The Integration Of Virtual Reality In Our Society

Virtual Reality; the innovation that allowed us to be in two places at once.

Innovation is not a word to use lightly. For centuries people have modified versions of the same blueprint, but every so often, a utopian ideal comes to life. While it is not a common occurrence, Virtual Reality is a contender of this description. From two lenses on a headset comes infinite experiences. Two lenses on a headset but somehow you’re transported 65 million years back beside a pterodactyl. VR may seem like a scene out of Ready Player One, but it’s been around since the 1990s. This begs the question, why now?

If there is one thing in our society which is valued, it’s efficiency. The use of that apostrophe is a prime example. Whether it be the convenience of social media or an automated vacuum, it’s becoming easier to take the shortcut; people are becoming lazier. It doesn’t take a global superpower to tell us this because it’s already been observed among households. The Daily Mail established that 45 percent of people message somebody under the same roof using their phones. And soon we’ll be choosing between a power button and commuting to work.

Well, who’s to blame, or rather, what’s to blame?

While it’s hard to indicate a root cause, we can establish that the pandemic had something to do with it. Before March of 2020, it was uncommon to attend an event or school from the comfort of your bed, however, the existence of Zoom has drastically changed how social communication occurs. It doesn’t stop there though, and the recent reform of Meta proves this.

Facebook has undergone massive amounts of backlash due to their privacy policies. In fact, a simple google search by the name will reveal top headlines and news reports detailing their safety breaches, with many feeling apprehensive to endorse their website. What the former Facebook did, was change their vision for the company from a social media website, to the full production of the “metaverse”. In simple terms, a virtual world, created in order to mimic somewhat of the real world. Things like meetings, educational presentations and private spaces will all be encapsulated within the bounds of a VR headset. However, this futuristic idea is more than for the purpose of communication. In fact, a driving factor for the name and vision change was to distance the company from their past. The previous Facebook has been battered by scandal and to keep it from failing, it only seems logical that Zuckerburg also bought Whatsapp and Instagram. Talk about keeping friends close and enemies closer...

Aside from their rebrand, this change in vision also allows for Meta’s VR company Oculus to gain traction. There is no doubt that the release of the Metaverse will spark the sales of headsets across the world. Specifically Oculus headsets. While this may seem like a paid promotion, many enthusiasts agree that their line of VRs are consumer friendly in terms of usage and price. A piece of technology that we expect to cost thousands actually sells at a retail price of $299 for an Oculus Quest 2; and they’re just getting started.

Corporations and companies value an uninterrupted work day. The more time spent working, the more money is made. Thus, the pandemic allowed for the shift that was needed to digitalise our work and learning spaces. Why take a 40 minute drive to school when you can wake up 5 minutes before and still attend virtually? If the reason is in-person interaction, it seems as though what Meta wants to do through the Metaverse is remove the barrier between fiction and reality. An even bigger reason for the shift is that VRs allow for little to no injury among workers. Afterall, the employees would be in a safe and controlled area at home.

Furthermore, the integration would allow for not only employees but the average gamer to test realistic scenarios without the consequences. Same goes for the use in schools, where students are more likely to retain and recall the information they are viewing. As it is done in the form of an interactive experience, it is a suitable way of teaching kinaesthetically without the use of hugely expensive resources.

It’s difficult to explain the feeling inside of virtual reality, and many describe it as a fully immersed experience. Even with the integrated guardian, I have dented plenty of walls, beds and tables while using a headset, which I don’t necessarily think is a bad thing. What it tells us is that one can be so engrossed in a virtual world that we forget it isn’t real. At this rate, we won’t be able to distinguish reality from fiction in the near future. Pixel density could be a little too clear, and range of view, a little too wide.

Suddenly meeting at Starbucks has a whole new meaning. And while some may not value the VR experience, it may become a necessity of modern living.

Alma Mahmood 11D