The “Metaverse Buzz”. I have no answers, only questions?
I suppose it was inevitable that it would happen. It’s been in science fiction books and movies. It’s been in online social VR Worlds and platforms. Now it’s in part, in a name of a very popular social media company, and if you think about it, in the name of a Hollywood movie just about to be released for the holiday season.
The Metaverse is the buzz word of today. Popular or dreaded in tech circles. There are numerous articles all over the internet telling us what it is. Each disagreeing with each other. Influencing our judgement of when it will be here. Will it every get here? Do we even want it?
Is it one big thing? Or is it the combination of a lot of little things? Does it include games? Is it a game? Will it live in our phones? Will it change and shape our phones? Will it put our phones on our faces? How much will it cost me? In money? In time? In lifestyle? Questions, questions, questions!
Not a lot of answers out there, but a whole lot of opinions. Get on the buzz band wagon now, use it to promote your products, services, or self. That’s probably what I’m doing with this article. Why should you even trust me?
That’s a good question. If you’re smart, you won’t. Will the “Metaverse” allow us to trust each other better? I think not. Can I believe anything in the metaverse? Not unless it ultimately allows us to read minds. And maybe it actually will some day with advanced BCI technologies.
Would you trust an avatar more than you would a human you saw with your very own eyes? No, obviously not. Is an AI avatar comparable to a human? A robot? Does it have legal rights? Human rights?
How will it affect our economy? Will it confuse us into thinking the virtual is more real than the real real? Maybe. Will it matter? Will it create more jobs in psychiatry, new classifications in psychology? Most likely.
Is it a double edge sword? Most definitely. Will it, mitigate climate change? Can it save humanity?
So I have no answers for you. Only more and more questions. So what use am I. Proabably not much. Or maybe a whole lot, depending on my metaverse ranking . . . Will it make me seem rich? Powerful? Sexy? Ageless? Get me off? Fall in love? Make me want to worship? Follow others? Buy things? Help others? Travel? Make me unemployed? Or employed? Make laws?
Sorry, but it’s too early to tell what the metaverse will become, who will own large parts of it, how it will change our lives, the way we all ultimately view ourselves, and each other. Just like any new technology that becomes pervasive, it’s going to have an impact. That’s the only thing I can really guarantee.
Happy holidays, and good metaverse to you!
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