Sacred Spaces in Metaverse
Preyan Mehta
Helping Designers become Creative Generalists | 2000+ Curious minds Mentored | Educator | Author | Futurist | Creative Generalist
The Metaverse, or 3D Internet, isn't just a technological innovation—it's poised to significantly impact our society, culture, and lifestyles. To understand why, let's look at the past and the potential future of the internet.
When the internet first emerged, many dismissed it as a fad. Few anticipated how it would revolutionize the world, evolving from simple text exchanges to sharing live experiences globally.
The internet has evolved through different phases:
Unlike the 2D internet, the 3D Metaverse allows for spatial memories and a more humanized interaction. It includes:
An example of interactive reality is the "Portal installation” between New York and Dublin. These portals, with their mono-circular screens, provided 24/7 live video streams of the streets in both cities.
However, the portals had to be temporarily closed due to incidents of people cursing and engaging in discriminatory acts. This article came to me with the title - “Portal Installation temporarily closed due to Public behavior”. I’ll tie this example later on within this article.
The Rise of Social Media and Impact on Culture
Social media, a significant byproduct of the internet, has deeply integrated into our daily lives. It has become synonymous with the words Internet and Mobile Phones not just within Social discussions, but also within Scientific Publications.
It mirrors physical social interactions in a digital space—urban squares are like Meta feeds, cafes like WhatsApp groups, and posters like Meta ads. Despite its benefits, social media is often blamed for issues like shortened attention spans, FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), increased suicide rates among the youth to name the few.
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The Metaverse's immersive nature could significantly alter our cultural fabric. Web 2.0 has already shown how digital interactions can lead to both positive movements (like "Black Lives Matter") and negative consequences (like the spread of misinformation and anonymity-driven irresponsibility).
This disruption stems from our brains struggling to handle the vast scale of global interactions facilitated by algorithms that prioritize attention-grabbing negative content over positive content. For example the article regarding the “Portal Installation” surfaced for me with a Negative connotation, instead of Positive because the algorithm wants people to click on it.
The Future of Sacred Spaces in the Metaverse
Sacred spaces, such as temples, mosques, churches etc hold deep spiritual and cultural significance. These places are often seen as sanctuaries where individuals gather to seek peace, connect with the divine, and find community.
In the Metaverse, these sacred spaces might transform into entirely new forms, blending technology with spirituality in ways we've never experienced before. Imagine entering a vast space inspired by cosmos, where an AI-powered, personalized deity interacts with you.
This virtual god, imbued with artificial intelligence, could answer your questions in real time, providing guidance and support tailored specifically to you. The experience would be immersive, with the AI communicating through a humanized voice, creating a sense of personal connection and spiritual presence. These virtual sacred spaces would not be confined by physical limitations.
They could connect people from all over the world, allowing for a shared spiritual experience that transcends geographical boundaries. At the same time, they could foster local communities by creating virtual environments that feel familiar and culturally significant. For example, imagine a digital version of your house or your city, but instead of people and amenities you could find quests which would help you find the spiritual answer you were seeking for while interacting with the AI.
The integration of these sacred spaces into the Metaverse would offer a continuous and personalized spiritual experience. For instance, you could access your virtual place of worship at any time, from anywhere, and still feel a profound sense of connection and belonging. The immersive nature of the Metaverse would enable these experiences to be rich and engaging, activating all your senses and creating a powerful spiritual journey. Additionally, these virtual sacred spaces could be linked to physical locations, creating a hybrid experience. For example, a person could only enter a certain Virtual experience by entering a specific area in a a physical temple.
In conclusion, the Metaverse represents not just a technological advancement but a profound cultural shift. It will reshape how we interact, socialize, and find meaning in our digital age. By blending technology with our deepest spiritual and cultural traditions, the Metaverse could create new ways for us to connect with each other and the divine, making the world feel both smaller and more interconnected than ever before. This transformation will redefine our notions of community, spirituality, and the sacred, leading us into a new era of digital and cultural evolution.