What exactly is METAVERSE?

The 'Metaverse' is one of the biggest issues in the IT industry right now, with Facebook changing their name to Meta and Microsoft introducing Mesh, a mixed reality applications-based engine.

What precisely is the Metaverse? What does this mean for humanity?

What is exactly the Metaverse, and how does it work?

Imagine being immersed in a world of limitless possibilities, where you may surf the waves in the Bahamas one minute and then discover animals in the Amazon rainforest or fly over the Himalayas the next. You can do all of this mentioned without ever leaving your room.

Doesn't that sound like something out of a science fiction novel?

However, technology capable of doing so already exists, and firms are competing to be the first to market it to the general public. It's called the metaverse, and it was inspired by a science fiction novel.

In his 1992 novel Snow Crash, American writer Neal Stephenson invented the word "metaverse." It alluded to a virtual three-dimensional environment populated by real-life avatars.

There isn't currently a textbook definition for the Metaverse. That's because it's an idea that's unlike anything else we've seen before. And it's still in its early stages. In any case, here's Facebook's attempt to sum up the metaverse in one sentence:

“The ‘metaverse’ is a set of virtual spaces where you can create and explore with other people who aren’t in the same physical space as you."

The metaverse offers limitless possibilities. Experts anticipate that when it reaches its pinnacle, it will propel civilization to new heights. But it also has a dark side, which we'll go over in detail in the next sections of this article.

Whatever the digitalization may be, one thing is certain: technological advancement is unavoidable, and the metaverse is only a small portion of that evolution. 

It was unavoidable that the Metaverse emerge.

The first telephone, which was invented in the late 1800s, was a cutting-edge technology. It was an immediate hit, and people began to use it in large numbers shortly after its debut.

Cut to 100 years later, as Motorola introduces the first cordless phones, proving that wired phones are no longer sufficient.

After a few years, the same company introduced the DynaTAC 8000X, which was the world's first cellular phone.

Then there were somewhat more advanced feature phones, which were quickly superseded by their current touch-screen counterparts.

Did we, however, come to a conclusion?

Take a peek at your phone. It's more than simply a smartphone with a touchscreen. It's a smartphone, a palm-sized computer with capabilities that people could only dream about back in the day.

The argument I'm attempting to make is that technological progress is unavoidable due to the insatiable nature of human demands. And the metaverse is only a small component of what will emerge from our never-ending experimentation.

The argument I'm trying to convey is that technological development is unavoidable since human demands are inexhaustible. And the metaverse is only a tiny fraction of what will emerge from our insatiable needs.

This increase in our technology infrastructure, like many other things, comes with a slew of advantages.

The Metaverse's Advantages

In the technology field, there is a notion known as singularity. It predicts that, over time, artificial intelligence will become an inherent element of reality. Furthermore, AI will surpass human intelligence and be beyond our control.

Many people have suggested that the evolution of the metaverse might be our first step toward the technological singularity.

But firstly, let's get a quick look at the situation on the ground. Even while we've made incredible progress in the area of software, we're still a long way from realizing AI's full promise in terms of hardware.

As a result, metaverse technology will not make robots the dominant species on this planet at this time. This is how it will stay for a long time. We currently have total control over our technology and can shape it to our advantage. And that is precisely what IT firms are doing right now. Take a look at some of the benefits that the metaverse provides.

You may be present in whatever virtual space you like.

Today, just a tiny percentage of the world's population is unaware of the internet. We utilize it to connect, communicate, and do various tasks. However, the present online version only allows you to create, share, and interact with the material in a two-dimensional world. This barrier is broken by the metaverse.

Instead of dealing with material in two dimensions online, you can now immerse yourself in a realistic virtual three-dimensional area where you may engage with others, transact, communicate, and even share your space with others.

VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) technologies are used to create the current version of the metaverse. Although there is still a lot more information to come, experts believe it will advance our VR and AR technology, making everything we do on the internet more engaging and pleasurable.

In fact, a platform called Decentraland allows you to explore a basic version of the metaverse.

Decentraland

Decentraland is a 23-square-kilometer (9-square-mile) decentralized 3D virtual reality platform. You may own a piece of virtual land and do anything you want with it.

Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are virtual assets like these.

You may use the land you acquire in Decentraland to travel, build on, and monetize it by building games, programs, and gambling services for other people to utilize. But why should we stop there?

The land is yours, and the possibilities in Decentraland are endless. You may even take it a step further by offering professional development, education, and tourism services or just by displaying a large marketing banner for your business.

And, because it's an Ethereum-powered VR platform, you can be confident that your asset is safe and will remain yours until you decide to sell it.

Decentraland is only a tiny part of the metaverse's potential. Here's some additional information.

People's ability to work from home should be improved.

"We shouldn't have to be physically together to feel present, cooperate, or brainstorm," remarked Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's (now Meta) CEO, as he launched Horizon Workrooms. Individuals may construct new virtual worlds in this virtual workspace and engage in them.

Imagine how easy it could be if you could just put on your glasses and be in your workplace with your coworkers without having to leave your room? That is the goal of Mark Zuckerberg's new "embodied internet" initiative.

It's not only Facebook; Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently stated that the company is working on creating a "corporate metaverse."

Epic Games has announced a $1 billion investment round to support its metaverse goals. According to Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom augmented reality, virtual reality will play a significant role in work, particularly remote work.

With the Metaverse, you can get a better education.

When Mark Zuckerberg announced his company's new name, he also discussed using the metaverse to improve education.

He intends to employ virtual reality glasses to provide pupils with an immersive experience. This means that thanks to metaverse technology, pupils will be able to:

You may virtually teleport to any location or time.

Bring items they're learning about, such as a planet, a vehicle engine, or a human organ, in front of them.

They may collaborate with their colleagues from the comfort of their own homes.

Some experts believe that by replacing single brick-and-mortar institutions with a cyber-physical realm, the metaverse will end traditional forms of education.

Medicine and the Metaverse

The teleconsultation sector in medicine has grown dramatically since Covid. On the other hand, traditional medicine is a person-to-person interaction in which doctors investigate a patient's symptoms using a variety of signs.

And, while teleconsultation has proven highly beneficial, it has not been able to replace in-person visits to the doctor's office.

Experts anticipate that with the advent of the metaverse, we will create an entire meta-health ecosystem that will significantly improve teleconsultation.

Aside from that, the metaverse's embedded AR and VR technology will improve medical devices and expand the reach of medical care.

However, there is a Negative Side.

The metaverse will have several beneficial consequences on our lives. It can be the next major thing to push humanity to the next level, following the World Wide Web.

But we can't dispute that technological improvements have had various detrimental consequences for our physical and mental health. There's no reason to think metaverse technology will be any different.

So, as much as I'd like to embrace the metaverse and its expansion, we can't ignore the potential problems this technology may bring. Take a peek around.

It'll result in physical separation.

According to a study from the University of North Carolina, extended use of technology reduces our ability to interact with others.

Because the contemporary society is founded on individuals supporting one another, effective social skills are both a benefit and a must. It's how we establish strong relationships with others and complete most tasks.

It's also not something you can work on whenever you want. It's a lengthy procedure that begins with the birth of a child.

Interacting with parents, relatives, friends, and individuals from many walks of life in real life helps a person learn to communicate, solve issues, make decisions, become independent, and sustain connections.

According to studies, the growth of technology has isolated a large portion of the population, lessening our desire for human connection. Many younger people cannot ultimately acquire interpersonal skills, the capacity to read emotions, or situational awareness since physical interaction is mainly absent.

The urge to be sociable has been ingrained in our DNA through evolution. It would take a lot more than technological advancements to change that on a biological level. It is an indisputable truth that humans are sociable creatures.

Metaverse technology is meant to mimic reality, so you won't feel like you're in a virtual world when you're engaged in it. That's an issue because, in an already tech-dominated society, being physically separated and socializing over the internet as if it were real life is the last thing we need.

Inspire Addiction

According to data, users aged 6–24 spend an average of 3 hours every day on social media. When we look at the individual figures, the totals are significantly larger.

So, why do individuals spend so much time on social media? Is there any communication between them? Are they connecting? Those were, after all, the fundamental motivations driving the creation of these platforms. Is that, however, what's going on?

No, not at all. Today, communication and relationships are only a tiny part of these platforms' use. People mostly use social media because they can't seem to stay away from it.

So, what's the deal with it being so addictive?

In marketing, there's a concept known as behavioral design. Businesses use it to persuade and deceive you into doing what they desire.

Metaverse technology will be a far more immersive version of the internet and hence more addicting. And firms like Meta have already begun to prepare to achieve this by engaging TikTok celebrities with a far more addiction-prone Generation-Z fan base to market their metaverse.

Your Senses Have Been Overstimulated

Overstimulation by digital devices is already a significant issue. This is because the human brain was not built to process the quantity of data we now receive.

According to research, excessive screen time and technology usage have been linked to increased attention deficit symptoms, technology addiction, decreased emotional and social intelligence, interrupted sleep, and altered brain development.

And that's just with today's technologies, such as cell phones, laptops, and tablets. According to Dr. Phil Reed of Swansea University, the metaverse will take things to the next level.

It's evident that the metaverse's primary goal for tech corporations is to earn tremendous income by keeping people hooked on their devices and services for as long as possible. And although this may be advantageous to them, it is not so for the end-users. According to Dr. Reed, extended immersion in a realistic digital environment might cause a person to become detached from reality, leading to issues such as psychoses and schizophrenia.

Privacy Concerns

Any company's most valuable asset is data. The data enables businesses to understand their customers better, expand their business, and lower their risk. Platforms like Facebook and Google are also free because of data. Your data is used to pay for their services. They also provide you with advertising depending on your preferences and earn money from advertisers.

At first glance, data collecting appears to be harmless and for our good. But the tale is different in its foundation.

Many large IT firms are said to acquire significantly more information than is required to run simple adverts.

What do they do with the information?

Human conduct, according to psychologists, is learned. You may also affect someone's view, decisions, and feelings if you know enough about them. These internet corporations are said to utilize your data to urge you to spend much time on their products and buy stuff on impulse.

For our freedom and safety, data privacy is critical. And the information we exchange on the internet should work for us, not against us.

We'd be exchanging a lot more info with the embodied internet of the metaverse than we are now. And we have no clue how significant an influence this will have on our life. We can only infer based on how those firms have previously used our data. And, to be honest, the metaverse's future does not appear promising.

EMF Exposure in Abundance

According to studies, continuous exposure to EMF emissions from electronic devices and network sources might result in health problems ranging from mild sleep disturbances to chronic illnesses like cancer. I have a page dedicated to these topics that go into further detail.

But, so far, there are methods to reduce your EMF exposure and live a better, healthier life without sacrificing technology's convenience. You have to limit your electronics usage and keep a safe distance from EMF sources.

That might not be possible in the metaverse.

It'd be practically hard to reduce your usage of such devices, much alone build a space between your physical body and the source of the radiation, since your world is formed within the internet, which world you can only access through metaverse equipment.

This would dramatically increase your EMF exposure, which would harm your physical and emotional health. Worse, the metaverse has yet to be tested, so we have no clue how far the biological consequences will spread.

What Role Does the Metaverse Play in Our Daily Lives?

Metaverse technology has the potential to become ingrained in our daily lives. It can be the next big thing after computers, cell phones, and the internet. But the truth is that we're still a long way from achieving the degree of technology required to replace our existing methods. And it won't be for another five to 10 years until we reach that point.

The existing metaverse can only be utilized for amusement and little chores that our computers and phones are capable of handling. Even though if you decide not to participate in the metaverse, the impact on your life will be minimal.

As a result, you can opt to avoid metaverse technology for the time being, at least until it becomes essential.

Last Thoughts

There will come a moment when our life will be dependent on the metaverse, whether it is tomorrow or ten years from now. And avoiding it will not be an option.

This is precisely why you must learn to have a better relationship with technology to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

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