If there’s anything that I’ve learned about technology, it’s that we have to believe in the impossible.
The world isn’t full of humanoid robots. We don’t have advanced time traveling machines. And no one is comfortably living on Mars.
At least, not yet.
But that doesn’t mean that we won’t be seeing this and much more with the integration of Virtual Reality into our everyday lives.
Virtual reality uses three-dimensional technology to create an idealized digital environment. These environments are often so real, it’s feels like your are truly in that space.
With just a chic pair of virtual reality googles, you can be sitting front row at Balmain, swimming in Bali or standing side-by-side with your favorite actresses in a feature film.
I think we all can agree that the potential uses for virtual reality are infinite but what about its social effects?
How will it change how we perceive each other? How will it change how we perceive ourselves? How will we adapt our communication styles?
Although I can’t foresee the future, I believe that there are five truths that we will have to accept as we begin to adopt technologies like virtual reality into our lives.
1 – Change Will Forever Be A Constant: We live in a world that is constantly striving to break barriers. Whether physical, political, or social, those barriers are crashing and we are constantly changing. This will be especially true with engineers and graphic specialists working hard to make the virtual reality experience authentic. So get ready for those annoying little “update your device” notifications.
(Photo via @withlovethelms)
2 – We Will Become More Socially Isolated: Virtual Reality headsets can provide a range of services that you can navigate by yourself at home. For example, some retailers use the technology to allow customers to try-on clothing without having to actually go into a fitting room. The reduced need of sales associates or secondary people will increase isolation because consumers won’t have to leave their homes to do what they want or get what they need.
(Photo via @howellmadeleine)
3 – Experience is the New Self-Checkout: Move over do-it-yourself and hello to new horizons. Virtual reality is going to heighten our senses to seek adventure and experience. Marketing and media will start to include more action-based story-telling. It will also stick high-quality visual graphics to draw you into a dream-like world.
(Photo via @lablogueuseblonde)
4 – Keeping Track of Time Will Be An Art Form: Being able to immerse yourself in a perfect hyper-real world, will become a desired escape. So much so that it will become really common to lose track of time between real and virtual worlds.
(Photo via @mariainesvaldez)
5 – Less Text, More Visuals: I think we can all agree that the way we communicate has drastically changed. We have gone from talking on the phone to texting. We switched up texting for emojis. And now, we are starting to use video communications regularly through apps like Snapchat and Instagram Live. All of these advancements are preparing us for everyday use of virtual reality.
(Photo via @whitneyhollingtonmatewephoto)
What do you think? Will virtual reality change our lives? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
