Metaverse, Metaverse, Metaverse. That seems to be one of the big terms being thrown around in the digi-space lately.
The idea of a virtual world where people can come together, and commute is nothing new. Having once only been thought of as the work of science fiction novels, has now made its way to the scene as possibly one day being not just real, but a completely immersive global technology?
I did some digging around Google for an origin point and here’s what I found: Meta verse is a term that was first coined by Neal Stephenson in his novel “Snow Crash.” He narratively describes it as a collective virtual space where people can interact with each other and share information, much like the internet.
The metaverse is also considered to be the “Internet of Things” because it would have all sorts of virtual objects, from houses, shopping centers to transportation devices. In Stephenson’s novel, the meta verse was also, much like the movie Matrix, an immersive, almost real-like experience that existed as a computer program within the minds of those plugged in. This environment appearing much like the real world, but with digital concepts.
This article explores whether the idea of the metaverse is the next big thing. Or, that the next big thing might not be what we think it is and that it might just all be hype.
What is the Metaverse? Metaverse meaning explained.
The concept of the metaverse has been around for years, even before virtual reality became popular in modern time. Recent developments in virtual reality and augmented reality have brought the idea back into the spotlight. The question is: Is this a big thing or is it all hype?
It seems that with every new technology, a new word comes to describe it. Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and now Metaverse. But what exactly is this version of the Metaverse we’ve been hearing about compared to Stephen’s novel? And why should we care if it’s not just another trend?
In short, todays Meta verse is a computer-generated world that can be accessed through VR headsets or AR glasses. Even before virtual reality became popular in the modern time, people have been all hyped up about the technology.
When Facebook introduced their own VR headset back in 2016, it sparked a new interest in the concept of meta verse. The company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is also an investor in Oculus Rift and he has invested significant capital into developing VR technologies over the past few years.
Facebook’s interest in the metaverse is not surprising considering that they are one of the largest social media platforms on Earth. They have 2 billion monthly active users, and many of these users are looking to explore new realms with their friends through virtual reality.
This sparked a chain of events that led to the global propaganda concerning it. Many people claiming to have made tremendous steps toward contributing to the phenomenon. The world began witnessing what appeared to be sneak peaks into the meta verse world on platforms like Youtube and Instagram. Dozens of videos on popular channels showed us what could be the next big thing.. or complete bull stuff.
Is the Metaverse all hype?
Many people claim that even the popular crypto phenomenon NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) will come with their own metaverse avatars and perks. The hype quickly shocked the internet as most people had no idea what this digital experience looked like or, that it even existed.
We’ve witnessed NFTs rock the stage as an abstract concept of making money, which didn’t take long to start looking like a get rich scheme. People claiming to have turned a couple hundred dollars into six figures in a matter of months by buying NFTs like the infamous Bored Ape collections. Now with metaverse, we are seemingly witnessing the same scene being set for us.
In the early stages of the internet, when 3D graphics technology became reality, we experienced something similar to this. Both TV and Internet users witnessed many mysteries that wouldn’t have been solved if it weren’t for the work of professionals who took the effort to debunk certain phenomena. That is because a skilled graphic artist utilizes CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) to completely fool many people into believing things that weren’t real.
We see it commonly today with computer-generated images showing everything from fake weather events, unreal monster like creatures to alien space craft. This almost made it impossible to convince some people of the variant between real and unreal. In addition, the meta verse is no different.
While the concept of the metaverse is actually real and not just the work of a CGI artist, it must be carefully understood. Much of what we see on the internet concerning it is in fact just the work of CGI magicians who eventually may plan to sell us their useless NFT, cryptocurrency, or some other non-valuable objects.
Is metaverse all hype? Certainly not. Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has invested a large amount of money in the technology. However, much of the imagery and propaganda concerning it is.
Think twice about investing your money in digital items promising to be the next big thing in the metaverse because just like in the dot-com era, the bubble usually bursts once the sharks are finished feasting. Careful discernment and research in the age of the internet will always be of value.
Hope this article helps someone to carefully navigate their way into future technology. Thanks for reading.
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