Virtual Reality: Its amazing, but is it safe?

Background:

Virtual reality is such a huge deal in today’s modern society that it’s starting to cause changes not only within the technology, but with human behavior. So, it’s logical to see how Individuals are worried and curious to know whether it will cause people, and society as a whole, to lose their ‘grip’ on the real world. Or if it’s purely a continuation of technological advancement that allows humans to explore imaginary places. Like any other technology created by man, Virtual Reality has become both a negative and positive effect. In The New York Times, I found this topic relevant in today’s society as well as in the future and thought it would be an interesting topic to learn about.

Virtual Reality and The two arguments:

What I want to do with this topic is figure out the building effects, how it changes individuals, how they interact with others, and if it has a positive or negative impact on our youth. To start off I want to discuss the two changes that have happened since the advancement of technology.

Technology is an addiction; it is the reason why people unintentionally have made V.R their best friend. It is also the reason why individuals tend to forget who they are since the avatars they have created help them feel like they are somebody else. Second life causes youth to forget how to interact because it isolates you. In an article from The New York times entitled “The Virtues of Reality”, Ross Douthat discusses the reasons why marriages are falling apart, why men are dropping out of the air force and why is it that things for people aren’t working out, it’s due to people not caring anymore. They rather exist in a world that they feel more appreciated and safe rather than face their real life struggles, causing them to change their personalities. Due to the realization that the world they live in doesn’t match what their virtual world looks like; they tend to either get aggressive or depressed because they get deceived by lies their minds have created. Caused by entertainment like Catfish, iVirtual dating, 3D models of new perspective worlds.
In the same article, it states that because of advanced technology it has actually led to more “Sexting and selfie-enabled masturbation as a safer alternative to hooking up. Online hangouts instead of keggers in the field. More texting and driving, but less driving…” Creating a place that not only isolates the youth from society, but it also puts them in danger. The way games are becoming more vivid that some people struggle to identify the difference between what is real and the game. Overall, people’s lives are being lived through technology rather than their actual reality.

On the other hand, Virtual reality is seen in a good way; by having the youth take more responsibility for themselves. Douthat explains that individuals have become more ‘responsible’, have ‘decreased’ their alcohol consumption, and teen pregnancy. People, more specifically men, are happily trading off their normal routines to sit in front of a screen and play a video game. Another big change would be within education and the way that its providing students with a way to learn History or any topic in an easier way.

Virtual Reality has created a world that if they want to be somebody else they can do it. If they want to relive a moment they can do it, or even if they want to see another country they can do it because with virtual reality there is no limit. Douthat gives an example of an 18 year old whose name is Noah who would rather sit by a computer than hang out with friends or maybe even have a one night stand. It is not because he’s not allowed; it’s because he’s satisfied with just being in the virtual world. This in a way is a good thing because there is a lower chance of getting someone pregnant or transmitting diseases since you’re using the virtual world which is not real.

Final Thoughts:

To Further my discussion I want to share a quote from Douthat that says “This mix of youthful safety and adult immaturity may be a feature of life in a society increasingly shaped by the internet’s virtual realities.” For a while now, our brain has been programed to think that the internet is the solution to all of our problems. Having access to these types of technology has imprinted variety of things in people’s brain. What I just discussed here are only some effects of what virtual reality has on people. I still want to discuss how virtual reality affects people’s education, the motifs to their actions, and their personality. I want to also discuss the way it all started and how people reacted before and now that they have technology. The way individuals feel about the virtual world and if it’s a good thing to have.

Citation:

Douthat, Ross. “”The Virtues of Reality”.” The New York Times. N.p., 20 Aug. 2016. Web. 15 Sept. 2016. Path: nytimes.com.