Origins
When I think of a Metaverse, I think of the 1982 movie called Tron. In the film, Flynn, a computer engineer, gets trapped in his created cyberspace world. In the simulated world, Flynn meets a character, nemesis, and an entire city with a culture of its own. This movie was one of the first to portray a Metaverse.
Video games have also been creating Metaverses. Have you ever battled friends in a multiplayer game? Perhaps you played World of Warcraft online with people worldwide who portrayed themselves as magical and mystical creatures?
In recent times, the movie Ready Player One is a prime example of the kind of Metaverse companies like Meta and VeVe are working on bringing to reality. If you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend watching it for fun and educational purposes. In addition, many reference this movie when describing a Metaverse.
Metaverses in development today blend the physical world with the virtual and offer real-life utility.
What is a Metaverse?
A metaverse is a digital world that can be virtual reality, augmented reality, or a combination of both. Metaverses bring the virtual world into the physical and the physical world into the virtual world.
Unlike the world of videos games, where when you log out, the game ends, metaverses continue without your engagement. Imagine a metaverse to be a simulated world that continues to operate and evolve 24/7, with or without your involvement.
In a metaverse, you will be able to do a variety of things:
- Shop
- Play games
- Collect your favorite collectibles in digital format like NFTs
- Socialize in imaginative settings
- Exercise
- Modify your appearance
- Whatever you dream of doing
You can access the Metaverse in various ways:
- Your phone
- Computer
- Video game system
- A VR headset
- Eventually, a pair of glasses or contact lenses
The new era of Metaverse
The Metaverse is an evolution to how we leverage social media, the internet, and everyday life: it changes how we socialize and obtain information.
When you are in public, you will be able to see people simulated with their virtual enhancements, in-the-moment information on who someone is, and basic stats.
Virtual clothing and accessories will be a fashion industry game changer and perhaps a godsend to the environment. With the Metaverse, there is no such thing as a stranger because biological information is readily available.
Paying for things in the Metaverse won’t be a colossal divergence from how we pay others on the internet. However, the crypto implementation may require some time to learn if it doesn’t become more user-friendly.
We should all be excited about the opportunities Metaverses provide us. However, as social media taught us a lot about the impacts of technology and mental health, we need to consider how the Metaverse can negatively impact our stability if misused.
Therefore, we must use this technology responsibly: and what that means needs to be defined by society.
