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Virtual Society: The Metaverse and the New Frontiers of Human Experience
“A fascinating, provocative case that the metaverse will not merely transform our virtual experience—it may actually enrich the quality of our lives” (Adam Grant)—from the visionary co-founder of one of today’s most innovative technology companies
“This important book offers a highly persuasive argument that the metaverse, a new kind of virtual world, marks a profound next stage in this long human quest for fulfillment through creation.”—Chris Anderson, head of TED
The concept of “the metaverse” has exploded in the public consciousness, but its contours remain elusive. Is it merely an immersive virtual reality playground, one that Facebook and other platforms will angle to control? Is it simply the next generation of massive multiplayer online games? Or is it something more revolutionary?
As pioneering technologist Herman Narula shows, the metaverse is the latest manifestation of an ancient human the act of worldbuilding. From the Egyptians, whose conception of death inspired them to build the pyramids, to modern-day sports fans, whose passion for a game inspires extreme behavior, humans have long sought to supplement their day-to-day lives with a rich diversity of alternative experiences.
Rooting his vision in history and psychology, Narula argues that humans’ intrinsic need for autonomy, accomplishment, and connection can best be met in virtual “worlds of ideas,” where users have the chance to create and exchange meaning and value. The metaverse is both the growing set of fulfilling digital experiences—ranging from advanced gaming to concerts and other entertainment events and even to virtual employment—and the empowering framework that allows these spaces to become “networks of useful meaning.”
Bloomberg Intelligence recently predicted that the metaverse will become an $800 billon industry by 2024. But its implications, argues Narula, will lead to far more awe-inspiring possibilities than a spigot of cash. The arrival of the metaverse marks the beginning of a new age of exploration—not outward, but inward—with the potential to reshape society and open the door to a new understanding of the human species and its capabilities.
Rigorously researched and passionately argued, Virtual Society is a provocative and essential guide for anyone who wants to go beyond superficial headlines to understand the true contours and potential of our virtual future.
“This important book offers a highly persuasive argument that the metaverse, a new kind of virtual world, marks a profound next stage in this long human quest for fulfillment through creation.”—Chris Anderson, head of TED
The concept of “the metaverse” has exploded in the public consciousness, but its contours remain elusive. Is it merely an immersive virtual reality playground, one that Facebook and other platforms will angle to control? Is it simply the next generation of massive multiplayer online games? Or is it something more revolutionary?
As pioneering technologist Herman Narula shows, the metaverse is the latest manifestation of an ancient human the act of worldbuilding. From the Egyptians, whose conception of death inspired them to build the pyramids, to modern-day sports fans, whose passion for a game inspires extreme behavior, humans have long sought to supplement their day-to-day lives with a rich diversity of alternative experiences.
Rooting his vision in history and psychology, Narula argues that humans’ intrinsic need for autonomy, accomplishment, and connection can best be met in virtual “worlds of ideas,” where users have the chance to create and exchange meaning and value. The metaverse is both the growing set of fulfilling digital experiences—ranging from advanced gaming to concerts and other entertainment events and even to virtual employment—and the empowering framework that allows these spaces to become “networks of useful meaning.”
Bloomberg Intelligence recently predicted that the metaverse will become an $800 billon industry by 2024. But its implications, argues Narula, will lead to far more awe-inspiring possibilities than a spigot of cash. The arrival of the metaverse marks the beginning of a new age of exploration—not outward, but inward—with the potential to reshape society and open the door to a new understanding of the human species and its capabilities.
Rigorously researched and passionately argued, Virtual Society is a provocative and essential guide for anyone who wants to go beyond superficial headlines to understand the true contours and potential of our virtual future.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published October 11, 2022
67 people are currently reading
2479 people want to read
About the author
Herman Narula
1 book14 followersHerman Narula is the co-founder and CEO of Improbable, a London-based technology company. He holds a computer science degree from Cambridge. He’s interested in the unprecedented impact that powerful virtual worlds have on how we think, play, and make decisions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 17, 2023
First off, I'd like to note that there's something rather frustrating about the author constantly plugging the company he works for.
One of my major issues with Narula's argument is that he seems too deep in Silicon Valley thinking to realize his blindspots. Replacing a meritocracy with another system of many potential meritocracies that feel great (emphasis on the feeling, not the actuality) for the users seems to be missing the point of the whole discussion the author is trying to make about how VR could uplift humanity beyond late-stage Capitalism. Although perhaps I should (eventually) revisit certain chapters and make sure I didn't just get lost in this book's overly optimistic sauce. Early on the author even mentions that he thinks it's positive that a metaverse would allow for militaries to carry out even more effective campaigns, which is...worrisome.
Also, Roblox should be no one's model for a digital economy. They literally exploit kids as well anyone else who participates in their fucked up marketplace. And a lot of our present economic woes come from the assumption the author makes that because people participate in digital monetization schemes, that means the value set for the items is correct. A lot of the price points are forced by current companies and corporations because they feel entitled to pass the costs of their business increasingly onto users. And I'm not surprised that a silicon valley innovator would take the same tack that companies like EA and others have done regarding pay schemes that no one asked for (ie. live service games and loot boxes).
https://youtu.be/_gXlauRB1EQ <-- Watch this and the second linked video if you think I'm kidding about Roblox. They even tried to threaten this video essay channel into silence.
https://youtu.be/vTMF6xEiAaY
Minecraft and its community has gotten better over the years, but it was created by a bigot. Not sure why Narula thought that this game's metaverse was a good example of how future metaversal spaces and markets could be built. There have been some good things to come out of Minecraft's community for sure, but I'm not sure it's the best example to choose.
https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/...
Using the tired allergory of the cave to explain why people are adverse to metaversal change feels insulting. People aren't just fearing change, they're fearing bad actors forcing change upon them whether they want it or not. I think there's some really interesting potential in some concepts of advanced VR, NFTs, and the like. But so far all I've seen evidence for with these silicon valley types pushing them is more ways to exploit users and consumers via loopholes no one in policymaking seems savvy (or willing) enough to find ways to regulate in an ethical manner.
Have you ever watched Psycho Pass? If not, the speculative (and well-researched) society depicted by that series is heavily metaversal and users often believe they're living optimized lives, when in fact they've been optimized to the point of eugenics and had their law system become gamified in a Minority Report sense. There is a lot of discussion about how this system could be positive if it wasn't so extreme, but the reforms take ages because the computers running the major societies have deemed people unable to find a better solution. While I know this anime and its discussion is a speculation on the dystopic version of a metaverse, I find it odd that the discussion happens to be more nuanced than Narula's take. Especially since he seems to think one of the highlights of a metaverse is that it will be good for military strategists.
As a last minor but significant note, there's little to no mention of existing metaverses like VR chat. Seems amiss considering there's a lot of interesting and complex discourse to analyze on this front.
I'm not adverse to change, but I do think this book is close to being unrealistically utopian in tone and not nearly as sincere as it lets on.
One of my major issues with Narula's argument is that he seems too deep in Silicon Valley thinking to realize his blindspots. Replacing a meritocracy with another system of many potential meritocracies that feel great (emphasis on the feeling, not the actuality) for the users seems to be missing the point of the whole discussion the author is trying to make about how VR could uplift humanity beyond late-stage Capitalism. Although perhaps I should (eventually) revisit certain chapters and make sure I didn't just get lost in this book's overly optimistic sauce. Early on the author even mentions that he thinks it's positive that a metaverse would allow for militaries to carry out even more effective campaigns, which is...worrisome.
Also, Roblox should be no one's model for a digital economy. They literally exploit kids as well anyone else who participates in their fucked up marketplace. And a lot of our present economic woes come from the assumption the author makes that because people participate in digital monetization schemes, that means the value set for the items is correct. A lot of the price points are forced by current companies and corporations because they feel entitled to pass the costs of their business increasingly onto users. And I'm not surprised that a silicon valley innovator would take the same tack that companies like EA and others have done regarding pay schemes that no one asked for (ie. live service games and loot boxes).
https://youtu.be/_gXlauRB1EQ <-- Watch this and the second linked video if you think I'm kidding about Roblox. They even tried to threaten this video essay channel into silence.
https://youtu.be/vTMF6xEiAaY
Minecraft and its community has gotten better over the years, but it was created by a bigot. Not sure why Narula thought that this game's metaverse was a good example of how future metaversal spaces and markets could be built. There have been some good things to come out of Minecraft's community for sure, but I'm not sure it's the best example to choose.
https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/...
Using the tired allergory of the cave to explain why people are adverse to metaversal change feels insulting. People aren't just fearing change, they're fearing bad actors forcing change upon them whether they want it or not. I think there's some really interesting potential in some concepts of advanced VR, NFTs, and the like. But so far all I've seen evidence for with these silicon valley types pushing them is more ways to exploit users and consumers via loopholes no one in policymaking seems savvy (or willing) enough to find ways to regulate in an ethical manner.
Have you ever watched Psycho Pass? If not, the speculative (and well-researched) society depicted by that series is heavily metaversal and users often believe they're living optimized lives, when in fact they've been optimized to the point of eugenics and had their law system become gamified in a Minority Report sense. There is a lot of discussion about how this system could be positive if it wasn't so extreme, but the reforms take ages because the computers running the major societies have deemed people unable to find a better solution. While I know this anime and its discussion is a speculation on the dystopic version of a metaverse, I find it odd that the discussion happens to be more nuanced than Narula's take. Especially since he seems to think one of the highlights of a metaverse is that it will be good for military strategists.
As a last minor but significant note, there's little to no mention of existing metaverses like VR chat. Seems amiss considering there's a lot of interesting and complex discourse to analyze on this front.
I'm not adverse to change, but I do think this book is close to being unrealistically utopian in tone and not nearly as sincere as it lets on.
January 17, 2023
Herman Narula attempts to present a coherent argument in favor of the metaverse and offer a framework for where to start.
Narula condenses a lot of information, theory, research, and ideas into less than 250 pages. This approach is likely to be helpful and interesting for readers who want a high-level look at the emerging idea of a metaverse. However, it offers little in the way of coherent and concrete explanations for what exactly has been achieved in building the infrastructure to support a large-scale metaverse.
The first half of Virtual Society feels mostly like a hit piece on Facebook (and other large “tech” companies). Don’t get me wrong, I agree with Narula’s assessment of these corporations that profit directly off of selling user data, but the author’s redundancy in his hatred of Facebook’s poor understanding of the metaverse is not dissimilar to a Medieval citizen being shamed in the stocks. We get it. Zuckerberg sucks. We knew that already!
Narula offers interesting ideas to help shape reader’s understanding of virtual worlds, both modern and ancient. Unfortunately, the bridge between the “virtual world” of the Great Pyramids of Egypt and the virtual worlds we access today via video games and VR headsets is shaky at best.
Most frustrating is the author’s inherent contradictions. Throughout the book Narula touts relatedness as one of the defining factors that we should consider when establishing the framework on which the metaverse will exist. Sounds great, but by the end of the book, Narula is explaining the inevitable “fragmentation” of our society and new divisions that will exist between worlds within the metaverse. There are a bevy of similar contradictory ideas presented in this book.
I can appreciate the intent behind Virtual Society, but it ultimately feels like an idealist, utopian plan meant for a world that is inherently selfish. It would be great if such a metaverse—one that prioritizes fulfillment and connection over profit—could exist. But, I believe that what actually happens will fall far short of Narula’s ideas.
Narula condenses a lot of information, theory, research, and ideas into less than 250 pages. This approach is likely to be helpful and interesting for readers who want a high-level look at the emerging idea of a metaverse. However, it offers little in the way of coherent and concrete explanations for what exactly has been achieved in building the infrastructure to support a large-scale metaverse.
The first half of Virtual Society feels mostly like a hit piece on Facebook (and other large “tech” companies). Don’t get me wrong, I agree with Narula’s assessment of these corporations that profit directly off of selling user data, but the author’s redundancy in his hatred of Facebook’s poor understanding of the metaverse is not dissimilar to a Medieval citizen being shamed in the stocks. We get it. Zuckerberg sucks. We knew that already!
Narula offers interesting ideas to help shape reader’s understanding of virtual worlds, both modern and ancient. Unfortunately, the bridge between the “virtual world” of the Great Pyramids of Egypt and the virtual worlds we access today via video games and VR headsets is shaky at best.
Most frustrating is the author’s inherent contradictions. Throughout the book Narula touts relatedness as one of the defining factors that we should consider when establishing the framework on which the metaverse will exist. Sounds great, but by the end of the book, Narula is explaining the inevitable “fragmentation” of our society and new divisions that will exist between worlds within the metaverse. There are a bevy of similar contradictory ideas presented in this book.
I can appreciate the intent behind Virtual Society, but it ultimately feels like an idealist, utopian plan meant for a world that is inherently selfish. It would be great if such a metaverse—one that prioritizes fulfillment and connection over profit—could exist. But, I believe that what actually happens will fall far short of Narula’s ideas.
July 26, 2022
This was such an interesting and informative read on the extensive issues brought forth with the development and use of the metaverse. I learned so much about how important it is to define what exactly a metaverse is, and how we can relate and evolve ourselves into this world. I loved reading about all the issues and complications involved but also how hopeful the author remains about the future going forward. I couldn’t help but feel like the overall flow of the book felt so much like a TedTalk. His points were very clear, very thought out and easy to follow. I would recommend to anyone with a tech background but also to those without, who are maybe just interested in learning more about the Metaverse, and our future as human beings. Great read!
January 23, 2023
For the most part this book seemed just like a plug for Narula's business, a manifesto of sorts to sell the idea of the metaverse to a wider public. The last chapter on speciation however veered into non-sensical and frankly dangerous hubris about how humans will evolve into the metaverse, say goodbye to the "real world", and how we should be planning for this eventuality already now. This concept raises a plethora of questions (who is controlling the infrastructure of the metaverse, where does this infrastructure exist, will human consciousness live on for ever, will we stop having children, is that really fulfilling, etc) none of which Narula addresses.
Throughout the book Narula talks very vaguely (in typical Silicon Valley lingo) about "value-transfers" and "meaning", without any perception of what most people find valuable or meaningful. He seems to think playing video games non-stop in a virtual reality is some kind of utopia, and maybe it is for him, for the rest of us not so much. The only parts of the book that made any kinds of sense were the parts that did not directly relate to the concept of the metaverse, when explaining imagined realities within human history or explaining the problems with the current version of the internet for example, and these topics are covered much better in other works. If people like Narula are the ones who will design our future realities it seems more of a dystopia than utopia.
Throughout the book Narula talks very vaguely (in typical Silicon Valley lingo) about "value-transfers" and "meaning", without any perception of what most people find valuable or meaningful. He seems to think playing video games non-stop in a virtual reality is some kind of utopia, and maybe it is for him, for the rest of us not so much. The only parts of the book that made any kinds of sense were the parts that did not directly relate to the concept of the metaverse, when explaining imagined realities within human history or explaining the problems with the current version of the internet for example, and these topics are covered much better in other works. If people like Narula are the ones who will design our future realities it seems more of a dystopia than utopia.
March 28, 2023
Tackles the what, why, and how of creating interconnected alternate realities. Dodges cryptobro nonsense. I am in heaven.
October 14, 2022
important and fascinating
The author provides a careful and thoughtful analysis of what the metaverse may become - going way beyond the premise of it being just a vast number of interlinked virtual reality games and spaces - and providing some historical/cultural background. The myth of Heaven/Paradise in many religious traditions seen as an early metaverse structure. As a child I used to wonder. Ok I’m here. I made it. So what do I actually do each day. Forever! Well …
Networks of meaning and relationships. A look at the roles of work and leisure. Creativity. Knowledge and understanding. Determinants of value. Goals and ends. Ultimately anything you want. In realities specifically designed to enhance one’s capabilities.
And Glimpsing further on the far future where base reality is just that. Base. Merely The hardware level. Rarely experienced. No need. Just Energetics and maintenance. And we live and exist in the metaverse, or metaverses, expanding endlessly, more real than ‘real’. I can’t wait, but this full form might be too far in the future for most of us. In the meantime, small steps in the right direction will have to be enough.
The author provides a careful and thoughtful analysis of what the metaverse may become - going way beyond the premise of it being just a vast number of interlinked virtual reality games and spaces - and providing some historical/cultural background. The myth of Heaven/Paradise in many religious traditions seen as an early metaverse structure. As a child I used to wonder. Ok I’m here. I made it. So what do I actually do each day. Forever! Well …
Networks of meaning and relationships. A look at the roles of work and leisure. Creativity. Knowledge and understanding. Determinants of value. Goals and ends. Ultimately anything you want. In realities specifically designed to enhance one’s capabilities.
And Glimpsing further on the far future where base reality is just that. Base. Merely The hardware level. Rarely experienced. No need. Just Energetics and maintenance. And we live and exist in the metaverse, or metaverses, expanding endlessly, more real than ‘real’. I can’t wait, but this full form might be too far in the future for most of us. In the meantime, small steps in the right direction will have to be enough.
January 25, 2023
This book was written well enough to keep me interested, but the metaverse as the author presents it is a terrifying thing that would absolutely disconnect people from the real world, which he attempts to say would be somehow less real than the virtual worlds of the metaverse. A dismissing of what it means for humanity to live in physical connection with each other and the natural world should raise serious alarms as it relates to any future we move toward technologically.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2022
Herman Narula makes an interesting case on the future of society and the internet. His approach is a journey through history to the present, at times in a spiritual way but mostly in a factual manner which makes a clear case there the future of humanity will contain a version of the Metaverse, even if we may call it by different names when it is finally here. His case is hopeful in a sense that he believes the future of the Metaverse will not end up in the hands of a few conglomerates solely pursuing financial profits. On that, I am not so sure about, but certainly a great book to get the conversation started and make you think about the future.
November 1, 2022
Honestamente, no pude pasar del segundo capítulo. No es más que un repaso grandilocuente de lugares comunes y filosofía barata.
December 9, 2024
The author does admit that he runs a company which works in the metasphere development area. He mentions it several times in fact. He starts with a chapter on primitive idealised other worlds, like pyramid building for the afterlife and Plato's cave in which the dwellers can't see outside, just imagine the view. He references these, and football fans, many times throughout the book, perhaps so he doesn't offend anyone from the major denominations. The author also keeps on telling us what he'll be telling us about in chapter 8 or 11. If the repetition was removed the book would be a quarter shorter.
I found the regular reminders that the metasphere would give jobs, creative ones, both optimistic and somewhat patronising. We do get told that mechanisation and digitisation are removing jobs and actions from jobs. That's the part you need to read and believe. There are frequent references to 'b.s. jobs' in today's economy, but no explanation of why metaverse jobs would be any better. Coding for new tablecloths in virtual restaurants would get tiring. If we do partake of games for exploration, fun and intrinsic reward, I still don't see that everyone playing a game needs to do it in a MMORG or needs to buy a glowing sword. We don't all need to show off. Taking college classes during lockdown would be much more useful.
The author wants to be able to go to a virtual bar and talk to the same bartender at any time, while drinking at home. That would be an AI bartender, I hate to tell him. How else could it be there for every person all the time?
People who haven't read as much about the metasphere in fact and fiction as I have will learn more from this book, I mainly learned the names of games I haven't played and don't wish to play. The author discusses current hardware limitations. I recommend reading elsewhere to find out how computers are becoming more powerful to render these worlds - Mo Gawdat explains about GPUs and AI development, and Frank Pasquale about black box processing issues regarding customer data and selling of same.
Fiction works the author references, include The Matrix, Snow Crash, Ready Player One, Neuromancer, Star Trek's holodeck. But he doesn't quite get them. He says the holodeck use is surprising in a ship that can wander between planets. Does this man know how long space travel takes? The holodeck is for recreation on the lengthy voyages through an unfeeling void. People live busy and working lives in Snow Crash, outside the metaverse, which some go to for work, some for play, some for anonymous meetings. In Ready Player One we can see the answer to a query near the end of this book, which is, if people are working creatively online, who is going to cover their pay and benefits? The individual workers will all be self employed, just as AirB&B has no hotels and Uber has no taxis. People will earn what they can earn in a society which increasingly expects online goods for free.
Notes start p. 241. Index p.249.
I read this book from the library. This is an unbiased review.
I found the regular reminders that the metasphere would give jobs, creative ones, both optimistic and somewhat patronising. We do get told that mechanisation and digitisation are removing jobs and actions from jobs. That's the part you need to read and believe. There are frequent references to 'b.s. jobs' in today's economy, but no explanation of why metaverse jobs would be any better. Coding for new tablecloths in virtual restaurants would get tiring. If we do partake of games for exploration, fun and intrinsic reward, I still don't see that everyone playing a game needs to do it in a MMORG or needs to buy a glowing sword. We don't all need to show off. Taking college classes during lockdown would be much more useful.
The author wants to be able to go to a virtual bar and talk to the same bartender at any time, while drinking at home. That would be an AI bartender, I hate to tell him. How else could it be there for every person all the time?
People who haven't read as much about the metasphere in fact and fiction as I have will learn more from this book, I mainly learned the names of games I haven't played and don't wish to play. The author discusses current hardware limitations. I recommend reading elsewhere to find out how computers are becoming more powerful to render these worlds - Mo Gawdat explains about GPUs and AI development, and Frank Pasquale about black box processing issues regarding customer data and selling of same.
Fiction works the author references, include The Matrix, Snow Crash, Ready Player One, Neuromancer, Star Trek's holodeck. But he doesn't quite get them. He says the holodeck use is surprising in a ship that can wander between planets. Does this man know how long space travel takes? The holodeck is for recreation on the lengthy voyages through an unfeeling void. People live busy and working lives in Snow Crash, outside the metaverse, which some go to for work, some for play, some for anonymous meetings. In Ready Player One we can see the answer to a query near the end of this book, which is, if people are working creatively online, who is going to cover their pay and benefits? The individual workers will all be self employed, just as AirB&B has no hotels and Uber has no taxis. People will earn what they can earn in a society which increasingly expects online goods for free.
Notes start p. 241. Index p.249.
I read this book from the library. This is an unbiased review.
January 3, 2023
I've been so interested in the Metaverse but was curious about how it is truly defined. In the book Virtual Society, Narula takes a declarative stance on solving the metaverse industry’s most pressing problem: defining the metaverse.
His book implores builders, developers, and the general public to define the metaverse not in terms of a “new internet” but as the interconnection of digital virtual and “real” worlds (emphasis on air quotes as the experience in a virtual world is still very much real) which enhance the human experience with the sole purpose of creating greater equality through human fulfillment. This is to say that a metaverse that is owned by a company that controls the data and extracts utility or capital from users in a digital space with very little reciprocal return either by design or default is not a metaverse at all; it’s simply one of many possible virtual worlds.
Our society can “dream” of other worlds very effectively, but those worlds remain only as fantasy or an escape because there is no substantive network of meaning linking those worlds and our own. People may enjoy World of Warcraft, but it isn’t part of society in any meaningful sense keeping it as a lower level of virtual society. A higher level of virtual society is where we can see ourselves going over the next few decades of development. This is the key difference between these lower levels of virtual societies and higher levels. A society might have many complex virtual worlds, but those worlds are not seen as central to the economic life of the real world. A higher level of virtual society occurs when a large number of people can tangibly travel to a simulated or constructed reality and live there literally. However, we must all have a shared understanding of exactly why these other worlds will be worthwhile. We would need to build and move forward with shared premises, and those premises must be strong enough to create buy-in that will last through generations.
This book unlocked the Metaverse in a completely new and refreshing way for me. Narula is a verbose and intellectual writer, which requires patience to understand or appreciate. Whether you believe the metaverse is real or hype, this book gives you food for thought. Maybe it is just a fad, but Narula makes a convincing argument that the Metaverse, like cryptocurrencies, is here to stay.
His book implores builders, developers, and the general public to define the metaverse not in terms of a “new internet” but as the interconnection of digital virtual and “real” worlds (emphasis on air quotes as the experience in a virtual world is still very much real) which enhance the human experience with the sole purpose of creating greater equality through human fulfillment. This is to say that a metaverse that is owned by a company that controls the data and extracts utility or capital from users in a digital space with very little reciprocal return either by design or default is not a metaverse at all; it’s simply one of many possible virtual worlds.
Our society can “dream” of other worlds very effectively, but those worlds remain only as fantasy or an escape because there is no substantive network of meaning linking those worlds and our own. People may enjoy World of Warcraft, but it isn’t part of society in any meaningful sense keeping it as a lower level of virtual society. A higher level of virtual society is where we can see ourselves going over the next few decades of development. This is the key difference between these lower levels of virtual societies and higher levels. A society might have many complex virtual worlds, but those worlds are not seen as central to the economic life of the real world. A higher level of virtual society occurs when a large number of people can tangibly travel to a simulated or constructed reality and live there literally. However, we must all have a shared understanding of exactly why these other worlds will be worthwhile. We would need to build and move forward with shared premises, and those premises must be strong enough to create buy-in that will last through generations.
This book unlocked the Metaverse in a completely new and refreshing way for me. Narula is a verbose and intellectual writer, which requires patience to understand or appreciate. Whether you believe the metaverse is real or hype, this book gives you food for thought. Maybe it is just a fad, but Narula makes a convincing argument that the Metaverse, like cryptocurrencies, is here to stay.
Read
January 6, 2023The author, Herman Narula is co-founder and CEO of Improbable Worlds Limited, a virtual world building company (started in 2012) used by game developers as well as defense agencies.
Narula defines the "metaverse" as more than virtual worlds that can be interacted with a 3D avatars. Instead we need to know why we are building what we are building. He focused on a why that creates social, psychological and economic value for the users and the world.
A Virtual society that enhances our lives on earth. He sees it as a place where large groups of people can come together to create meaningful and valuable interactions - for example, a group of fans or people making a decision together where they couldn't have done so before. The metaverse is the extension of our society. The book takes us on a journey from early history and now - making a case that humans have always created worlds and the metaverse is another example of this. He does share some vision of a "post-human" world, where human/computer are fused and we can "process information directly delivered to your mind and we can transcend our bodies", but yet he remains hopeful for how the metaverse can better mankind.
This was one I struggled with reading and rating. In fact it took me two weekends to really finish. I agree with some of the points that Narula makes. I agree that humans can not be fully productive if we don't take care of our own needs for autonomy, purpose and mastery. But I disagree with Narula in that I don't see those needs being fully or best met through participation in virtual society. That said, Narula does shows himself to be visionary and even if his ultimate vision for a post human virtual society was horrifying to me, the book is thought provoking, well researched and worth reading.
Narula defines the "metaverse" as more than virtual worlds that can be interacted with a 3D avatars. Instead we need to know why we are building what we are building. He focused on a why that creates social, psychological and economic value for the users and the world.
A Virtual society that enhances our lives on earth. He sees it as a place where large groups of people can come together to create meaningful and valuable interactions - for example, a group of fans or people making a decision together where they couldn't have done so before. The metaverse is the extension of our society. The book takes us on a journey from early history and now - making a case that humans have always created worlds and the metaverse is another example of this. He does share some vision of a "post-human" world, where human/computer are fused and we can "process information directly delivered to your mind and we can transcend our bodies", but yet he remains hopeful for how the metaverse can better mankind.
This was one I struggled with reading and rating. In fact it took me two weekends to really finish. I agree with some of the points that Narula makes. I agree that humans can not be fully productive if we don't take care of our own needs for autonomy, purpose and mastery. But I disagree with Narula in that I don't see those needs being fully or best met through participation in virtual society. That said, Narula does shows himself to be visionary and even if his ultimate vision for a post human virtual society was horrifying to me, the book is thought provoking, well researched and worth reading.
April 2, 2023
The future world would be Meta, and are we prepared? Accepting or rejecting it? These are the questions that I asked myself more as I read this book. The inner resistance is from the core that I know little about it. As the author attempted too, try to explain what the Metaverse is and is not. It is not just another virtual world online, but a combination of worlds, that is connected, linked and creates real value and meaning for those who are in it. Value and meaning, not just to an individual, but on a society level. Pause once more, what is one thing that has meaning and value in this reality to most if not all beings? Money was my first answer. So is money, or its equivalent going to be what is in this new universe? Though I can't forget one of an important reminder, that values varies from one person to next, and often value is given become someone gives it a value.
Nevertheless, the author did give me a reminder using the caveman analogy; step out and live beyond my cave. Not to let what I do not know "kill" me, via isolation and exclusion. Any understanding and knowledge I have is limited by my exposure, willingness and courage to learn. Fear not the future, just be aware of the upward trend it is heading.
Nevertheless, the author did give me a reminder using the caveman analogy; step out and live beyond my cave. Not to let what I do not know "kill" me, via isolation and exclusion. Any understanding and knowledge I have is limited by my exposure, willingness and courage to learn. Fear not the future, just be aware of the upward trend it is heading.
January 28, 2023
Mr. Narula, has consolidated different arguments starting from the historic references, for claiming the importance of Metaverse, to philosophical as well as economical questions that arises in present real world and how Metaverse will be possibly solve it.
The book is underwhelming and the text will seem very repetitive, for a vision is being sold from a high-level perspective with lesser research citations or even examples per say. A lot of the times the test even fails to address the irony a reader would draw when comparing "violent" games with the Metaverse and the possible use of Metaverse in the future to have intrinsic value. Another example of contradiction in Author's ideas is that virtual worlds will be more relevant to more audience which will eventually bring value to the table, however the Author is conflicted when he presents that predictions of fragmentation in virtual worlds by the end of the book.
Also, the regular use of advertising about his own company in midst the text was tad cringe worthy. The book is too vague to draw any value and could be skipped if you happen to have watched author's Ted Talk itself.
The book is underwhelming and the text will seem very repetitive, for a vision is being sold from a high-level perspective with lesser research citations or even examples per say. A lot of the times the test even fails to address the irony a reader would draw when comparing "violent" games with the Metaverse and the possible use of Metaverse in the future to have intrinsic value. Another example of contradiction in Author's ideas is that virtual worlds will be more relevant to more audience which will eventually bring value to the table, however the Author is conflicted when he presents that predictions of fragmentation in virtual worlds by the end of the book.
Also, the regular use of advertising about his own company in midst the text was tad cringe worthy. The book is too vague to draw any value and could be skipped if you happen to have watched author's Ted Talk itself.
April 29, 2023
This book was largely incoherent, techno-utopian, and many times contradictory. The author obviously hates Big Tech because he wants to replace them with his own company. In many ways his “vision” is not any different from the tech founders he ridicules. There are many parts of the book written in vague, broad language. He keeps saying how his virtual world is different from online games, and yet all throughout the book he uses gaming examples to illustrate his point and describe his version of a virtual society. His idea of “fulfillment” as the overall purpose of a virtual society is silly and superficial, without any discussion of economic and social class. His points about regulation are short-sighted and generalized with no discussion of how governments are as much capable of human rights violations as the Big Tech he despises. His whole solution about virtual labor sounds fake especially when he doesn’t even discuss the global political economy and market conditions that enable exploitation of workers, especially in developing countries. This book is a shallow attempt by a wanna-be elon musk at philosophizing what actually is a sales pitch for his own company.
November 17, 2024
If you’re into video games and you liked the Matrix, you might enjoy this book: Virtual Society by Herman Narula. The author lays out the steps that he sees society taking towards transitioning into life in the metaverse. He presents his utopian version as we leave behind our bullshit jobs in a boring real world to transition over to the exciting virtual worlds of the metaverse. The author is a hard-core video gaming enthusiast and completely geeks out as he explains his vision towards transhumanism. We hear about the Matrix, Star Trek’s holodeck technology and various definitions of the metaverse and how we will supposedly be living there.
The book is interesting at times although it mostly feels like magical, wishful thinking or unbridled utopian optimism. This guy clearly has been (over) thinking about the subject and I get his enthusiasm. The book feels like pure escapism from our drab day-to-day living. Buckle up and enjoy the metaverse.
The book is interesting at times although it mostly feels like magical, wishful thinking or unbridled utopian optimism. This guy clearly has been (over) thinking about the subject and I get his enthusiasm. The book feels like pure escapism from our drab day-to-day living. Buckle up and enjoy the metaverse.
February 26, 2023
This book really didn't deliver. First off, it didn't properly explain what the metaverse even is, and comparing it to ancient societies's afterlives doesn't do much to clarify the issue.
I did like the author's critique of capitalist emphasis on workplace productivity as a means to personal fulfillment. I'd read a whole book just on that. But being able to go to a virtual pub after work doesn't really seem like a solution to me.
My real issue here is that at no point does Narula even mention the IRL labour that will be required to run the metaverse: harnessing electricity, mining rare earth minerals, physically assembling all the gadgets and gizmos - who's going to be doing all that? Are we as concerned with their fulfilment as we are with the tech entrepreneurs who are taking away our headphone jacks and laptop CD drives? Give me a break.
I did like the author's critique of capitalist emphasis on workplace productivity as a means to personal fulfillment. I'd read a whole book just on that. But being able to go to a virtual pub after work doesn't really seem like a solution to me.
My real issue here is that at no point does Narula even mention the IRL labour that will be required to run the metaverse: harnessing electricity, mining rare earth minerals, physically assembling all the gadgets and gizmos - who's going to be doing all that? Are we as concerned with their fulfilment as we are with the tech entrepreneurs who are taking away our headphone jacks and laptop CD drives? Give me a break.
August 26, 2023
I cannot begin to describe how frustrating it was to read this book. The author sure has a grandiose ambition and vivid imagination, what he doesn't have, unfortunately, is an ability to tackle problems in a manner befitting a (checks the book,) metaverse designer.
The idea of a virtual metaverse is, frankly, unappealing. Despite the author sketching out a near impossible dream of merging the physical and metaversal realities together and putting several strict and innovative protocols in place, he fails to do the one thing which might successfully sway the reader:
Provide a working example of his vision.
I think an ongoing example of how exactly humankind will derive meaning from a metaverse existence would do so much more than constant repetitions of fantastic ideas and harking back to ancient societies.
So... ancient Egypt had a metaverse?
The idea of a virtual metaverse is, frankly, unappealing. Despite the author sketching out a near impossible dream of merging the physical and metaversal realities together and putting several strict and innovative protocols in place, he fails to do the one thing which might successfully sway the reader:
Provide a working example of his vision.
I think an ongoing example of how exactly humankind will derive meaning from a metaverse existence would do so much more than constant repetitions of fantastic ideas and harking back to ancient societies.
So... ancient Egypt had a metaverse?
December 15, 2022
Short story is, this book is good, and you should read it - it will make you think about metaverses differently.
I've reached for this book to gain perspective on what metaverse is outside the hype from Meta and Mark Zuckerberg. One thing I can say about it is that it made me think about metaverses differently, and maybe differently about the world in general.
One piece of advice I can give for people reading the book is - think about its contents in context of recent advancements in AI (self-driving cards, ChatGPT, Github Copilot). These have the potential to replace jobs and other activities that helped people find fulfilment (creating art for example). What will we do when these are gone?
I've reached for this book to gain perspective on what metaverse is outside the hype from Meta and Mark Zuckerberg. One thing I can say about it is that it made me think about metaverses differently, and maybe differently about the world in general.
One piece of advice I can give for people reading the book is - think about its contents in context of recent advancements in AI (self-driving cards, ChatGPT, Github Copilot). These have the potential to replace jobs and other activities that helped people find fulfilment (creating art for example). What will we do when these are gone?
November 20, 2022
The author takes us on a remarkable journey, framing the metaverse in the context on mankind’s imagination and bringing us back to the earliest civilisations before offering an interesting and well researched vision of the metaverse both in terms of definition and scope. I have to confess that the author lost me a bit towards the end in talking about speciation as it seems that the technological leap required to bring some of the author’s visions to life would take several generations to accomplish and is fiendishly hard to predict. However, a must read for anyone interested in the subject.
January 22, 2023
This book was fascinating, weird and annoying all in one. Narula is an academic so it was a bit of a slog to understand at some points. I like to think I’m smart but I had to look up words several times. It was overly academic. Just say it in normal language, Narula! I also couldn’t help but continually ask, “and why would we want to live this way?” His premise is that the best future meta verse will be one that provides fulfillment, then tries to explain what that could look like. The idea sounds promising but in the end I will stick with the real world, even if he thinks it’s “limited.”
February 15, 2023
“Virtual Society” by Herman Narula is a great, non-technical, introduction to the Metaverse and the impact it will make on society. Herman is a gamer, and I am not, so he approaches this from a gaming point of view. The fact I’m not a gamer is great because he gives a different perspective and a different lens on the world of virtual words. One of the arguments that Herman puts forward is the fact that, as humans, we have always had or craved virtual words. He also shines a light into the future and how virtual words will impact us.
March 26, 2024
Cryptobro miliarder z Silicon Valley próbuje ci sprzedać swoją wizję świata w której wszyscy spędzamy cały czas wolny w VR Chacie, ale takim jego, żeby mógł przy okazji zarobić. Bardzo próbuję nas namówić w swoim 250-stronowym TED Talku, że świat idealny to taki w którym CEO tacy jak on mają pełną kontrolę nad naszymi życiami.
Przy zakupie tej książki wydawało mi się że będzie to obiektywne spojrzenie na wpływ i potencjalną przyszłość VR. Ciężko było się bardziej pomylić. Jeżeli serio idziemy w takim kierunku, to czeka nas ogromny problem egzystencjalny. Dosłownie Ready Player One.
Przy zakupie tej książki wydawało mi się że będzie to obiektywne spojrzenie na wpływ i potencjalną przyszłość VR. Ciężko było się bardziej pomylić. Jeżeli serio idziemy w takim kierunku, to czeka nas ogromny problem egzystencjalny. Dosłownie Ready Player One.
April 8, 2023
O appreciate the author’s ambition to present a deeper reasoning of what the metaverse, as a movement and not just a tech trend, may represent.
Yet, I believe the argument is oftentimes too theoretical and lacks practical examples and references. Also, Narula’s theory about where we are going with the metaverse is highly arguable. But that’s not important for the review. Arguable or not, it’s still a valid vision to debate around this topic
Yet, I believe the argument is oftentimes too theoretical and lacks practical examples and references. Also, Narula’s theory about where we are going with the metaverse is highly arguable. But that’s not important for the review. Arguable or not, it’s still a valid vision to debate around this topic
March 2, 2024
Virtual Society was phenomenal! While idealistic, I found this incredibly useful for articulating thoughts I held about Baudrillard and 'hyperreality.' In particular, the negative associations and depictions of a simulated reality and its lack of value. Being a child of new media, this is invaluable in its description of why virtual spaces are and will be important to people.
April 16, 2023
Mr. Narula’s approach to explore how the technology behind the Metaverse will shape our society is optimistic but not unfounded. While it’s certainly not a Christian perspective on the future, it offers many useful insights that are worth exploring!
September 25, 2023
This is a futurist, transhumanist perspective on just how much potential the metaverse has: infinite possibility for humans to transform and transcend the current world and evolve into beings that inhabit a digital universe of their choosing, an eternity that surpasses all limits
October 2, 2023
a strange and rambling book dealing more with religion and the philosophy of work and motivation than the Metaverse. The author has profound misunderstandings of religion and subscribes to materialistic evolution. Read Metaverse by Matthew Ball instead. I enjoyed Ball's book much more.
March 6, 2023
Amazing book, different than most books it takes an approach on how the metaverse will transform society instead of what can be done with the arising technology
March 22, 2023
Quite interesting… I made a lot of notes as well. Interesting angle, well written. Good book. So the future is now? 😅
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