Will the development of virtual worlds impact how we perceive, enjoy, and look after real-world places?
As a lover of nature, and planet Earth, there is an instinctive part of me, that walks cautiously, even as a VR producer myself. Donning virtual reality (VR) goggles and shutting out our senses from what is immediately in front of us, could, in a very literal sense, make us more “blinkard”. There is an unnaturalness to it, a total potential disconnection with reality. If, for example, you can quite literally ‘fly’ in the virtual world, what would encourage you instead to simply ‘take a stroll’ in the real world? If everything can be recreated digitally, what drive will there be, to look after it physically?
Is it a possible future, that people will not travel in the real world at all?
There is a potential, futuristic, dystopian scenario, that writers and film makers have already begun to hypothetically explore, that the virtual world could become a more attractive place to be present in than the real world. People could stop travelling in the real world altogether, and instead opt to spend most of their time… in their living rooms. Rooms that they would likely need to clear even of all their furniture, so they don’t trip over when moving around blindly in their VR head-sets.
Is VR an answer to Carbon reduction, or a further acceleration to a drain on natural resources?
And then there is the concern re: energy consumption and raw materials required for our relentless global increase in need for digital connection. I’ve yet to see carbon emission modelling, which looks at the scenario of a potential positive reduction in travel caused by civilisation instead turning to VR, balanced against the negative environmental impact of VR itself. Could it help to save the world or is it another part of destroying it. But either way, I am nervous about what kind of (mostly virtual world) that we could be creating.
Are our current channels so much better?
And then I think. How many families, already sit slumped, for 4 hours plus a night. Static on their sofas. Watching a box in the corner of the room. Consuming content that they do not participate in. Rather, they watch heroes on TV, are told their point of view and observe from afar their-movie lifestyle. At the same time, the family are likely to have their necks cranked unnaturally staring at their mobile phone. Their attention divided in an unsatiating way between both the small screen in their hand and the big screen on the wall - and more.
Television has bred generations of health problems. Social media has spread fake news. The radio has been used as a tool of war. Books and knowledge itself have both been slated as dangerous, not just centuries ago but also, but still now in censored countries.
And yet. The world would not be as educated. Aware. Compassionate. Progressive. Inventive. Collaborative. Should these channels not have been invented, we could still be in the dark ages.
The essence of VR is the essence of all media
You could say all media are simply channels of six things. Knowledge, influence, imagination, entertainment and selling. With the rise of both VR (and AR) for that matter. We can add to the list, socialising and experience. So, what, I hear you say, simply another two layers on consumption. Well, on the plus side, both have the potential to increase the impact of learning. With these new technologies, you can be the hero of your own journey. You can make your own choices. Get off the sofa and move, and increasingly as technology improves, FEEL as you do so.
VR is a channel to harness for good
So, I am left with, and passionate about, that like all channels that have come before it, VR is a channel to harness. It is not the channel, per say, as we have seen in history, that is the villain. It is the way it is operated and the content that is created on it.
Used correctly, VR can be used to teach people through experiential learning, entertaining experience and to go on to influence positive action which can be carried out in the real world. For what is it? Really. But guided daydreaming and daydreaming has supported us throughout human evolution and invention, influencing future and creative thinking and stimulating our ideas and behaviours.
In recent years, VR has emerged as a powerful tool that not only delivers the future of entertainment and gaming but goes beyond it. And the tourism industry, is amongst those, beginning to recognise its potential. VR can be used to teach people and inspire them about real-world places complimentary to those real-world places. By immersing users in virtual environments, VR technology can foster a deeper understanding of destinations and drive positive action in the real world. VR can and should be harnessed, to help make a difference.
1. VR: a gateway to real-world exploration
VR can transport individuals to far-flung destinations without leaving their homes. Through immersive experiences, people can visit iconic landmarks, natural wonders, and cultural sites. By providing a sense of presence and interactivity, VR enables people to explore and learn about places they may not have the chance to visit physically.
2. VR: seeding inspiration for people to visit
From a tourism point of view, VR can be used as a “trailer” for real world places. You could use VR to showcase a destination outside of that location and encourage people to visit it.
3. Interdimensional geocaching
Using gamification, you can hide things in the VR experience, for people to find, that people can also go and find in the real world – a kind of interdimensional geocaching.
4. Education and cultural preservation
Storytelling and gamification in VR can help to educate people about the history, culture, and heritage of different locations. It can also help to preserve cultural heritage by digitally documenting at risk or inaccessible sites, ensuring their legacy is safeguarded for future generations.
5. Environmental awareness and conservation efforts
VR has the power to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote conservation efforts. By immersing users in virtual ecosystems, they can witness the beauty and fragility of natural environments. This first-hand experience can inspire individuals to act, support conservation initiatives, and make sustainable choices in their daily lives.
6. Scenario illustration
With VR, you can literally time travel to see the past, present, and future, such as playing out scenarios of what could happen, if positive or negative influences are applied to an environment. This can be used to help persuade behaviour change as well as planning for what might happen.
7. Empathy and social impact
VR has the potential to foster empathy by enabling users to experience the lives of others in different parts of the world. Through immersive storytelling, virtual reality can shed light on social issues, such as poverty, inequality, and human rights abuses. By evoking empathy, VR can drive positive action, encouraging individuals to get involved in charitable causes and support organisations working towards social change.
8. Collaborative virtual experiences
VR can also facilitate collaborative experiences, allowing people from different parts of the world to connect and engage in shared activities. This can be particularly valuable for promoting cultural exchange, fostering understanding, and breaking down barriers between communities. VR platforms can host virtual events, workshops, and conferences, enabling global collaboration for positive change and wider accessibility of experience and participation.
9. Immediate calls to action
When people experience something in VR, you have their captured attention in a digital space. You can therefore consider, what do you want them to do next and start them on their digital journey to that action. This could include encouraging donations, purchases, voting, commenting, further learning, toolkits for behaviour change, sharing their experiences on social media, signing up to newsletters, the list goes on. And with VR these calls to action can be as creative as you like, offering real value exchanges, for direct asks.
10. Experiential learning and edutainment
More than any other channel, apart from the real-world experience itself, VR offers the opportunity to learn through experience, and as supporting technologies improve, so will the touch, smell, taste, sound, and visual sensations. There is always a balance to be struck between pure education and pure entertainment. However even if you are in an imaginary world, like in written fairytales, there can be an underlying and influential moral to the story.
How can VR be used to positively connect us to real world places?
Here is my working list of possibilities of how VR can be used to connect us to real world places. I will add to this as my thinking evolves.
VR, is part of the next revolution, of how we learn
VR has the potential to revolutionise the way we learn about and engage with real-world places. By leveraging the immersive power of VR, the tourism industry can educate, inspire, and drive positive action in individuals. From promoting environmental awareness to fostering empathy and cultural exchange, VR opens new avenues for creating a more informed and connected global community. As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for using VR to teach people about real-world places and drive positive change are boundless.
With all action there is an equal and opposite reaction
That being said. As VR evolves, we need to also nurture both the real world and time in it. With my own exploration into technology, I also find an increasing need to have time and space away from it. I seem to need, and spend more and more time, clearing my mind and simply listening to, feeling, and appreciating nature as it is around me. And I know I am not alone in this. Nature tourism and back to basic breaks are on the rise. VR, I hope, will also have its own role to play, in encouraging people to take them as well as and most importantly, looking after what is directly in front of them, when they step out of their living room, eyes open, into the real world.
How can VR be used to positively connect us to real world places?
Here is my working list of possibilities of how VR can be used to connect us to real world places. I will add to this as my thinking evolves.
VR, is part of the next revolution, of how we learn
VR has the potential to revolutionise the way we learn about and engage with real-world places. By leveraging the immersive power of VR, the tourism industry can educate, inspire, and drive positive action in individuals. From promoting environmental awareness to fostering empathy and cultural exchange, VR opens new avenues for creating a more informed and connected global community. As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for using VR to teach people about real-world places and drive positive change are boundless.
With all action there is an equal and opposite reaction
That being said. As VR evolves, we need to also nurture both the real world and time in it. With my own exploration into technology, I also find an increasing need to have time and space away from it. I seem to need, and spend more and more time, clearing my mind and simply listening to, feeling, and appreciating nature as it is around me. And I know I am not alone in this. Nature tourism and back to basic breaks are on the rise. VR, I hope, will also have its own role to play, in encouraging people to take them as well as and most importantly, looking after what is directly in front of them, when they step out of their living room, eyes open, into the real world.
