I know that it is somehow irrational but am I the only one actually scared by VR? It seems so good that I am afraid will decouple people from the real world.
As human specie are we sure that we will be able to manage it?
Are we sure that the negative effect will be couter balanced by the good one? What if we get hooked to VR?
Along a similar path, there was a dystopian theory (story?) I came across that made a somewhat insightful reference to this in connection with the Fermi Paradox - what if advanced civilizations all "go digital" (or in to the "XR" space)? I could imagine future peoples not being bothered to physically explore if their new reality all existed in a virtual/holographic state. A self-imposed pod, The Matrix-style, for everyone. Man, I love sci-fi.
It's a common theme in the last decade of science fiction.
In "The Unincorporated Man" (set 300 years in the future) the VR technology interfaced directly with the brain, so it was indistinguishable from reality. That made it extremely addictive and had nearly destroyed human civilization.
But I don't think anything less immersive, even something like OASIS from "Ready Player One" would be dangerous, or would make us to not care about the "real" world.
IMO it will be the same as with weed fashion. There will be a large group of people seeing only benefits of it, lobbying it, swearing by it and not seeing a problem it might cause. And then there will be the rest.
The issue probably will be more social (sustaining people that are hooked in through social welfare) and rise in inequality.
As human specie are we sure that we will be able to manage it?
Are we sure that the negative effect will be couter balanced by the good one? What if we get hooked to VR?
What will be the meaning of "real"?