Metaverse and VR Headphones — How Would You Cope?

So I've done some reading on this so-called "Metaverse" that good old Mark Zuckerberg seems to want to impose on the world with virtual reality and augmented reality.

Supposing that this fancy computer cartoon world will become so ubiquitous, almost Ready Player One-style, where the powers-that-be will make it so difficult to engage in the world without Metaverse participation, and supposing these VR headsets will require the use of headphones, and I know how this forum regards the use of headphones, where does this leave the humble tinnitus sufferer in a newly minted dystopian nightmare world that coerces and demands total submission to a rather intimate computer interface that could mean an ongoing assault on the senses, which are volatile enough for someone whose daily experience is governed by the lifelong management of their impaired hearing?

Would love to get some feedback on this new disturbing trend.

 

It is quite simple Emperor-Drax. Anyone that has noise induced tinnitus and doesn't want to risk their tinnitus getting worse, don't listen to audio through any type of headphones even at low volume.

 

This is far from a new trend, and it’s not Mark Zuckerberg’s idea, he just jumped on the bandwagon and is pretty late to the party. The idea of a metaverse dates back to the early ’90s and games like Theme Park and The Sims are kind of the beginning of it (from a third-person perspective). Then Sony created a metaverse called Home on the PS3 where people interacted with other real people from around the world. You could buy a house, go shopping, and do various other activities. Then projects like Decentraland and Sandbox took it to the next level in the early part of the last decade. Some are just really into the idea of owning virtual stuff and living a fantasy life. These worlds even have paying jobs, it’s crazy, but maybe this could benefit those with certain disabilities? People are literally spending millions on virtual land and property, and the popularity behind the idea is socially driven, mainly by the younger generations.

I much prefer the real world, but I can see the benefits of having both a strongly connected metaverse and a prosperous real world. I’ve never participated in any of the current metaverses, but I have made a lot of money investing in them. You could argue that Tinnitus Talk is kind of a metaverse, but one that runs on DOS Maybe one day we’ll all meet up in the metaverse and socialise, lol.

As far as headphones go, one could just use speakers and a screen if they really wanted to participate, otherwise, one really doesn’t have to bother. It’s not mandatory to play in a fantasy world. I don’t use any of the current metaverses, but I can kind of see the appeal for those that may be shy, lonely, or have an unfulfilling life or something. Reality will always be better, though.

 

Oh but fellas... I mean in the future when participation will be mandatory to engage in commerce, or else you will be significantly disadvantaged. This is more than just games, in about a decade, the Powers-That-Be will want this to be the way we live our lives.

I don't believe it will be that simple in the future. You will be coerced to participate, almost Running Man-style, or else risk destitution, joblessness and poverty. They'll take Augmented Reality to a point where you won't be able to see the prices on items at the shop unless you're wearing a special headset, loaded with your favourite feature, headphones.

 

I hear you and I say: Let the problems of today be enough for today and don't worry too much about the future. When it arrives then deal with it and don't give yourself stress over headphones, for there are far more important matters in this world.

Take care,
Michael

 

I wouldn’t worry about unknowns, and although, for now, it seems as though everything is moving towards a metaverse, nobody has any idea of what this future will look like or what it will entail. There’s also the possibility that it won’t materialise, and that this period will be looked back upon as a fad. I think the Running Man comparison is getting a little carried away.

How do you know that positive things wouldn’t come from it if it were to happen? I’m not saying that it couldn’t result in a hellish scenario, but why go straight for the dystopian vision?

 

Because it's inevitable.

 

Surround sound speakers. Problem solved.

 

The Office Second life

 

In this dystopian future we won’t have access to basic needs or any of the revolutionary changes in healthcare that are coming so this is probably the least of your worries in a decade. I try and push this to the back of my mind but if we don’t have a viable treatment in the next few years I think that’s it for us tinnitus sufferers altogether. With so many existential crises on the horizon we will just be one of the first groups to go.