By now, everyone everywhere has heard someone suggest that we are living in a simulation or some kind of matrix. Facebook changed it’s name to “Meta” and Zuckerberg released his vision of The Metaverse, which you can watch below.
“Metaverse” means different things to different people. I thought it should offer a definition of the term. I found this from Merriam Webster:
“In its current meaning, metaverse generally refers to the concept of a highly immersive virtual world where people gather to socialize, play, and work.”
I know people who are repulsed at the idea of this. I know others who literally can’t wait to step into it. They are nearly slobbering over it.
I don’t mean to denigrate these people. The people on the other side, enter a simulation every time they boot their computer or access the internet on their phone, etc. It can’t be denied. They’re just stopping at a different point or place or level so whatever snobbery they display is stupid.
I am split on this issue. I can’t help it. I have Libra and this is how it is for me. I have made a living on the Internet – because of the Internet for more than 25 years. Suffice to say, I like it here. I also like to grow food with my hands.
We have to grapple with this over the next fifteen months, for sure. Saturn (reality) is squaring Uranus (Innovation). Saturn and Jupiter are also in Aquarius. It really is time to look a this, especially considering Pluto will ingress into the sign in 2023.
Here’s Zuckerberg’s intro:
I wonder what you think of this. It’s interesting to me because I’ve talked about people interacting with my “hologram” for 20 years! (Search “Hologram”) The idea there would be a digital representation of me; well there already is.
I no longer look like the picture I use here and there and on the blog. It’s long been irrelevant in this world of filtered, digitized images of people or things. You either resonate with me aka “vibe” with what I write, or you don’t. You think I can help you or you can learn from me or you don’t. My “avatar” is not going to impact your decision in a way that’s significant.
So what do you think of this? How will you fit (or not fit) in this new schema? I have some ideas for myself. Mostly, I know to stay on the fringe.
What do you think or feel about The Metaverse?
Honestly, I think we are being forced into this if it becomes mainstream. What’s wrong with reality??? Will this split the mind into mental stressors we don’t understand? Or will this create a society of young people addicted to non reality and never leave the house? And how much energy will this take to fuel creating further global warming. I bet most people don’t know that it takes the same energy it takes to boil a kettle of water to do just one web search. Imagine to the lack of privacy. Zuckerman says it will be built in. But what kind of privacy? Not from from advertisers and hackers eventually I bet.
Though it looks fun, engaging, beautiful, tempting and creative, I have reservations. I’m not on FB anyway so I’ll be living my life in the real world until I’m forced to say join due to work or it will be the only way to access anything. King Zuckerman can have his Empire of Dirt.
Elsa, your site is a type of meta verse but we are not held in a virtual space other than a page of flat images and text. Yes going in line is the only way to access it, but we still have 99.9% of ourselves in the real world. I can put my phone down and walk in reality.
Hi, Dawn. I share your concerns. It’s why I wrote this. I like to go eat lunch with real food. EARTHY.
Also, I didn’t specify but I was just using the video to help people who are not very aware of this stuff to be able to see the concept. I don’t necessarily think Zuckerberg is more than a distraction in this.
This takes me into the gaming world. This is one population that is really into this. People like my son who grew up inside a game(s). And that’s where I am headed with this…
Astrology and gaming is coming together in my mind. To what end, I’m not sure. I just want to write about this now / think about it. This is my introduction for anyone who might like to track.
@Elsa, I understand. It is something we have to be introduced to and understand. I’m glad
I learned about it through you rather than some other source.
I get what you mean about how this could merge with Astrology. And it might be cool too but the thing is, as I stated in another post about progression of technology and how it changes things…it’s a run away train. And there seems to be no common sense to control it once that happens. With a son into gaming, I get too you may be kind of curious where this could/can go. But I come from a place where I don’t have kids myself so I am behind.
I visited a friend who really got into games to relieve stress from work, but he was so addicted it was sad. I hadn’t seen him in years and he would sit there all day while his wife and I were living our lives together. He did stop to go out or have dinner with us, but he just seemed somewhere else. And he was.
“But I come from a place where I don’t have kids myself so I am behind.”
This is a fear. It’s one that people will try to exploit but hopefully you can defend against it.
Also, not everyone who is “left behind” is actually left behind. In reality, they decided not to step on the train.”
~~
“but he just seemed somewhere else. And he was.”
Yes, this happens and it happens a lot. But it also does not happen!
You can compare this to younger people drinking like fish. Most outgrow it!
We think if we head down a bad path, we can not recover but what if the only thing that will open the portal to recovery IS GOING DOWN THE PATH and finding out how bad and wrong it is?
I am not suggesting we are not in danger. I feel we are in mortal danger! I am just not writing off the fact, that the answers might be found inside a game. In fact, that’s pretty likely/
Last, regarding astrology, people will hold court in the metaverse. teach classes or whatever. I am not going to do that so my question is, can I survive? If so, how?
It seems I could not but as I thought it through, I’m pretty sure I can and will, should I want to.
Last, we could find ourselves without an internet – this is a possibility too, so it’s all unpredictable. And people who are young and feel themselves to be cutting edge and whatnot, don’t realize how quickly the time will pass, before then look in the mirror and realize they’ve become their parents. And after that, time still moves on/
You’re right. Exactly. I decided not to step on the train. Some might see that as a mistake, see it as Evolve or Die. Which to me is a threat! But we do Evolve even when we are not that invested along with everyone else collectively. Just maybe in different directions.
And as you say, sometimes you have to just try things before you know how it’s going to go, though that can be a trap.
I am not meaning to put down the creative minds behind this, just the potentially nefarious outcomes for an audience that has no warning bells.
Then again, things come and go, and that could be true with the Internet, as you said Elsa. May even be something of the past and something else like those Google glasses will replace computers and phones and we can walk in and out of knowledge banks and data and new, unknown Worlds and business meetings. It’s all there in the collective unconscious. Zuckerberg is just one person among others mining it for profit and commerce. It all just feels like a cold medium. I’d rather sit in front of a fireplace and watch a good movie with my real life friends or my pet and plan a real vacation to real destinations.
I understand. I can see it destroying creativity. Everything will be created for you… and whatever you create will not be visible on the platform.
This is what the Internet has become already. But this has been achieved with a great degree of cleverness so I don’t think many see it.
Cleverness. Yes. I have other ideas about what to call it but you can’t put a price on human freedom and if this is how Zuckerberg chooses to spend his time, I feel sorry for him. No I don’t actually. This subject has layers and is very complicated though so I can’t go much further than to say it will be interesting to see what becomes of this. I know for some folks it will be there wet dream.
@Dawn I totally get you
I m not on Facebook either,I loved Instagram until Facebook took over
When it became all about the ads,I was outta there.
I prefer to live in the real World.
This can have a very negative impact, because the metaverse creates “The Barbie image” of everyone.
It lulls you into believing that’s who you are and the souped up people you meet in Metaverse….to play on the name,the word Averse is in it.
For fun I am not averse to it,its a bit like Mario Brothers,or other online games , except here there is a very perceived interaction.
At a subliminal level.
What Facebook will be “peddling” ,from Art, Artists, paintings,food and beverage, books etc FOR SALE.
But these will be put in there ,as interaction,not like advertising.
But it serves the same purpose.
For people who are already addicted to Facebook,it might be real good,fun and highly interactive.
I prefer sunlight,fresh air,grass and real flowers.
It’s going to be really interesting. Will people who crave it now, wind up disillusioned? Will this be a gateway to some type of breakthrough?
I don’t know but I was privy to a conversation where people really cannot wait for this… discord is a step in that direction.
People have told me to create a discord channel for example. So I have to weigh this. The suggestion is that if you don’t evolve, you’ll be left behind. I’m not sure it’s true.
That may sound stupid to some of you but I have been tossing this around, deeply, for awhile now. I also *the* astrology blog pioneer. I’ve seen quite a bit. I’ve seen enough, I should be able to see around some of these corners, so I’m trying.
Agree! Thank you for your shared view Shonaaa! : )
Dawn – I stand with you! There is nothing NATURAL about what they are doing to us and the world. It will flip eventually when the Saturation point – 42k more satelites will put the Earth in a Microwave Oven. Humans can take poisons they found out – so they keep on giving us more.
Yes! This is something we, so far, can’t fix. I heard they will be launching 3,000 new satellites to accommodate the Internet in far reaching areas. The night sky will be changed forever.
Interestin, the younger generation effects. Thinking about that, I don’t blame them for looking for an alternate reality after all. I mean what’s their choice? A divisive angry adult world full of hate and vengeance? Why would any kid wanna live there unless he’s interested in shooting people. What kind of option have adults provided them with but unreality to begin with? Go ahead kids, it’s your world now. I feel so much better now. See you in the meta verse cartoon! ?
Interesting thoughts, Elsa. Jon Rappaport has written extensively on the nature of the MATRIX, and constructed earnest advice on how to get out of it. I have read him almost as one does science fiction. An approximate characterisation of his thesis is that the MATRIX exists, it is dehumanising and ruthlessly entrapping, and must be escaped. He would approve highly of your final paragraph. I do too.
I don’t have any interest in using this really. I barely use my phone and never use social media. It’s all so dehumanizing. I worry about deepening unreality for the kids. There attention spans and social skills in general have been diminishing every year that I’ve worked with them.
Amen, Jana!
Um, I won’t be there.
I can’t even listen to King Zucker’s voice, makes me cringe, he thinks he so superior and knows all of all of what should be, too scary for one idiot that came up with a community bulletin board for college students for it to morph into his rulership and have this much control of the world, he got lucky, that’s it with FB’s popularity and explosion of take over of the world
Welcome, Lotus. I doubt that’s a true story. More like a cover story.
I miss bulletin boards and kiosks smattered with event posters, and entertainment mags. Could go to any town and peruse and see all kinds of things going on. Also miss all the employment ads being in the one place, the newspaper. I could follow it and see what the trends were.
“I think most people would be comfortable living in a 300 sq ft apartment if they have access to a 4000 sq ft apartment within the metaverse.”
See? This man is not wrong.
I wrote this the morning the Astroworld tragedy occurred. Speaking as someone who lived in Aurora, CO and have someone shoot up my local theatre…
I don’t think they want people to go to concerts anymore.
You will attend things like this is metaverse. It’s a lot less expensive to put on a virtual show.
We have and endless number of fake stars / talent coming up on various social media platforms – ready to go!
People can’t tell they’re being entertained by AI and in fact, if you try to tell them any truth at all, they’re likely to punish you.
@Elsa , Zuckerberg will not put concerts or anything creative.
This is the Matrix at best,this is mind control and addiction.
This cannot be healthy in any way.
Like you say teenagers drink heavily,by the time they outgrow it , some damage has been done.
Many dont outgrow it ,they get addicted to something else.
My Nephew got into building a virtual city ,a game where you can add people,add train’s,put sewage etc.
He got so involved in it from a young age,but he’s anti social, addicted to the game.
His parents my brother did not intervene
It was convenient.
But he has social problems now, cannot have conversations.
Or limited to gaming at 17 year’s.
I hope he outgrows this.
Only to land up at Metaverse
Yes there will be smart people,who wont be affected,who will benefit from it.
But being STUCK in a virtual World.
Is akin to a living death.
I don’t think astrology will suffer from this, in anyway.
There is already so much on YouTube,other similar channels.
Astrology has a life of its own.
People are now talking about outer planets ,dwarf planets and their effects.
More will come.
Astrology will evovle ,and you will still be a pioneer in shaping how it does.
Your incisive and distinct style of writing with interesting parallels and examples,is unique.
Amongst many astrologers i subscribe to.
I enjoy yours the most .
Thanks for the kind compliment. I think we’re already in the Metaverse. Have you been around a 4 year old lately? You can get them to turn from the TV. It’s like the Poltergeist girl. If you aren’t familiar, here is the image:
https://elsaelsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/poltergeist-tv-poster.jpg
Regarding parents intervening, you can be charged with abuse in this day and age (and a lot more), if you try to interfere or impede your children’s progress down their path to doom.
I don’t agree re: astrology. It will be more like “57 Channels And Nothing On“. I mean, if it’s not yet, it will be. Real people with real stories and real faces will have not place in the Metaverse. It will be all misleading bullshit to distract you, waste your time and cause division.
Elsa, I completely agree. I think about this from an Astrological perspective, not a fantasy or political perspective. We live in a Universe which is made up of the Planets, stars, and galaxies etc. This is all called “matter.” Matter is 3-dimensional. But please consider this. Meta in Latin means “Beyond. And, “Verse” means to go forward. I interpret these to mean Tranmutation/Transit/Transcend. Now the only way I know that we can transcend is by love. So when we look at Venus in 2022 we find it is Retrograde in Capricorn-Wow! To me this means Saturn, the natural Ruler of Capricorn, will make Venus “focus” us on kindness caring and lovingness of ourselves and others. Saturn is strict but not unkind, she wants us to see/learn/examine–revisit open our eyes. So This may be the dawning of a “Metaverse;” A time where the power of love and loving energy comes to provide an energetic 4th dimension to allow us to move “beyond into a loving place.” Ok, maybe I am an optimist (Jupiter in Aeries) but I feel this in my Moon Child Sun and Rising.
It’s nice to meet an optimist!
I’ve watched a good deal of dystopian movies throughout the years, related to virtual reality/tech developments, and I read a lot on the subject. I have friends who have been gamers since 2000 and some never came to outgrow it in the slightest. Not to say that havent been able to have a life as well, but.
Last year I accidentally came across one particular movie that I immediately felt is like a preview to what is to come. It’s The Congress (2013) with Robin Wright. I fell asleep for maybe a 3rd of it, but then I forced myself to watch till the end as I could not believe they did this back in 2013. It made me sick to watch, literally, the last half hour. We are intended to become zombies, I guess, if we go along. Very depressing to say the least.
YesI agree ,we must not step on the train.
Addiction is not good.
How many addicts we know who have messed up their lives.
Addiction of any kind is hatd to get out of.
And there is always someone, taking you to it.
You might want to look at this:
https://elsaelsa.com/forum/astrology/predictive-programming-pluto-in-aquarius/
It’s a 2 minute clip from a movie called, “Early Warning – 1981”. Not one response so far. People don’t want to talk about this.
Oh My God!!!
This totally freaked me out.
Its insane
And people think the One World order is a conspiracy theory!!!!
Wtf !
This is so scary and eerily true.!!!
Start prepping folks , seriously.
They ALREADY have chips in Russia.
According to a website that talks about The Rise of the Anti Christ , predicted in the Bible.
There are conflicting ideas ,where he will come from.
Whether Turkey,or Russia.
But I think Russia.
Since microchipping is already activated there.
Yes Elsa you maybe right about the astrology part of it.
Much of thst Bullshit is still going on, even here on Indian channels on TV ,lots of hogwash.
However for the discerning there is still good content available.
And that will be true for just about anything.
Since we are talking virtuality how about Q or some kind of other computer generated antichrist?
‘”I think most people would be comfortable living in a 300 sq ft apartment if they have access to a 4000 sq ft apartment within the metaverse.”’
But it does not solve core issues such as poverty, wealth imbalance, housing shortages, food production, the environment, mental health, etc. It is a dissociation rather than facing and taking responsibility for problems. People will still be lonely and feeling empty, we need direct contact to love fully. This is one solution – avoidance, but there are other ways to align with. I think this will increase the sense of people choosing to live very different realities, with very different values. A split which is already present but is reaching further into our lives.
I will remember this comment about the faux reality vortex. Mostly I like your allusion to avoiding the real issues affecting people. The problems being ignored are really obvious, aren’t they. Ignoring the problems is convenient for do nothing people in positions, not so good for the folks suffering their lack of responsibility to do their jobs. But mostly what hit me is the dark destructive bent that seems to be so popular. That stuff reeks to mass unresolved personal issues, ie chips on shoulders. I will be looking at ‘constructive change’ with Saturn Uranus. Thanks for the new mantra.
Hi Notch ,no no there is no fear of anti christ or anything.
It was a response to the video Elsa posted whom nobody has seen i think..I am currently reading a wonderful book by Pam Grout ,a Course in Miracles,and rewiring your brain, forget everything you see on TV ,and expect Only the best outcomes.
I am only halfway through.
But hey ! So much what we thought was conspiracy is now actually happening.
Just saying.
We can choose Not to go down that road.
Yes I agree Christ consciousness,love and living in the Holy Spirit,is all we need not to harbor hate ,or propagate fear of the devil, which is mostly being done.
“#Shib has surpassed #Ethereum in Twitter followers!”
That’s a tweet. It can be put on everyone’s timeline. It will cause people to buy this Shib coin, probably in droves.
Now is this follower count, real? Probably not.
But it doesn’t matter because we’re in a metaverse already. It’s Pog. It’s Pokémon. Gotta Catch Them All!
Hey, Gang! Look here! Follow me!
This guy articulates what most of you are saying.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SmNTy1Vd5rc
He does a great job but this does not mean he’s real.
People are so transfixed, under a spell… Well, we already see it doesn’t matter. People smoke, drink, eat too much, wherever. We all do things we know are destructive.
Best option would be to ask God to lead you out of your mess, whatever it may look like.
At this point, my exposure to VR is limited to the field of architecture. As a designer, I’ve done a little bit of work in 3D CAD (computer-aided design) and it’s very powerful, but I still prefer 2D drawing for my work. I do use CAD, but I’ve learned most everything I know from my dad, who still designs houses with a pencil. He is 73 and in very high demand. At the other end of the spectrum, young architects are working every day to push the limits in VR. I think because they are indoctrinated by universities that say this is the way to progress democracy, to save the planet, to help people, etc. Personally I’m not attracted to virtual reality (but I do like the internet, and I recognize the friction there). However, I know there are probably more people who are attracted to VR, so in that sense its existence and proliferation is inevitable. I would guess that many of us will have the ability to opt-out up to a certain point, until it becomes ubiquitous and necessary for participation in society – just like smart phones. I like your approach, Elsa, that is “staying on the fringes,” because there are pockets of people and places that will exist in protest to this technology. And it’s clear that once you build your life around something like this, it would be very hard to exit. I see another mode of division and control evolving. I’m taking your advice and sending a prayer for all of us.
I like the internet as a tool. Explore astrology, plant and animal info, recipes, herbal research, events I might like to partake in, tracking covid. I can do without the bells and whistles. When I was doing online meetings I would not put my camera on. They wanted my picture on all email correspondence which I ignored. Everyone should have a Facebook page so everyone can see my personal life. I just said I could not do all that. So I guess the Meta character could shield from identity theft? Not that that happened to me or anything. What a friggin mess that was. Anyway, if Pluto in cap is destroying government, could Pluto in aq destroy technology? Nobody likes science anymore. The facts are not comfortable. Of course, Pluto in cap is not over yet, it could mean complete autocratic govt before it is over. I would miss living in a democracy.
I could get riled up by everyone’s online fear mongering, the meta verse as I see it. But that stuff is not happening on the ground in my life. I mean people plaster their front yards and houses with political garbage and mouth off about it but that’s as close as the meta verse gets. I think the internet can make people crazy. You are right. We should be focused on tending our own gardens.
”I like the internet as a tool. Explore astrology, plant and animal info, recipes, herbal research, events I might like to partake in, tracking covid. I can do without the bells and whistles. When I was doing online meetings I would not put my camera on. They wanted my picture on all email correspondence which I ignored. Everyone should have a Facebook page so everyone can see my personal life.[…] I just said I could not do all that. I think the internet can make people crazy. You are right. We should be focused on tending our own gardens.”
This so much!!! I agree with everything in this paragraph, very well said.
About pluto in aquarius I don’t know if we’ll see the destruction of technology. I have some suspicions started from my phone. Some years ago phones wouldn’t do that but now you can take a picture and the phone tries to assign your mood, for now it has sad, happy, neutral and surprised. What would it take to ‘read’ more into that. I have the queasy of neptune in aries aligned with pluto in aquarius and uranus in gemini because aries is a pioneering sign and it rules the face/ Brain. Thoughts /uranus gemini/ pluto aquarius- technology. I think technology will get even more intrusive and it won’t limit itself to spying, tracking and cookies for commercial purposes but it will put our real moods and thoughts ‘out there’ accessible to everyman in a database- aquarius. /But that’s my farfetched interpretation and I wish I was wrong and I probably am./ I don’t want to come with cognitive dissonance in here because as a kid I used to watch all the cartoons possible (and it did me good, aided in learning a second language, learned a lot of things not thought in school and so on), spend too much on the internet mainly listening to music and playing very few games and today Here I am as well, on the internet. I don’t loathe it, I use it based on my needs. But when I get tired I close my phone/laptop shut down and sleep or go water my plants. Being available 24/7 stunts sanity. It’s the choice that makes the difference. I don’t want to say those who will use metaverse don’t have a choice. It’s their call to make if they are happy that their avatar gets to have all the fun, good for them. I am more tactile and want to experience the fun for real. I just don’t see myself using it. It’s very simple.
so will I have to be in a cartoon world to access info via the internet? I am not sure what the goal is here? I think I shall be jettisoning off into my own reality on the ground. Hopefully I will still be able to do simple texts and phone calls. I don’t want to be a cartoon.
No thanks.
https://twitter.com/Meta/status/1456269728687689738
Delete Facebook. Hard NO to his Metaverse!
Why? It’s been proven many times over that certain actors on FB helped swing the 2016 election. They’ve since spread lies & disinformation about COVID, vaccines, the 2020 elections, and private groups planned the Jan 6th insurrection. 750,000 Americans have died from COVID; what % were unnecessary due to falling down the conspiracy theory ? ?? 50%?
There’s never been a company in the history of the world that’s had the power to spread propaganda, lies, and disinformation like FB has. They are evil. All he cares about is money; he doesn’t care if people live or die. He doesn’t care about small d democracy. Facebook’s own employees are revolting! I can no longer support that platform even ‘for family.’ Deleting before my birthday; gave fam notice to save pics they want.
Duh! I get it now. People send those people money for talking trash that supports the chips on their shoulders. They don’t have to work and do anything constructive, just talk trash to make money.
*I have deleted the off-topic political remarks.*
Okay, pi think I get what you are espousing now. A person can use astrological transits to convey their political bent because they relate it to the transits. I don’t know about using astrology as a weapon. Seems sacrilegious to me. It does however support my previous thinking against validating astrologers and astrology in mass culture. It would just be another tool to control the masses by telling them ‘the way they are and the way it is.’ All the awesome levels of experience would be negated. Anyhoo, good luck with it all.
i don’t trust Zuckerberg to implement with any sort of humanist perspective. i’d like to see more people with heart building the backbone of our digital interconnections…
Here is a picture of some yummy metaverse food.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FGP5yiqWQAUnIxy?format=jpg
Very good if you wish to lose weight!
New discussion here:
https://elsaelsa.com/forum/lounge/thoughts-on-the-metaverse/
I don’t know how I ended up on this thread, which is an example of the bizarre world of the Internet. I do appreciate technology. I’m not a luddite ~ but this new stuff really scares the shit out of me. Unreality.
It makes me think of the first scene in The Matrix where the guy is curled up in a fetal position in a pod and energy is being sucked out of him, but he is dreaming a pseudo reality where he is dreaming his life. This is the meta-verse.
No thank you!
Ps do you know how Zuckerberg said you won’t even have to type ~ it’ll be able to read your mind. Just think of the implications of that.