Virtual Reality is Addictive and Unhealthy
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Virtual reality is adding busy-ness and addictions to our lives and institutions out of proportion to the real value that it adds. That's my conclusion following my latest read on the topic, a fascinating article by William Davidow.
Bill's article is thoughtful, well researched, and hard to summarize in brief, so I recommend you read it in its entirety. Nevertheless, here are a few quotes to whet your appetite:
"I now believe that our minds, bodies, businesses, governments, and social institutions are no longer capable of coping with the rapid rate of change."
"... the technology is rewiring our brains."
"Worse, though, is that our brains seem to crave the virtual world, with repeated exposure producing changes that resemble drug addiction."
"The main challenge we face is to recognize that we are designed to reside in a slower-paced world. This is extremely difficult to accept."
"But we have to make a choice: We can design our lives so that we stay in control, or we can cede the control of our lives to our tools."
"My advice to you is to take control of your tools. I promise your life will be better if you aren't constantly checking to see if you've got mail."
I believe Bill's advice is spot on.
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