Warning: This article is about mindfulness and philosophy of metaverse or VR
Metaverse or VR why?
I can't forget the first time I saw this MS dude wearing a helmet of virtual reality. Call me old school yet my initial thoughts were "Well this guy is mad!" I accept that self-made billionaire MS and his greatest invention F******k had impact on everything that we do. Well, we needed that. We needed a place to share our thoughts, and sorrows and to get in touch with old school friends. Ah, for that matter such groups initiated a movement in our country to topple the government which was corrupted to the nose. Yet, virtual reality? That looked an overkill for me. That is like offering a shot of fentanyl to already puffed-up set of drug abusers about to die anyway. Yes, we are the addicted group of borderline generation, constantly craving a WhatsApp message Facebook TikTok or a tweet. Yet, we are not ready to take that fentanyl shot which is called virtual reality. I am virtually angry when these tech giants when try to rob even our life, to make it trapped in a metaverse so they can manipulate it from a program. Are you ready for this?
Benefits of Metaverse
Well, of course someone can argue the benefits. Someone can argue that we are using the metaverse for virtual meetings. Virtual education and virtual concerts. It can be true with regulations virtual reality might let a surgeon to do a surgery from a remote location, rather than physically being present (which is already happening). Yet I feel sad for the future generation, who will never meet new friends, or touch another human being to feel how warm it feels a hug. How much comforting to have someone to feel the tears when we suffer from our inherently weak physical form. When we fluctuate our mental health, how much comforting a real deal of a real counselor. Yet they will be first fixed to a VR machine, even before kept on the mother's breast for a sip of milk and a hug of warmth.
Sad truth is they wouldn't even know why they are sad. They might even feel happy living in a virtual reality. Is it good?
History of metaverse and virtual reality 2500 years ago
It reminded me a little story which happened 2500 years ago. There was a very wealthy and wise king. And he had a son. When the son was born prophets said that he will either become a universal king or a monk. And the king wanted the former. So, he decided he would create a virtual reality for his son.
He created three palaces for each of the season. For winter summer and autumn. He gave only best of best food and wine. Most comfortable cloths. And there were no old people to be seen. The prince was served by only prettiest girls in the kingdom.
The prince has never seen a slum or sick. A true Goldilocks land. Yet, the king failed to keep him in the palace and he became a monk. Why?
It's because, the finest palace was not fine to the prince as he had not seen a slum.
Finest food was not finest for him as he had not consumed a rotten apple
Prettiest girls were not pretty for him as he had not seen old and sick women.
Beauty was not beautiful for him as he had not seen ugly truths of life.
Philosophy of metaverse
What does this little story teach us about metaverse?
That metaverse is not going to be a solution for our problems. We forget that we are creations of nature. Our minds workings are inherently complex. Like the prince who did not find happiness in a finest castle, we would not be happy in a metaverse unless we look into ourselves and find out what does it means to be happy. I am sure we should focus more on ourselves individually, like the wise prince. As surely answers are not there in the mars or in a metaverse.
Let's make every journey count, in mindfulness.
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