[extropy-chat] Are the developed nations fleeing into virtual reality?

[Zero Powers]

On Fri, 3 Sep 2004 09:11:21 +0100, BillK <pharos at gmail.com> wrote:
> See: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3613916.stm>

<snip> 

> To me, it looks like several trends are coming together here.
> There have been concerns that people were watching too much television
> and never going out in the evening. Now they are playing computer
> games too much.
> One report said that children have little contact with their family as
> they stay alone in their rooms surrounded by electronic gear provided
> by parents.
> Another large group spends a lot of time online, playing online games,
> in chat rooms, on email lists or just browsing.
> The increased cost and delays make travel more difficult, leading to a
> reluctance to travel, increased working from home, and more isolation.
> The perceived dangers in the streets at night are persuading more
> people to stay home in the evening.
> Shopping can be done on the net, and delivered to your home.
> Banking and investment is done on the net now.
> The birth rates in developed countries are falling below replacement levels.
> When you feel like visiting someplace, you look it up on the net, see
> pictures, read about it, then think "Do I really want to spend two
> hours each way travelling, to join queues for shows, queues for food,
> queues for drinks, etc.".
> Everybody *must* have a mobile phone to keep in touch with each other,
> but without actually meeting them in person.
> People email each other rather than meeting and talking.
> Are we trying to avoid physical contact more and more?

Virtual life does have its advantages.  Personally I communicate more
with (through?) my computer than with anyone else in my life.  But at
the same time I am in touch with my loved ones far more than I was say
5 or 10 years ago.  My wife, kids and I are constantly IM'ing,
emailing and cell phoning each other throughout the day.  So even
though we're all busy doing our own thing, we're never out of touch.

As for actually going out into the muck of the real world, I'll only
do it on occasion.  In addition to the horrendous traffic on the 405
Fwy (which it seems I have to take no matter where I go here in L.A.),
it's just not worth it to me to rush to get to a theatre on time, to
eat stale popcorn and listen to other people talking while I'm trying
to watch a movie.  I'd much rather get DVD's in the mail from Netflix
and watch them in the comfort of my home in my bed, next to my wife
with a bowl of freshly popped corn and a bottle of wine between us.

We still go out on occasion, but I'm usually disappointed by the
effort and end up wishing I'd cocooned instead.  The only time I'm
really out in public is when working out at the gym, and even then I'm
tuned out to the outside world immersed in my workout and the 4000
songs or so on the iPod.

Hi-diddledy-dee its the virtual life for me!
Zero