[gnramires]

I don't think the particular metaverses available right now seem that good, but I don't share the consistent prejudices against virtual reality. Why is real reality any better? You can build awesome stuff in virtual reality as well (in fact, you can build almost anything imaginable, at a much lower cost).

Keeping in touch with reality is extremely important (because we are bound by its rules after all), but virtual existence has enormous potential as well :)

(that can't be realized, and certainly not realized for everyone, in the world of atoms -- virtual reality is delightfully egalitarian)

Value the bits and atoms!

[r00fus]

VR is a better mousetrap to keep people engaged and connected (two things FB values a lot as it drives revenue).

What real-world problems does VR serve for the average FB user? Or anyone frankly?

Meanwhile, 3D printing could greatly improve how we design and fabricate things people use every day.

[spijdar]

Just a thought, but one reason to be skeptical of virtual reality, if only out of pragmatism, is that unlike "real" reality, virtual reality is trivially controllable by single entities.

Maybe not an intrinsic limitation, but for the foreseeable future, VR = a domain where some entity like Facebook is effectively omniscient and omnipotent.

[autoexec]

> virtual reality is delightfully egalitarian

It could be, but I'm willing to bet it'll be primarily used to oppress and control people. The potential for things like VR and AR is great, but the reality is that it will be used against you in ways that couldn't have been possible without it.