwood Weed? Of course they were talking about marijuana. Is big tech doing the same thing with all their gadgets? Now here comes the conspiracy theory. Maybe, just maybe this new government wants us to be content without interacting with one another. Everyone is to stay locked up and content in their own little world. You can see the world or anything you like just from your living room couch, just put on a pair of glasses. Take a trip and never leave the farm. Am I crazy?
The first thing that caught me was "...but used by primarily by those without a life." There are many things with which that phrase could be used. Lot's of 1st person video games, a multitude of board games, etc.
I grew up playing video games.
First at the arcade, then the Atari 2600 and on.
Back then, video games still invoked interaction as your friends were next to you playing or watching.
My first child would nap on my lap as I played Doom.
At some point, I decided I didn't have time in my life for these video games.
Fast forward to Angry Birds.
One day, I got up from sitting with my wife and kids to play a round.
Upon realization of what I did, I deleted the game from my phone.
I now have zero games on my phone...for a reason.
I have zero social media on my phone...for a reason.
There is no doubt VR games would be fun. No doubt.
I choose to not even entertain the idea, and instead play real tennis with my real friends...in person.
One certainly can interact with other in a virtual mode.
There are plenty of realistic use cases.
I'm reminded of an employee I had not that long ago.
He couldn't seem to get to work on time.
One day he showed up, broke down crying, and explained to me he was depressed and the only way to get his mind off his depression was by playing video games all night, sleeping through his alarm and being late to work.
Hmm, or maybe the meta-stuff is more like the movie Wall E. This movie, I'm afraid, does paint our future, at least on the laziness side of things.
I can see it now...children out to eat with their parents (and maybe the parents too) not interacting with each other, but wearing those stupid headsets, interacting with another virtual world. Personally, I think Metaverse is sad and scary. Give children just one more thing to check out of reality. That being said, I'm not a gamer, so I don't get the whole ordeal. Also, I don't trust Zuckerberg. He knows exactly what he's doing, and I don't think it's for the common good.
I've had 2 iterations of VR. It can be a great gaming platform as one of the games is indeed Star Wars!
But as a human meeting device? Sorry, I want your handshake! One of the foremost ways to create a stone cold killer? Is to deny human interactions, especially to a child! We humans need touching! Called "my personal space" we protect ourselves from unwanted interaction, but at some point our personal space breaks down, sometimes all the way..into intimacy! Children seek each other out to play! Watch even brothers start wrestling with each other! It's not to see who's got the testosterone in the family, it generally ends wrapped up with the other in sleep! They need each other's touch! VR can only be good for games, storytelling, the latest headlines,, oh and don't forget "big screen" viewing of your photos! (Of your kids interacting with each other, that you took at the beach last summer)🤭 Also that roller coaster ride that you'd never get on for real? With this thing you can sit right beside your 12 year old, and go with him!
Your point in all this? Everything has good...and bad...uses!
I did a VR game when it first came out and hated it! I didn't like the environment or the feelings it gave me. I like being in control and having REAL things around me! I hated the quarantine of 2020 and kept going to work at my office (only 2 other coworkers did the same). I am NOT a fan of all this virtual reality stuff cuz it keeps us isolated and God didn't create us to be alone! How does one share the love of God and the good news if everyone is so isolated? Especially in a world of make believe? We aren't make believe and although we all need to escape reality now and then, to live in a permanent make believe world where you are always king or queen is not healthy for anyone!
Think RoboCop and Star Wars. The first is an example of transhumanism, the merger of man with technology, literally. It's already happening in medical applications, a good thing; however, it has the potential to and will be abused, if not by corporations and governments, by Uber-wealthy individuals, think diabolical villains in the James Bond films. The second is an example of cloning or some tech-augmented version of it. Do you seriously trust mankind to do the right thing with these potent and seemingly omnipotent, technologies, the same mankind that "invented" (discovered) nuclear weapons? This is not going to end well, but hey, no one promised it would. In the meantime, enjoy the ride. It's the only one on this big blue ball that we get.
Who what makes it happen? NVDA invest accordingly
Have you ever seen the movie Surrogates? It’s worth a watch if you haven’t. Gives a little glimpse of what could happen if people really disconnect from real life in favor of virtual reality.
I remember a Frazier episode where Frazier was telling a calker the amazing abilities of the world's most powerful electron mictoscope - able to see the almost infinitesimal sub-atomic particles that make and surround the nucleus. Then he finished with saying that as powerful as it was it couldn't find any interest on his part on the subject the caller was discussing.
Ditto for me on Meta.
Really great comments from all! For me, the stand-out of this piece is how it caught Erick on the chin (the realism of the interactions). For that reason alone I will probably pass. Drugs, donuts, or anything else that's engineered to hit my pleasure center that hard is something I'm not going to handle responsibly.
My first thought was Ready Player One and the OASIS. Players there lived out their whole lives from a haptic chair--if they could afford it. I have mixed feelings. I like the potential for interacting with other people--think of what it could do for homebound people or people with mobility disabilities. But I also see how human nature abuses technology. Addiction to escape seems a probability. Who would want to go face the physical world when they can act out life in a virtual one? Even your son already needs a timer.
After what has happened with the internet, something that should have been a great equalizer because everyone had access, I don't think Oculus is a great idea unless it is limited to gaming. Once it starts to replace actual human contact, I think, as Joe said, we move that much closer to trans-humanism.
Oculus is cool, but this puts us a step away from trans humanism which could be far more concerning for future generations than what we're dealing with now.
After reading through almost all the comments thus-far, and your description, this is just the newest iteration of escapist tech: For years it has been music. radios gave way to Boom Boxes, giving way to Walkmans, giving way to iPods, giving way to Bluetooth tech and now VR.
The tech itself is not intrinsically evil. Just as music (which is math) is not intrinsically evil. The words in the music will determine its good or evil. The context of VR will do the same. Think: alcohol is not prohibited in Scripture, yet it cause much damage to people.
We must be wary and "walk circumspectly."
While the whole Oculus trend is SciFi creepy (BTW, "The Foundation" on Apple+ is actually quite good--though it departs from the book significantly), I would think uncontrolled exposure would negatively affect our ability to remember. One of the eight parts of memory--Semantic--needs to have grounding in actual, immutable definitions of words, concepts and a history in order for our memories to remain cohesive and have integrity. This, and the Post-Truth culture in which we live--would severely mess with this. But this is part of the plan--not of the left, but of Satan.
I caught the whole "timer" thing--you're a wise parent Erick! Have fun!
Two thoughts....1)sitting on our butts all day in a virtual reality world is just what our overweight, unhealthy, depressed citizens need and 2) maybe the people who worship hatred for their fellow man and act on it will get addicted to this thing and leave the rest of us alone!
More than Huxley or Orwell, this makes me think of Asimov and " The Naked Sun," which takes place on a planet where everyone is isolated from one another. They use holographic projections to communicate and robots to do their bidding. Wanting to actually view someone in the flesh is considered "dirty." Now we see people changing from shaking hands to Vulcan greetings or elbow bumps, a jump in home grocery deliveries, working from home, studying/taking tests from home, restrictions on events, and I think perhaps it isn’t all that unlikely even if we're only in the earliest stages. (Perhaps in the same vein is the movie " Surrogates.)
Read all of Asimov's works! Spot on with the Naked Sun reference! Shows up again in the novels after him.
Does anyone remember the song by Jim Stafford Wildwood Weed? Of course they were talking about marijuana. Is big tech doing the same thing with all their gadgets? Now here comes the conspiracy theory. Maybe, just maybe this new government wants us to be content without interacting with one another. Everyone is to stay locked up and content in their own little world. You can see the world or anything you like just from your living room couch, just put on a pair of glasses. Take a trip and never leave the farm. Am I crazy?
The first thing that caught me was "...but used by primarily by those without a life." There are many things with which that phrase could be used. Lot's of 1st person video games, a multitude of board games, etc.
I grew up playing video games.
First at the arcade, then the Atari 2600 and on.
Back then, video games still invoked interaction as your friends were next to you playing or watching.
My first child would nap on my lap as I played Doom.
At some point, I decided I didn't have time in my life for these video games.
Fast forward to Angry Birds.
One day, I got up from sitting with my wife and kids to play a round.
Upon realization of what I did, I deleted the game from my phone.
I now have zero games on my phone...for a reason.
I have zero social media on my phone...for a reason.
There is no doubt VR games would be fun. No doubt.
I choose to not even entertain the idea, and instead play real tennis with my real friends...in person.
One certainly can interact with other in a virtual mode.
There are plenty of realistic use cases.
I'm reminded of an employee I had not that long ago.
He couldn't seem to get to work on time.
One day he showed up, broke down crying, and explained to me he was depressed and the only way to get his mind off his depression was by playing video games all night, sleeping through his alarm and being late to work.
Hmm, or maybe the meta-stuff is more like the movie Wall E. This movie, I'm afraid, does paint our future, at least on the laziness side of things.