The Metaverse from a Pessimistic POV

At some point in human history and the history of our planet Earth, the flashy and catchy word – The Metaverse – became the word of the day, and you could hear almost everyone talking about it, from big technology giants such as NVIDIA, Facebook, and Microsoft, to tiny side crypto projects, and even among noobs who do not even understand the basic tenets of the concept, everyone was hyped about the metaverse.

Though the hype has died down a bit, it doesn’t mean that the Metaverse craze is going anywhere soon. In the world of technology, it is easier to make money from obscurity than from what is already known, so I am sure that most big tech giants and even other unknown bodies are working hard to ensure that the concept becomes more mature and ripe enough for exploitation.

In this post, I am taking a deep pessimistic stand on the Metaverse. Let’s go on this road together.

Why Does the Metaverse Exist?

This is a very important question to consider before being sold on the idea of the metaverse. Most people will consider the metaverse an alternate universe, one which could replace our current universe in some sense. Some others consider it a revolution in social media and gaming, and to some, the metaverse is an alternate reality.

All these descriptions tell us a bit or more about the basic concept of the Metaverse. However, to me, the best description I can give for the metaverse is that it is a new world, built on technology and codes; through the metaverse, the ultimate aim is to replicate our current world activities, but for profit.

We can now hear things like virtual land sales, virtual concerts, virtual properties, goods, services, and events. The idea of the metaverse makes sense till you come to realize that it is trying to solve a problem that didn't exist and trying to create a whole new layer of problems for the human race.

By the way, that's the way technology operates; you're either trying to solve an existing problem or creating one and providing a solution.

Should you hop into the metaverse craze?

It depends on who you are! For now, the metaverse project makes sense in the hands of multimillion dollar organizations such as Facebook, Epic Games, NVIDIA, Microsoft, and others, as they have the cash and expertise to experiment with.

You're likely in some basic metaverses, such as those who play Fortnite, use VR (virtual reality) headsets for gaming, or even some AR (artificial reality) games, which are all metaverse-esq projects. However, investing big in this (by investing big, I am referring to extensions of the current forms of the metaverse), such as in buying virtual properties or trying to build long-term investments, is not recommended, at least by me, and at least for now.

Here's one aspect of my skepticism: The metaverse for now seems more like a beta project, a bit more like a trial and error. Aside from the gaming aspect and the entertainment aspect of it, other aspects seem like tossing different things into the wall and hoping they stick. So, you're most likely to benefit from the metaverse projects if you're interested in any of the two.

Looking deeper into the metaverse concept of trying to provide a sort of digital-double for our current world through social spaces and living spaces built on the metaverse, you are bound to discover a plethora of privacy, health, accessibility, and social and identity issues, added to the already existing layer of issues facing the internet such as hacking, theft, piracy, etc. A very good example of this is a recent news claim in which a woman who tried to explore the metaverse claims she was gang-raped. The metaverse is just another avenue for me, is just another avenue to expand the already existing problems associated with the internet to a whole new dimension.

Final Words

I have no issues with technology or its expansion. In fact, the health of technology is usually judged by the emergence of newer and better technology. The metaverse, to me, for now (my views may change), is an irrelevant addition that could bring a whole new frontier of possibilities and problems. I cannot predict the future of the metaverse, but one thing is sure: if it will help its creators make more money, we will definitely see more iterations of it till it gets a bit more usable and accessible for exploitation. Technology in the 21st century is now profit-oriented, rather than a thing of passion, and problem solving like in the early days.