One of the big technology discussions in the news right now is about the development and implementation of virtual reality (VR), so I was intrigued by a book that took my favorite hobby of gaming, along with this topic of VR, and looked at how the future could be shaped.
Ready Player One is a smash-up of these two realms where reality is miserable and everyone spends their day online, in-game including going to school, vacationing, and working a full-time job. But the book adds drama as an Easter egg is hidden in the game and whomever finds it will inherit hundreds of billions of dollars. Chaos ensues.
Note: There is language in this book and one page that talks about how VR impacts sexuality and masturbation.
The book follows the hero, Wade, who is an individual stuck in poverty and dedicated his life to finding the Easter egg. Unfortunately, the contest is really difficult. I’m not sure if it was intended within the book, but it takes FOREVER to get the contest rolling, so you feel like you have been struggling within those several years as well. It also makes the excitement at the end even more exciting.
If I had to summarize the VR component, it’s MMORPG integrates with real-life. As wide-spreading as Pokémon Go has been, this VR goes so much deeper to the point that the people in 2044 cannot live with out it. Then you add the heavy influence of 1980’s references when video games was just introduced and it rocks! Something like this would certainly justify all that useless knowledge I have in my brain.
Church In VR?
Imagine if most of the time was spent in VR, how would that affect church? Would we need to have one mega church with one pastor? There would be cultural differences certainly, but one generation into the VR world, would we lose much of that and the need for individual churches becomes unnecessary?
Is Gaming Useless
There is definitely a mission by the author to highlight the ideology that “gaming is useless” in the book as a contrary vantage point. And this is a motto that is said in the church as well. But is it? (We’ve actually discussed this on a previous podcast.)
Ready Player One is definitely fiction based, but a great fantasy book at that. I give it 5 out of 5.
Eric Dye says
I’ve GOT to read this…
Jeremy G. Smith says
It’s worth it. Have you received a free One book from Audibless yet?
Eric Dye says
I think so, yes.