Reading, Writing, and Research in the Metaverse | By Martin Waxman, MCM, APR

By Martin Waxman, MCM, APR

Greetings, real-worlders. I’m writing to you from the metaverse—well actually, the part called Meta’s Horizon Workrooms—trying to ‘be present’ and catch a glimpse of our soon-to-be-immersive virtual lives.

I’m seated in a spacious loft-style office, high in the clouds. When I gaze out of the floor-to-ceiling windows in front of me, I catch a futuristic cityscape, all skyscraping steel and glass, which leaves a slightly vertiginous queasiness in the pit of my stomach.?

I’m typing on my actual laptop and see my keyboard through the passthrough camera in low-quality black and white, since I’m wearing a Quest 2 headset. I also see a full-colour avatarish sleeve out of which are my own pixilated hands are moving.

After a few paragraphs, I begin to feel anxious and notice the pressure on my forehead. I wonder how much time has passed. I glance at my virtual computer screen and the clock tells me it’s been less than 10 minutes.

I’m determined to remain here a while longer and imagine a room populated with other workmates and the synthetic clack of humans and machines.

Maybe it’s my age, but I last another minute.?

I’m relieved when I return to my regularly scheduled life.

State of the Metaverse Today

Is the metaverse overhyped??

Certainly, Meta’s been touting its benefits, but that’s self-serving at best. A quick scan of recent stories provides a glimpse into what we currently have and how it’s more high-concept than actual reality.

Kashmir Hill, writing in the New York Times, spent 24 hours attempting to meet people who currently inhabit Meta’s various virtual worlds , and the picture she painted was a not-too-crowded escape hatch for people who were lonely, bored or quasi-curious. There were also a bunch of underage kids using their parents’ devices, hanging out and causing a digital ruckus.

A little over week later, and also in the Times, Ben Chin was treated to a preview of Meta’s newly launched Quest Pro headset , with more sensors (i.e., more personal data collected) and better cameras to integrate the real-world and help it look less other-worldly. Chin was optimistic about the new device and said it was ideal for one thing: gaming. Everything else? We’re not quite ready for prime time.

Louis Rosenberg, one of the original VR pioneers, wrote about how, if left unchecked, the metaverse could make it easier for organizations to use behavioral data to manipulate people at scale , increase the spread of disinformation and propaganda and irrevocably alter the cultural and political landscape.

For a PR-focused take, check out the Institute for Public Relations Digital Media Research Center’s discussion on what implications the metaverse may have for PR . (Disclosure: I’m a member of the DMRC.)

Earlier this year, I went to a theatrical VR experience in Toronto called The Library at Night , a 3D journey to some of the world’s most famous real and fictional libraries. Seated at large oak tables in an ersatz reading room, we strapped on our headsets and listened as the narrator recounted each building’s story. While I couldn’t walk around, I was able to move my head in various directions and glimpse different angles of shelves.

The only thing missing was the sense of being surrounded by actual books.

What’s the Future of Reading and Writing in the Metaverse??

That got me wondering how we might approach reading and writing—and research, for that matter—in the metaverse and what changes it might bring.?

How will new ideas be presented and debated? Will anyone take the time to actually read a full-length novel or non-fiction volume in there when there are so many other stimuli competing for your attention? And would you be able to switch from reading to AV to make it a more sensory experience?

When it comes to writing, will we continue to type our rough and random thoughts on a keyboard or use our voices to dictate text or a prompt to a virtual AI composer who could turn your half-baked idea into a finished product without any more input on your part? Would your role require less reflection and more editing/approving? Perhaps the editing will be done by voice or virtual hand motions as if conducting an orchestra of artificial words.?

From a research perspective, will quantitative and qualitative methods be relegated to AI to spot patterns from existing data and predict new outcomes and conclusions? Will chatbots develop, administer and analyse questionnaires and moderate focus groups digitally?

Ultimately, will we give the machines control over discovery, the way we have inadvertently done with social media? Or will they become tools that open the door to currently unimaginable creativity, knowledge and worlds??

I’m not sure what the future will bring, but I do wonder if I’ll ever stop feeling the foreboding I felt in Meta’s version of virtual life and learn to get lost in the flow.

Have you spent any time exploring the current metaverse platforms? What's your experience been? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.?

About the Author

Martin Waxman, MCM, APR , is President of Martin Waxman Communications. He is also a digital/social media and communications professional with roots in PR and the creative arts. He conducts AI research, lead custom-tailored social media and communications workshops and training for organizations, and teaches social media.

Martin is a LinkedIn Learning instructor and a social media and digital strategy adjunct professor at McMaster University, the Schulich School of Business, and Seneca College. He is also a member of the?Institute for Public Relations Digital Media Research Center , the CIPR #AIinPR Panel, and the Schulich Future of Marketing Institute.?