Virtual reality is becomming dengerous

It is interesting to know that humanity was always interested in virtual world: legends, myths, tails and paintings. Art had its own way of serving this demand by portraying gods, angels in the past. In early 20th century art discovered an abstract world, as well as surrealism to free human imagination and expression of human experience. Since then the virtual world grew and gained new ground in computer virtual reality. That is where from an extension it became a limitation.

The fundamental difference is that games and social games are highjacking human experiences instead of expanding. Games became addictive and mechanical. They became playgrounds for a few and limits for many. Yes I am against computer games that offer fighting and concurring particularly in virtual reality. By breaking a link with reality and replacing it with virtual reality we limit humanity within us. When action game becomes addictive it becomes a drug equal to any mind altering substance. The virtual reality (as it is used in art, literature, music) allows us to become creators, while games and social games turn us into addicts, zombies and consumers. 

Now virtual games became dangerous. Virtual flirt is one of them. As recent “scandal” with democratic congressman (I do not write the name as it is not important for this article) sending a photo of himself to someone he never knew before over the social network communication. Virtual flirt can destroy a career as well as a physical affair in the USA. Europeans may look at such behavior with a sense of humor. But puritan at heart Americans view such conduct as a moral decay. In fact online flirt is more dangerous than in person.

One can wonder why computer games are not tested for addictive properties? Well because the entire idea of such game is no longer in the “winning the game” but in keeping a player engaged for as long as possible. Social aspect of such game is also changed. The idea is no longer in socializing but rather in peer pressure of engaging in the game. Parents are worried that a child does not pay a particular game he will loose friends. And they are missing the point that such games do not promote friendship. One can not loose something that one does not have.