[hn_throwaway_99]

I have a different take than the author. I don't have an issue at all with directed activities being deeply immersive - games most specifically. That is, I like the idea of putting on a headset for a half hour and playing a game, then doing something else.

What I think is much more destructive is when "immersion" just looks like "constant distraction", i.e. the idea that we'll wear these immersive devices all the time so we can be bombarded with "helpful" notifications and, oh look, in-context advertising! That is, when I want to relax I want to relax, and I don't think something holodeck-like is bad for that. But when I want to focus I want to focus, and strapping a headset onto my face for extended periods is not going to help that situation in any way.

[ElevenLathe]

There are a few (TNG and Voyager for sure, maybe DS9 too) Star Trek stories that deal a bit with holodeck addiction ("holo-addiction"), and I think something at that level of immersion would absolutely cause lots of people to completely withdraw from society, especially if (real world) society is bleak (Ready Player One deals with this aspect of it). I already know 30-something childless adults who spend effectively every non-working moment in some virtual world -- these people are effectively already holo-addicted. It will only get worse if these environments are more able to block out reality.

To me the sad thing about my friends in this situation is that they usually aren't in some swashbuckling fantasy epic starring them, but grinding Runescape/WoW/Eve/etc., performing the same repetitive actions over and over, with the occasional burst of actually interesting interaction or story. They've replaced the real-world grind with a synthetic grind, but they are still grinding! At least its cheaper than a sports gambling addiction, and probably marginally less health-destroying than a drinking habit.

[LectronPusher]

This is a major plot point of the book A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, sequel to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. The main antagonist uses high quality VR to trick the brain into full reality from someone else's perspective. The effect on society is grim, and when society is being actively graded by aliens on its worth, this is a big problem.

Highly recommend both books.

[filiph]

I agree with you. One part of the article that I cut for brevity but maybe I should have included talks about the kind of immersion that is created by bright colorful moving pictures on a mobile screen. A lot of talent and resources is thrown at the goal of keeping people glued to their phones (TikTok, Candy Crush, etc.). "Engagement" is a form of immersion.

[CharlesW]

> One part of the article that I cut for brevity but maybe I should have included…

I think that would be valuable and might deserve its own follow-up article. To me, immersion in the context of creation or play strikes me as a completely different animal than immersion in the context of passive consumption.