VR and Empathy - Hannah Prevost

 

In his Ted Talk discussing the contributions VR can employ to society, Chris Milk makes the argument that one of the ways VR can alter society for the better is by instilling empathy in its users. He draws comparisons between VR and filmmaking, describing the film as a practice that has more or less similarly been made now than it was decades ago. The overall effect movies have on their views is the same as well, instilling a variety of emotions and curating a certain level of connectivity with its audience. VR holds a very similar ability to attract ownership, however, the major difference that sets movies and VR apart is that while you are simply watching a movie on a screen, you experience VR as if it were actually happening to you. One aspect of this TED Talk that I hadn’t previously considered is the use of VR to educate its users. Similarly to how movies can instill feelings or educate their viewers, VR can do the same, but with the added bonus of its users feeling like what they are experiencing is actually happening. As we live in the United States, a country that has not seen war or massive amounts of death and destruction on its land for a very long time, any of our citizens have become unaccustomed to the tragedies and hardships other people face all around the world. When Milk described his aspirations for his next project to include these experiences for viewers to witness, I felt really intrigued.

 

For my bring it to the table, I looked into the VR game “Separation,” which is described as an emotional, solitary journey that one must take in order to complete the game. The user becomes immersed in a mysterious yet ambient world that allows its users to take their time exploring, allowing them to feel truly connected to the reality they are experiencing. Many have called it an “escape from the noise of an overconnected world,” as it allows players to pause, reflect, and relax.