What will the metaverse be like?

         As the crypto market goes into its final gear towards the end of this bull cycle, there's been a lot of buzz. Much of that excitement comes from the hype of NFTs and the metaverse. If you've been listening to various crypto content, some say the metaverse is the next big thing. The rebranding of Facebook also further support this evolving reality.

         How does that affect the world we live in? For one, as technology improves, there is less and less employment opportunities. To be more specific, less opportunities in areas where the tech displaces people. Of course, this doesn't mean no new job opportunities are out there. But, where are these new jobs? They would appear to be in places we never thought was possible before.

         Take e-sports, for example, those were not a thing 10, 20 years ago. Today, even the most average joe could generate revenue from gaming. It has only gotten easier over time. This is evident from games such as Axie Infinity or Splinterlands. Are games where people will go when there's no meaningful jobs where they are at? Or can they be alternatives to those who lost their jobs to automation?

         Even the transition into more automatous production is not instantaneous or smooth. Take a look at the current supply chain issues. While poor policies led to this path, it's not like we have a massive mechanized armada waiting to deploy. There's no mass relief effort when the powers that be decide to let go of the current obstacles in place.

         Back to the topic of the metaverse. A darker take of that movement towards that future is that it becomes an escape from drudgery. A sad, but not impossible, possibility is that people will still be exploited by those in power. Or at least, profit from exploitation with little to no repercussion.

         One of such takes is from a web comic I've been reading recently called Clinic of Horrors. It's a horror comedy about a dystopian city where corruption and mutation are common. Everything looks grim, but medicine can pretty much treat almost anything.

         In one arc, the webcomic made its commentary about the metaverse. True to its settings, it depicts the exploits and loss of humanity as people choose to stay in their other world.

         Here are the fan dubs of the story arc.

         What do you think?

         A lot of stuff to take in there. It touched on some of the talking points you may have seen around the internet. Some of the stuff depicted, like organ harvesting, are terrifying thoughts. The metaverse is portrayed almost like the opium dens of the 19th Century.

         Is the metaverse going to bring new freedom? Or is it another shackle humanity has invented for themselves? I suppose in the unknowns of the 21st Century, anything is possible, for better or worse.

Posted with STEMGeeks