“Give them bread and circuses and they will never revolt”
Juvenal
The Metaverse, a fictional universe that represents a virtual space. A digital world if you like. Since the announcement that Facebook is changing its name to Meta, the Metaverse has become an integral part of the media. Many companies are now taking the step of integrating their products into the metaverse, as Nike is planing, for example. Why should people from the real world dive into a virtual world?
What seems strange to most of the older generation is a trend in the making for younger generations. Meeting with friends, playing games, or other activities, the Metaverse can offer all this without having to step out of the house. In other words, it’s the ultimate distraction because you can totally block out the real world around you and hide in a virtual world that offers everything.
But the main topic at the moment is without question COVID. At a time when rules and laws are getting crazier, governments can hardly hide their mistakes regarding COVID policy from the population. Maybe this is also a reason why, despite the increasing COVID numbers, sporting events continue to be held. Civil unrest has broken out in many countries around the world as people seek to free themselves from the current oppression and regain their freedom.
In ancient Rome, people were distracted from the problems created by the government with the so-called bread and circuses. The bread symbolizes the grain and the circuses symbolize the gladiatorial fights that were held in the ancient Colosseum for free to entertain the masses. A massive welfare program that was mainly at the expense of the working population, such as farmers. Since the situation in ancient Rome was not good at that time, the rulers were looking for ways to keep the population happy.
The parallels to today are drawn with many things. For example, we have huge sporting events, online games, entertainment shows, and cheap sugar.
As already mentioned, the topic of the metaverse is still very foreign to older generations, and the idea of spending one’s everyday life in a virtual space is still too far away. For younger generations that grow up with it, this can be a dangerous path if you neglect the real world and live your life virtually. What happens to education and physical health? Our education system and mainstream media have led to an anti-knowledge of really important things like the monetary system and its history. Because who decides what we see in this metaverse and how it is designed? Perhaps it can be seen from the outside like permanent mass brainwashing to spread propaganda even more effectively. Is it possible in the digital universe to deal critically with controversial topics such as politics and if so what information is available and who decides what information is available?
When food, in whatever form, is brought directly to the door of the home, it is impossible to ignore the parabolic lines.
Mass entertainment 24/7 in the metaverse and free food delivered directly to your home, the probably perfect combination of bread and circuses.
Viewed objectively, there are two opposing parties here. Companies and individuals who make the metaverse possible for whom the whole thing is a huge business and the consumers who enjoy the metaverse later. A happy digital world for the many, while a few enjoy the real world. But who should complain now if everything you need to be happy can be found in the Metaverse?