Vasant Ramachandran talks about the importance of understanding VR and the effects it could have on our relationships.

1. V I R T U A L R E A L I T Y
A N D O U R
R E L A T I O N S H I P S
VASANT RAMACHANDRAN

2. T H E F U T U R E
Virtual reality is growing in
popularity by the minute.
With its continuous
integration into the lives of
the consumer and upwards
of approximately 230
companies focusing their
efforts on VR, the question
of what this new technology
will mean in the lives of
many is yet unknown.
And while many are
anticipating the full-
integration of VR into
everyday life, some are
skeptical of the impact it will
have on ‘normal life.’
Concern is also raised as to
the possible increase it may
have on social seclusion,
something many blame less
comprehensive forms of
social networks for already.

3. W H A T C A N W E
E X P E C T ?
A report published in the City
Observatory by economist Joe Cortright
has recently concluded that, over the last
40 years, humans have become
increasingly less social. It’s no surprise,
then, that some are skeptical of the
effects VR could have on our already
sobering social skills. By nature, people
are communal creatures.
But what happens when we begin to find
that sense of community via platforms
that mimic the flesh and blood thing?
Currently, the question goes unanswered,
but the possible resounding negatives are
voiced by critics who are more than mere
fear-mongers of a perceived tech-
takeover akin to that of the movie I,
Robot.

4. In Japan, for instance,
relationships for people in
their mid-30s are at an all-
time low, as many men are
opting for relationships with
2d girls over their human
counterparts. It’s true,
escapism has existed for as
long as humans have had a
location, substance, or
medium to escape to, but
the stimulus offered via
artificial relationships,
adventures, and experiences
are perhaps more mentally
orgasmic than ever before.
The result? A future where
human relationships are
traded in for more dramatic
and sensory titillating
experiences is not out of the
question, and the negative
impact that that form of
escapism could have on
human interaction is again,
untold.

5. Advocacy for the benefits of technological
advances should not be understated, as
the integration of artificial intelligence
into the sectors of finance, real estate,
and healthcare are truly beneficial to
many. But the resounding negative
impact that social media has had on the
lives of the general population is
something empirically evident.
It’s important to keep in mind, though,
that social media is not intrinsically
harmful to human interaction, in fact,
one can easily make an argument for the
inverse. But our collective inability to
monitor and establish personal and
edifying relationships with these social
platforms provides, I would argue, the
direct correlation as to why humans have
become less social over the past 40
years, and why many are so hesitant to
embrace VR, despite its perceived
benefits.