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Anonymous
April 12, 2014
Question

Oculus Rift: another escape instead of Drugs?

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.

    38 replies

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    Anonymous
    April 22, 2014
    I did put a post up about broadcasting the World Cup in VR, I know the Americans tend to prefer football rather than soccer as you lot call it but either way broadcasting the sporting events in question including others like the Olympics have massive advantages especially for people who can't actually make it to the events for what ever reason! I can see this becoming a huge advantage to make VR mainstream! When it's technically possible, this could only really be seen as a positive for VR.
    geekmaster
    Up and Coming
    April 22, 2014
    "HAWKEYE481" wrote:
    I did put a post up about broadcasting the World Cup in VR, I know the Americans tend to prefer football rather than soccer as you lot call it but either way broadcasting the sporting events in question including others like the Olympics have massive advantages especially for people who can't actually make it to the events for what ever reason! I can see this becoming a huge advantage to make VR mainstream! When it's technically possible, this could only really be seen as a positive for VR.

    Yeah, mounting 360-cameras in the ball would be a great in VR experience, but perhaps not right after a large meal though, eh?
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    Anonymous
    April 22, 2014
    "geekmaster" wrote:
    "raidho36" wrote:
    Most people take drugs for fun or out of addiction, which was caused by taking it for fun. So I don't think this problem will be alleviated.

    Some for medicinal purposes, which is claimed by medical professionals to be non-addictive as well when taken in therapeutic doses.

    But fun itself (no matter the source) can release Dopamines, which certainly ARE addictive if experienced in excess.

    Perhaps the "anti-fun" religious fundamentalists are too far in the opposite direction from most people in these forums, while some of us are too far in the "pro-fun" camp. I think we need a "happy" balance.


    I agree about balance, personally I've not become addicted to my DK1! however, but I've also never been addicted to any sort of drug either!

    I know a few people have said VR will not replace drugs, tbh I've never thought it would, but I do think it could be alternate escapism weather that be just for fun fix, or generally for people just to escape from daily life for what ever reason.

    I prefer to think I use VR at the moment in it's current form as not an escape but just because I love where it's going and the experience it delivers!
    RagingAvatar
    Up and Coming
    April 25, 2014
    I just hope that the OR gets an extension lead, so it can make it to my sofa!
    I have a slight fear that I won't want to unplug..
    jayswa87
    New Participant
    May 1, 2014
    I am very interested in this topic friends.

    I am writing an ethics paper over the OcRi and looking for things like this. Has anyone seen any other ideas/cases/ethical issues I can use in my paper? I really need cases that have been done, not ideas for the future or postulation, but things that have actually happened. Like "uh oh, that turned out badly", or "oh wow, that worked way better than expected".

    Say a bit of code loops and keeps showing the same bit of video over and over and freaks out people, or OcRi helping people therapy-wise, or brainwashing, or military applications. Just anything that's interesting would be helpful. I'm supposed to find real world cases but can't find any, duh, as OcRi isn't out and widely used yet.

    I have found some sex sims/waifu stuff, military use (nothing specific), physical therapy for strokes, emotional therapy getting over fears, few other things. But mostly like, "we're looking into this", nothing done yet.

    Any help would be appreciated!

    Josh
    Twitchmonkey
    Up and Coming
    May 1, 2014
    Typically you don't see published reports about the efficacy of a particular method for treating medical issues until that method has been in trials for years, as they need time to gather and evaluate a sufficient amount of data. There has barely been enough time to develop these applications, let alone to roll them out to a large enough sample size and adequately quantify their results, so I'm not sure you're going to find what you're looking for. These are pioneering days, everything is theory right now.
    jayswa87
    New Participant
    May 1, 2014
    Exactly that's my problem. Thinking I was slightly ambitious with this topic. But it doesn't have to be about this one topic in particular, just anything about the OR would do. Anyway I'll keep an eye on here thanks guys for any help
    unit220
    New Participant
    May 7, 2014
    This is a really cool topic and I might write a research paper on this.
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