Jeff Lohrius

Virtual reality was supposed to be like that. The original idea, for me at least, was that it would be a giant new space opening up that people would use to either build new bridges between each other with fabulous “post-symbolic” forms of waking state, shared dreams — or to avoid each other, as if we were in deep space, where there was plenty of room for everyone. It was to be an infinite new theater in which people could expend energies, be inventive, and find variegated glories without having to resort to violence. Violence is a “finite game,” while VR would be an “infinite game,” in the formulation of James P. Carse.

…ions. Human rage comes to the fore whenever the latest fascinating distraction dwindles. Therefore, one of the technologist’s duties, beyond extending safety, health, and comfort, is to prepare an infinite train of new fascinations: The Wild West, space travel, virtual reality.

…g hackers’ version of attention deficit disorder and we projected our complaint onto everyone else. If only humanity had something creative and compelling to do, we imagined, something that made conflict boring in comparison. That’s what would “fix” people so that they didn’t keep on taking what ought to be earthly paradise and turning into hell over and over.