Metaverse: When Mark Zuckerberg Dreams of Infinity and Beyond

Three days before All Saints' Day, Facebook drew its last breath and reincarnated as Meta—meaning "beyond." Its logo was the infinity symbol as its logo. On that day, the Zuckerberg family welcomed tens of thousands of followers into their sofa-filled home with stylish virtual landscapes on the background. This session was promoting a vision of a better world, at least for a better virtual world.

Will concepts like generosity, selflessness, humility, or solidarity be programmed into this fully coded environment? This is what people working in sentimental companies hope for, because they are committed to doing good for humanity.

A faithful friend of mine invited me by Messenge to a pub to pull up together an analysis of Metaverse,". Yes, let’s figure out if this is a new El Dorado or merely a marketing stunt.

In a pub on the French Western coast,  we began analyzing the 13,240 word keynote speech, replaying it silently to focus on Mark Zuckerberg's body language and on the artificial sets.

Mark Z started by stating that mobile internet, which seems so dynamic today, will soon be obsolete. We were so surprised that we ordered punch from the smiling bartender who rejoiced, exclaiming: "Great! Soon there will be no more children on the beach glued to their screens, or couples diving into their phones as soon as they sit down at the bar." We come back to reality when we hear Mark Z tell us that screens will be replaced by VR headsets for a complete immersion in virtual reality and AR glasses.

We empty our shots looking at each other, maybe realizing that soon such close physical proximity will be obsolete. Then we set out to sum up the horizons Mark Z makes us see.

• First, we will live in an “as though” world, working, socializing, playing and even loving as though we were truly present/actually there.

• Second, we will achieve eternal youth, or at least the appearance of it. Our avatars will make sure we keep our twenty year-old face.

• Third, we will be able to own our virtual purchases in the same way we do in the real world, no matter where we are in the metaverse. Our digital possessions will follow us everywhere.

  
  

At this point we wondered, "Is all of this really worth it?" My excitement peaked when Mark Z claimed we would be able to teleport into the past. I would love to chat with Socrates, visit ancient Rome, or kiss Cleopatra. Mark added that we would also save the planet by curbing at least one plane trip per year, which he claims is enough to save the environment.

Suddenly, my friend turned pale. I ordered another round. He then turned to me with tears in his eyes: "Ludo, do you understand the implications  for our companies of The New Factory?

" Well, not really, I honestly replied.

"It means that physical, social, friendly, and emotional distance which we have experienced during Covid is not just a temporary phase, but the beginning of a Meta world. Our five senses will be reduced to two. We will lose touch, taste, and smell. Handshakes, kisses, and hugs will be eradicated forever," he said, placing his large hand on my arm, unable to contain a surge of emotion. "It’s like what the steamboat did to the sailboat. Remote living will be the beginning of a new and destructive world.”

I attribute his melancholy to alcohol, and try to convince him that teleportation is a good thing, and that perhaps having a hologram of a parent is better than having an absent or a violent parent. He insists: “What bothers me is that Mark Z knows everything about me—my secrets, my virtues, my vices, my opinions, and my passions—yet he shares so little about himself in his keynotes. When I mute the sound, he feels more virtual than real. I would like him to explain to us how Instagram for kids is beneficial for their development while introducing us to his children. I do believe he is sincere in wanting to change the world for the better through technology, so I still hope he will reveal the intention behind his algorithms.”

“Okay Brad, we’ll tag him when we post this on Facebook.” The bartender cheers us goodbye, happy to have joined us on our first steps into the metaverse.

Sentimentalement vôtre.

Crédit photo : © Splash Adam Nemeroff