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

[Zero Powers]

Yes and no.  Sure, there are some types of communication where F2F is
a big plus, primarily romantic relationships come to mind.  E-mail,
telephone, IM, even video-conferencing can't say "I love you" like a
smile and a twinkle in the eye coupled with a kiss on the lips.

But for casual friendships and even business relationships, our
technology is up to the task.  In my business I've had clients for
years that I've never met.  They mail me a file, I do my work, mail
them a bill and they send me a check.  I've talked to them on the
phone, corresponded through the mail and increasingly by email.  But
F2F?  For a handful of my clients, never.

Obviously that kind of relationship won't work in every industry, but
in mine it works just fine.  And the tech will only improve.  I
remember reading somewhere that Ray Kurzweil gave a speech in another
country somewhere using some sort of holographic videoconferencing
system.  Give me something like that and I'd *never* have to leave the
house.

On Sat, 4 Sep 2004 09:30:20 +0200, Giu1i0 Pri5c0 <pgptag at gmail.com> wrote:
> Very true. Technology will someday permit handling remotely all levels of
> communicatons, but we are far from there yet.
> G.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org
> [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org]On Behalf Of Amara Graps
> Sent: sábado, 04 de septiembre de 2004 1:39
> To: extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> Cc: amara at amara.com
> Subject: [extropy-chat] Are the developed nations fleeing into
> virtualreality?
> Such a transaction required that face to face interaction. So I
> think it is worthwhile to consider the spectrum of interactions that
> humans can have with each other. Not only do we have the richness of
> all five senses, we have a context of body language and a history of
> that body language, even when few words are spoken. Communication
> can occur on many levels.
> 
> Amara