Virtual reality (VR) continues to grow in popularity, and with it, people's concerns about this new technology are also growing. While it's easy to get carried away with VR's capabilities, it's important to know that there are some downsides, as with any technology. So what are the positive and negative aspects of virtual reality that we may encounter?
Positive Aspects:
GOING TO NEW PLACES
Virtual reality gives people the ability to travel to places all over the world and in space, from the South Pole to the Moon. This ability is already being used to enrich lesson plans at school, taking the minds of older people to places where their bodies will no longer allow them to go. It turns out the adventure is just a VR headset away!
EXPERIENCE THE WORLD IN A NEW WAY
VR allows people to experience the world as they have never experienced it before. You can paint in the air, stand atop a waterfall, instantly travel from Machu Picchu to The Venetian coast, and even go from your living room to an open house. Virtual reality has opened the doors to a new world full of endless excitement and opportunities.
RISK-FREE REWARDS
As the famous saying goes, “no risk, no reward,” but virtual reality may be changing that. People can ride roller coasters, parachute and even bungee jumping, all with VR. While virtual reality continues to provide the user with the flow of adrenaline he or she is looking for, he or she risks possible death from injury. It's a safe and fun! There are certainly many positives to having virtual reality in our lives, but there are also some downsides.
Negative Aspects:
LESS HUMAN CONTACT
Because virtual reality allows people to experience things in ways they've never been able to do before, it can be addictive. It is very easy to start exploring the virtual world and be drawn into it for long periods of time. This can lead to reduced time spent interacting with people and things in the real world.
MORE DECEPTION
Virtual reality allows people to be who they want to be. Although many see it as a wonderful thing, it can also be used for deceptive purposes. Advertisers will be able to create avatars to convince people to buy products. By modeling avatars according to the specific person they are trying to convince, advertisers can play against the nature of people to believe those who look like them.
PHYSICAL DISEASES
Although VR eliminates the risk of many extreme activities, such as bungee jumping, there are still some side effects associated with the technology. Because VR plays tricks on many of our senses, many users reported nausea when using VR headsets. Another reported problem is eye strain. There are so many visual caveats in the virtual world that if people use VR for too long, their eyes become extremely tense. Constant eye fatigue can lead to more serious eye problems on the way. Some say virtual reality has changed our lives for the better, while others think it has reduced our quality of life. Either way, virtual reality seems to remain an open topic for discussion.
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