5 ms·

I wonder how many other civilisations in the universe turned their gaze inwards into nested self-created realities rather than try the difficult job of voyaging

I wonder how many other civilisations in the universe turned their gaze inwards into nested self-created realities rather than try the difficult job of voyaging outwards into "real" space. It could be a well trodden path ...

Karunamon 13y ago
SMBC did a comic on this. Kind of makes you think.. http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20131122.png http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20131122.png
- vinceguidry 13y ago
  Neat concept for a strip. One nitpick though, harnessing solar energy would make energy cheap and abundant enough to keep everyone in VR forever. As soon as the tech exists, you wouldn't need an exchange economy for energy anymore, any more than one exists for air. What wouldn't be possible is slowing the perception of time down so much as to create immortality. The sheer amount of processing necessary would put a theoretical limit on how slow you can make time, while still providing a fine-grained enough experience to be seamless.
  - Karunamon 13y ago
    It does make me wonder what happens once we gain the ability to do two things: 1) VR by direct neural input, instead of by enveloping the senses (think more Johnny Mnemonic than the Star Trek holodeck) 2) Manipulating perception of time, which we already know is pretty mutable.
akiselev 13y ago
First I would wonder how a civilization could develop to such a technologically advanced point without having enough variability in their population to have at least one group of people voyage out.
- vinceguidry 13y ago
  I think what will eventually happen is people will "get over" VR. Might take a long time, and a large portion might still spend most of their lives in VR, but I think solving real world problems will become attractive enough in its own right that a lot of people will forego the VR wonderland for the opportunity.

5 ms·

I wonder how many other civilisations in the universe turned their gaze inwards into nested self-created realities rather than try the difficult job of voyaging

by Wintamute 13y ago

Karunamon 13y ago
SMBC did a comic on this. Kind of makes you think.. http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20131122.png http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20131122.png
- vinceguidry 13y ago
  Neat concept for a strip. One nitpick though, harnessing solar energy would make energy cheap and abundant enough to keep everyone in VR forever. As soon as the tech exists, you wouldn't need an exchange economy for energy anymore, any more than one exists for air. What wouldn't be possible is slowing the perception of time down so much as to create immortality. The sheer amount of processing necessary would put a theoretical limit on how slow you can make time, while still providing a fine-grained enough experience to be seamless.
  - Karunamon 13y ago
    It does make me wonder what happens once we gain the ability to do two things: 1) VR by direct neural input, instead of by enveloping the senses (think more Johnny Mnemonic than the Star Trek holodeck) 2) Manipulating perception of time, which we already know is pretty mutable.
akiselev 13y ago
First I would wonder how a civilization could develop to such a technologically advanced point without having enough variability in their population to have at least one group of people voyage out.
- vinceguidry 13y ago
  I think what will eventually happen is people will "get over" VR. Might take a long time, and a large portion might still spend most of their lives in VR, but I think solving real world problems will become attractive enough in its own right that a lot of people will forego the VR wonderland for the opportunity.