The Attraction in the Metaverse?

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Andi: In the metaverse we call it the metaverse, i guess. Because facebook decided that's what they want t as spiritual reality. You can travel by teleporting or flying. Young people can be old. Like to be an old person if you're young, and howe you treated. If you're a woman, you get to see the kind of authority you have as a man. It is a very powerful thing to play with elements of identity and to present yourself in different ways. I'm not trying to so much religion because it goes with such a heavy overlay of other meanings now. Im just trying to make sense of all this for my own sake.

Advances in technology have gradually been extending the human self beyond its biological extent, as we augment who we are with a variety of interconnected devices. There are obvious benefits to this — it lets us text our friends, listen to podcasts, and not get lost in strange cities. But as it changes how we interact with other people, it’s important to consider the possible downsides. Sherry Turkle is a psychologist and writer who specializes in the relationship between humans and their technology. She makes the case for not forgetting about empathy, conversation, and even the occasional imperfection in how we present ourselves to the world.

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Sherry Turkle received her Ph.D. in sociology and personality psychology from Harvard University. She is currently Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at MIT, founding director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self, and a licensed clinical psychologist. Among her awards are a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Rockefeller Humanities Fellowship, the Harvard Centennial Medal, and she was named “Woman of the Year” by Ms. Magazine. Her new book is The Empathy Diaries: A Memoir.

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