The allure of the Metaverse lies in its promise to meld the realms of reality and virtuality seamlessly. Imagine your grandmother, who’s struggling with dementia, experiencing the joy of her daughter’s wedding as if it were happening all over again. Envision yourself standing in the midst of the breathtaking Saturn rings, every angle visible in a stunning 360-degree panorama. Or picture yourself not just watching a movie but actively participating in it, becoming one of the characters in the story. These incredible possibilities are not figments of a distant future but are unfolding in the here and now. The term “Metaverse” has taken the tech industry by storm in the past year, alongside familiar buzzwords like cloud computing, big data, machine learning, and blockchain.
The birth of the Metaverse is no longer a distant idea; it is here, and organizations such as Meta (previously Facebook) are actively investing in the development of this digital universe. The key to realizing its full potential is to strike a fine balance between improving our lives and avoiding potential hazards. It is a path that must be navigated with care, constantly keeping the well-being of individuals and society in mind.
“The metaverse will be a largely synchronous experience.” — Mark Zuckerberg
In the Metaverse, people use avatars (virtual representations of themselves) to interact and engage in activities. To make this possible, technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) play essential roles. Virtual Reality is not just seen as a “cool and fun toy” by many; it’s considered the future of digital interaction. VR allows people to have immersive sensory experiences, giving them a strong sense of “presence” in the Metaverse.
The concept of “presence” means that a computer in the Metaverse simulates and replicates behaviors and sensations from the real world. For example, when in a retail or hotel setting in the “real world,” people rely on various senses (touch, smell, vision, hearing, and movement) to immerse themselves in that environment. Different sensory inputs have a significant positive impact on purchasing behavior. This means that in the Metaverse, people can experience the sensations of the real world, feeling as if they are truly present in the computer-generated environment and interacting with others.
Would metaverse also be another form of dream?
However, just like the movie “Inception”, which is a film filled with philosophical and psychological elements, delving deep into the blurred boundaries between dreams and reality. In the movie, the main characters use special technology to enter the dreams of others, sparking profound contemplation about the distinction between the real and the virtual world.
A key concept in the film is the “dream within a dream,” the phenomenon of nesting dreams within dreams. This raises an important question: amidst the layering of different worlds, will people become lost in virtual life and be reluctant to return to the real world? Similarly, when considering the Metaverse and virtual reality technology, we must contemplate similar questions. If the virtual world becomes so immersive that people start to neglect the real world, will they be unwilling to return to real life? This touches upon the power of virtual reality, which can offer rich and exhilarating experiences but may also serve as an escape from reality.
References:
CNET. (2021, October 28). Everything Facebook revealed about the Metaverse in 11 minutes [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gElfIo6uw4g
Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers. (2013, December 3). Inception (2010) Official Trailer #1 – Christopher Nolan Movie HD [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoHD9XEInc0
I really enjoyed reading this blog about metaverse. I heard this concept for the first time when I was in high school and it always intertwined with another term NFT. From where I stand, metaverse introduced by Zuckerberg is definitely a bold idea. I agree that everything due to technology can be virtual on the internet, but this idea is also dangerous. For example, some digital artworks like the bored ape yacht club sold to art lovers with extremely high prices. We will never know how will NFT control its economic market and preserve its order. However, virtual artworks (as a branch of metaverse) has been supported by majority of fans. In my opinion, metaverse can enrich our daily lives but at the same time it is still dangerous before it stops the development.