Much to my chagrin, the concert crowd was older than expected with the median age in their early thirties. Perhaps, the greatest revelation was the rampant use of cell phones to record all aspects of the event. Some fans, literally, spent the better part of two hours with their faces eerily illuminated via LCD. Isn’t the point of a concert to relish the live performance? Upon further reflection, I noticed that most of these amateur videographers were young people, not the baby boomers or gen Xers in the crowd.
When I utilize this new found insight to ponder the seemingly inevitable convergence of humans, artificial intelligence and virtual reality, it becomes clear that the next generation will not be hampered by a feeling of loss at the lack of human and social interaction. Even when confronted with a loud, raucous opportunity to immerse in a cultural phenomenon, they chose to enjoy the spectacle through a digital medium. Is it any wonder that there are predictions of virtual vacations and digital sporting events? Why would they feel compelled to visit Rome or Paris? Do they have no need for the tactical, contextual experience? Virtual landscapes definitely have a place in improving our quality of life. However, I hope we don’t forget the beauty and unique attributes that can only be experience through reality.
Christine
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