Oculus Rift: another escape instead of Drugs?

38 replies
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Hi People and fellow Rifters

I got into a discussion on another forum a little while back, I'm curious to know what peoples views are on VR in general being an alternative escapism instead of drugs?

On the other forum I won't mention which one, but when I aired my views on this matter there was at first a really positive vibe! Which got highly up-voted then for some reason really down-voted? The thing is I honeslty believe that VR could actually offer the escapism a lot of people seek where in other positions they could potentially turn to drugs for the escapism that they're looking for!

I think VR is powerful enough to offer this other medium, it's something that maybe just a screen can't offer (full immersion) personally I don't take drugs but I've had a colourful past! And I've definitely lived! So I hope that answers members curiosities?

Would just like to know if people share the same view as in VR is as powerful as I believe it is going to be? I'm in no way saying it could cure the drug problems society faces today but merely an alternate some of us may not have been lucky enough to have access to.

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F

Frito

Up and Coming

how do you recognize an heroin addict in VR? His avatar is always AFK

I dont think VR will replace drugs, as it gives no chemical reactions in our brains.

Backer "Have faith." -Palmer Luckey

A

Anonymous

"Frito" wrote:
how do you recognize an heroin addict in VR? His avatar is always AFK

I dont think VR will replace drugs, as it gives no chemical reactions in our brains.

Not replace but offer an alternative escapism!

G

geekmaster

Up and Coming

Will VR games be MORE addictive than current video games?

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G

geekmaster

Up and Coming

Escaping from reality:

Virtual violence addiction:

Hallucination games:

What's wrong with hallucinations? Do they want to ban day dreams too? How is VR not a "hallucination" (distorted versions of real world scenarios)? Movies and TV must cause this effect with immoderate use too...

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A

Anonymous

People, media, government always use things they don't understand to pass blame onto because they don't have the balls to open up and admit that the system we are all subject to live and abide by is quite clearly broken! My honest opinion of this to do with VR is before they all jump on the violent/porn side of the VR bandwagon, is for them to also then focus on all the good that can come out of it, eg Education, medical etc. Who knows maybe they might actually pick up on the positives of VR instead of branding it to uneducated lack of evidence speculative guesses as to what it will bring.

The government should well and truly be doing their own research on it, in my eyes! They should also be looking at funding up and coming projects to do with it. I mention this after I contacted the Mayors Office in London by phone and email. The person I was put in touch with (although there was a half hearted attempt to help) didn't even have a clue what Vitual Reality or Augmented Reality was! I found this funny after the Mayor of London was boasting he could rival Silicon Valley when it comes to technology! A couple of weeks prior on the BBC news.

I did take the time to explain to her that VR and AR are going to be absolutely massive, I think she actually thought I was completely raving mad but she did come round to my way of thinking after I explained why.

H

Hadwell

Up and Coming

I think it depends on the person...

There are a lot of people who use drugs as a form of escape, there's also a lot of people who use drugs in moderation, when they have no other responsibilities to escape from...

VR can and will be used in good ways AND in bad ways, what everyone says, on both sides of the debate, will be true for some but not for others, and not true for some, but true for others.

its good to focus on maximizing the good, as long as you focus on minimizing the bad equally

A

Anonymous

"Hadwell" wrote:
I think it depends on the person...

There are a lot of people who use drugs as a form of escape, there's also a lot of people who use drugs in moderation, when they have no other responsibilities to escape from...

VR can and will be used in good ways AND in bad ways, what everyone says, on both sides of the debate, will be true for some but not for others, and not true for some, but true for others.

its good to focus on maximizing the good, as long as you focus on minimizing the bad equally

Well said :D