The Effects and Defects of Virtual Reality

               With video games and movies reaching new levels of immersion with increasing graphics and sensation feedback we are not far from having a world that is true immersion. Virtual Reality how we imagine it as a fantasy will soon become an everyday experience. Of course because we are humans we intend to use Virtual Reality for education and business purposes first then followed by entertainment purposes. What is going to be the real effect of Virtual Reality though? Do we not spend enough hours in front of the computer and TV, playing countless hours of video games? With Virtual Reality that would just increase, like it was not high enough.

The average user spends approximately 7 hours a week playing video games, but we know that it spikes for each user when a title that appeals to them is released. Most users go through this stage where they play when a particular game catches their attention, which is why half of my high school was absent when Black Ops II was release (Shocking). On top of that about 6 hours a day are spent on some sort of tech connected to the internet and about a third of that for social networking. The worst part about this high rate of wasted time is that it is only increasing. So why does it increase? They increase because it becomes; it is convenient, there is so much content, the peer pressure of everyone using it, and because it is so integrated into our culture.

Now if we were to introduce Virtual Reality the rate of use would sky rocket, the science behind Movies and Games is that they transport us to a fantasy world, they are able to introduce us to the imagination of someone else’s mind. At one point that is what books did for us. We have already seen with the invention of Computers that entertainment technology has the ability to completely integrate into our lives, and with that we log so many hours almost every waking moment into them. With a device where you would actually have to log your mind into is no different than not existing (as far as the real world goes versus online chat). We dive into the internet because it is a chance to escape our boring lives and honestly if you could all of a sudden change lives to any fantasy you want why would you not? Again at least it feels like it.

This level of entertainment and entrapment far surpasses the hypnotizing effect of anything we have today. When we use technology today we are to an extent pulled into the experience but limited to what sensations we can feel which is why to some extent we are able to pull away from it. Hours of video games eventually get boring and repetitive, we leave as soon as it’s not exciting, but any real thrill takes much longer for the stimulus to diminish. Would you rather watch someone riding a roller coaster or ride it for yourself, or at least feel like you really are.

Put on the helmet, strap on the goggles, and sign the terms and conditions in order to feel such an experience, at least it’s coming soon to a corporate firm near you. We see what the effect of tech is but how fast can it grow. Since there is profit to be made by whoever can make the best and most immersive experience (The video game industry has about $20 billion in revenue every year), there will be a large amount of competition in order to set the top holding firms and with that comes enhancement, evolvement, advertisement, and affordability. It will be around us everywhere and being pressured on us. At some point we’ll all try it and be hooked on it, and whoever controls the helm controls us, possibly.