An interesting and thought provoking comment from a fellow bhp'an (Thank you,
lejhoom) in my earlier 'travelogue on Odisha trip' got me thinking...
I always felt, a virtual world probably can inform us, entertain us for a while but it will never be able to replace the hard physical world experience. The more I think about it, I feel there are exceptions here and could differ from person to person.
Drive: For me, no matter how good are the VR drive games or VR experience pods, while they definitely entertain and are fun, they cannot match the Joy of driving on the real tarmac behind that steering which gives you control on joy, life and danger.
I would also extend this to different cars or bikes as when I see a new bike or car in the market, I always wish that I could lay my hands on it for a while so I could experience that drive. Any VR drive option of same car or bike would not satisfy me. But I am seeing now that some may think differently.
Iconic/historical buildings and constructions:, The advanced VFX infused VR can literally awe us with the sheer experience of going through these temples, buildings and sites as if its real. Here I believe they have an edge provided the VR is really made well closer to the reality. However, for me, it would probably an augmentation to a physical visit as opposed to never visiting that place at all. I now see there could be a few who would feel otherwise.
Travel into Nature or experiencing wildlife - In my earlier visits into mountains, valleys, jungles, I always felt the photos and videos never do justice to what we feel physically experience when you are there. The advancements in VR, multi dimension studios and games, fast creating these worlds in our drawing room or in a neighbourhood mall or in VR set. However, for me, it can not really replace the physical experience. But for some, it seems, it could or at least may reduce the desire for physical experience as they have seen it in virtual world.
Erotica, It can be addictive and with VR it can be surreal but still its not real. For many, the real world experience where the human physical senses come into play with strong emotions that gets entangled is still the supreme but for vast many it is still a temporary substitution. Can this replace the real ever?
Prototyping and Modelling - This is where VR is super useful and in fact contributing so much in every field of science, engineering and technology. The dependency on physically creating a prototype or a formula and testing it in real are reducing (not fully replaceable, yet) with these advancements and is helping to speed up the innovation.
The speed at which the technology advancing and the way newer generations getting hooked up to VR, a life in an avatar, virtual world platforms like metaverse, real world like games, making me think that may be there are many who would give up a physical experience if an equivalent VR is out there?
There are many wonderful Sci-Fi movies (I am also a movie buff
) that touch up on each of the above and much more. 'Ready Player One', 'Ex Machina', 'The tomorrow war'...etc are a recent few and of course the The matrix trilogy, Jurassic series, Minority report...etc were trend predicting ones from yester years.
I only listed a few areas but there are many more domains and direction that this VR is changing our worldly behaviours'.
Very much curious to know what the Bhp'ans think about this.