I've worried about exactly what you've described for years... to the point of wondering if "virtual reality" (broadly defined) might not be a great filter (Ferm

I've worried about exactly what you've described for years... to the point of wondering if "virtual reality" (broadly defined) might not be a great filter (Fermi paradox sense). What we are doing here is creating a collective fantasy world where the opportunity to steer the fantasy is traded on an open market. Now you get feedback loops and the whole thing spirals out into a kind of collective psychotic episode. If it goes far enough we end up with substantial parts of our population living in pure fantasy worlds... and making decisions that unfortunately affect the real one.