This may seem a bit off topic but what can I say; it is a course post.
Mark Twain said, “History doesn’t repeat itself. At best, it sometimes rhymes”. David Thornburg (2013) indicates that rhymes of history is one place to find emerging technology. A wonderful example of “rhyme of history”, is virtual reality. Consider technology involved with dating and the ability to live a fantasy of possessing the characteristics you believe to be appealing to the opposite sex. If you want long hair … you’ve got it; if you want hazel eyes … presto, they’re yours. Technology that has served this virtuality (this may not be a word but sounds good) has varied throughout history. I know what you are thinking but indulge me for a minute and analyze the following graphic.
Makes sense right? With any of this technology between you and a potential loved one, you can be the person you always dreamed of. There may be an entirely new branch of psychology to deal with people who start believing they are their “virtual’ self.
References
Thornburg, D. (2013). An amazingly incomplete emerging technologies bibliography. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
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I would never have connected those, but it makes sense! Personally, I think most of my potential loves in the virtual world would beat the vast majority of real people!
Virtual reality does provide a means for individuals to fill the age-old need to be accepted and loved by others by allowing them to throw off the physical, social, and emotional limitations of the real world. However, on an extreme note, with the appeal of living an ideal, perfect virtual life, what would keep people from spending all of their time in the virtual world rather than deal with responsibilities and issues in the real world?
Still potential benefits of virtual reality are far-reaching, and I look forward to seeing how “real” the virtual worlds and experiences in the future will become.
This certainly is an interesting way to look at the rhyme of history the virtual self. And you know what, it will be a major issue and emotional case study for the future.