[pbkhrv]

On a cynical note, "young men immersed in alternate reality" is also an opportunity:

- It's a rapidly growing market

- those people will eventually need financial support systems beyond family - new forms of annuities?

- more demand for "gig economy" type jobs

- demand for jobs that can be done inside virtual realities that are better suited for humans instead of robots - this one is a stretch

- more demand for on-demand "life support" services - food, cleaning, medical, sex

This is veering into dark-ish dystopian territory, so imma stop now.

[astrodust]

This is what happened in Japan in the mid 1990s when it firmly entered the post-industrial age. There's an entire sector of society that's given up on getting ahead because the old model of employment is broken, and there's no point in fighting to get ahead since there's no winning.

Console games and ramen noodles until you die.

[flukus]

It seems like there's a limit to growth and Japan were just the first ones to hit the limit. Everyone else has just cheated the limit with "artificial growth" via immigration.

[astrodust]

You might be right about that. Japan has been pretty hostile to immigration, so it's probable that's a significant factor here.

[daodedickinson]

It's veering into seeing the reality outside the small bubble of people that are empowered by technology.