After Mark Zuckerberg introduced his concept of digital reality, people somehow started comparing it to the iconic world of The Matrix.
I, too, decided to look at the metaverse through the lens of cinema. I want to understand why the possibilities of the trilogy remain only in the movies. I also want to understand why the real meta world is not as good as it is said to be.
Is the Matrix a meta-universe?
Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.
This is what Morpheus tells Thomas Anderson before giving him the red pill that opened Neo's eyes to the world on the other side.
This point is fundamental both in the film and for us, as the theme of the meta-universe interested not only the developers. It touched such areas as business, trade, art, and many others. The modern world is creating its own, a new "Matrix."
The famous trilogy debuted back in 1999, but the concepts laid down in the fateful sci-fi picture, have been preserved. At first glance, the plot is simple - a group of rebel hackers finds a "gray" man to reveal to him the truth: the world he is used to is just a facade made up of computer code.
If the real developers present their meta worlds as worlds where people are free to do what they have always dreamed of doing and be what they have wanted to be all their lives, then the world of The Matrix is presented to the viewer as a way to control people. Artificial intelligence decides how people will live, what they will do, and how they will feel in doing so. There was an acutely social metaphor - people should strive to be free from the influence of governments and corporations.
In 2021, what we called the Matrix and thought was only possible in the movies is now a real thing. Technology, as is often the case, has caught up with the conception of science fiction.
Let's come to the obvious conclusion: the Matrix is a meta-universe. The question then arises: what does the meta-universe represent in its early stages of development?
What does the Matrix warn us about?
The real meta world is in its infancy. Even if we combine realistic VR simulations with new AR layers developed and scattered around the world, linking them with the Internet or cellular communications, it still will be in its infancy. With the advent of hybrid devices and apps in which we can see augmented or mixed reality, it becomes clear that VR and AR are foundational components of a true meta world.
This is where the Wachowski sisters' idea reveals itself in all its colors. Drawing on the ideas of Jean Baudrillard, the trilogy's directorial team managed to create a prophetic narrative warning. One day there will be those with the knowledge and technology to create new systems of control that will use semiotics and avatars to influence society's feelings and behavior patterns.
Thus, there is a dual situation: those who are deeply involved in working with blockchain technology, creating AR and VR, as well as those who are interested in the direction of digital content and virtual worlds themselves, are in favor of the development of the metaverse.
At the same time, the field of cybersecurity, as well as psychologists and sociologists, have sounded the alarm. One of the hot topics in the meta-universe will be directly related to feelings and the notion of sexuality.
Such questions never arise out of the blue, each of us has at least once feared that his or her data could be copied and stolen. In the matter of the metaconscious, many fear that not only data related to payment methods, but also information about the user's residence and the specific location in real-time could leak into the network.
Cybersecurity experts believe that the meta-villages we see now have little protection: they have no formed legislation, and the education of morals depends on the goal pursued by the virtual platform. Because of this, there is a great risk of fraud and hacker attacks, due to which the privacy of individual users can be undermined.
Conclusion: Thoughts About Entering the Virtual World
Against the background of the virtual "takeover" of the Earth, which many do not realize until now, it makes sense to look seriously at the question of "white spots" in the metaverse. Is the virtual world so much safer than the real one? Are users free when immersed in a fantastic simulation of digital life?
