Defining Moments

COVID-19 is a defining moment for our lives and for the world. For the next unknown months or years - there is a default level of hardship in the world than before. In a way, this is our first global problem. It’s a problem for all humans, this little virus.

What exactly will this moment define?

The COVID-19 pandemic - or as should have been called SARS-CoV-2 - is going to leave the world a very different place than it was before the pandemic. I honestly hope that we can look back and be grateful at the changes that have come because of it. Specifically, I would like to discuss the changes that will be coming technologically, since that is a lens with which I view the world.

Virtual Everything

Technologically, virtual everything is about to pick up a lot of new users. Virtual games, virtual work, and virtual money. Entire virtual economies will begin to sprout. Imagine virtual cities where you can go grab a virtual coffee or beer with your friends. In a COVID world, this is the main way you can meet up with other people. As I wrote about the other day, last week I attended a symposium in Virtual Reality with a friend of mine who lives in London. I live in Los Angeles.

Virtual Meetings

You know what people love about Zoom video conferences? The backgrounds. Everyone loves to customize their appearance. With virtual meetings where everyone’s avatars are sitting around a table environment instead of on a Zoom call and looking at a screen share on a virtual screen - this is going to be even more alluring.

Virtual Money

What you don’t really need in virtual reality is USD. I could see there being some cases for people getting paid in USD, but way more likely I believe that people will earn some sort of virtual currency. Perhaps that virtual currency can be traded for USD later. I’m not sure, but for the therapists, coaches, and artists - these types of jobs - even if performed in VR will need to be able to pay real world rent and utilities.