Anyone who reads my blog postings on a regular basis will know that I continually disparage much of what we now call, "Tech." It is my belief that we inhabit a "real world," in which real dogs can bite, real sidewalks can trip one up, and real kisses are capable of transporting those involved into something that is "beyond" the "real world," but still of it.
Lately, human beings seem to be spending a lot of time and money figuring out ways to escape from this "real world." Increasingly, we rely on "artificial" intelligence (instead of our own "real" intelligence), and we live "online," as opposed to inhabiting the common world that is defiantly palpable, and tangible, as opposed to "virtual."
"Virtual Reality," I submit, is not "reality" at all. If you click the link I just provided, you will see what Wikipedia has to say about virtual reality, by way of a definition. I was pleased to discover that our omnibus, online encyclopedia says that "virtual reality" is a "simulated experience." I pretty much agree with that, and I hope you'll agree with me that "simulated" is another word for "fake." A "simulated" one hundred dollar bill is actually "counterfeit."
At any rate, for those who want a congenial and positive view of virtual reality, let me refer you to a fairly recent article in The Wall Street Journal. The article, one of Joanna Stern's "Personal Technology" columns, is titled, "The Smart Glasses That Won Me Over." The ones she likes are pictured on the left, above. There seem to be lots of options!
So-called "smart glasses" are glasses that allow you to view the "real world," but to add in other items from an "online" reality. Once you put on these glassss, Stern reports, "you look at your phone a lot less." No need to look at your phone; a lot of what you get from your phone will show up in your eyeglasses. These "Smart" eye glasses also let you take pictures of whatever it is you're seeing. No need to have to pull out that camera phone you're using now. This feature of "smart glasses" may be a mixed blessing, I think, since it will help make sure that private moments and mistakes will be documented for the world to see!
I guess I am pretty easily triggered by efforts to help us all escape from the physical reality that we have always accepted as the "real world." It's the "real world" that will kill us or save us, after all, and there is definitely a question which way we're headed.
If you are really smart, I think, you'll drop any efforts you may have been making to "enhance" or "augment" the realities that are out there. My alternative proposal: Let's get to work dealing with our very "real" problems and possibilities!
PS: That means REAL political action!
Image Credit:
https://www.emptywheel.net/2025/01/08/why-and-how-to-hold-john-roberts-accountable/
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite blogs.