As our knowledge and capabilities continue to grow, we will continue to reach new frontiers in the world of technology. The question is not can we do something; I believe if it can be dreamed it can be made possible. The question is should we cross into the new frontier? Should we cross into the metaverse?

The answer is no.

We cannot use the virtual world to escape from the realities of our own. We should not subjugate future generations to fake lives filled with fake experiences. We must refuse to allow a corporation to control and monitor every interaction we have with each other.

While it may be enticing to escape the horrors of our world and the difficulties of our everyday lives, the solution should not be to run away to the online world. The problems we have will not just go away, ignoring them will only make things worse.

Wealth inequality will still exist, rising prices will still exist, deaths of despair will continue to rise. Hiding online does nothing to stop any of it. If anything, it delays the action we need to take to address the problems in our society.

Much is said about younger generations being glued to their phones, missing the wonders of playing outdoors as a child. The metaverse is a giant leap in the wrong direction, one with horrible potential consequences for America’s youth.

Future generations will be at risk of destroying their eyes with constant virtual immersion, increased obesity from lack of exercise and may face increased levels of depression from spending their whole lives online. Besides the potential depression, children will be missing out on experiences the rest of us enjoyed and disdained. We need to protect their health and well-being along with their potential life experiences.

The experiences children are not the only ones we should be worried about, the prospect of corporations watching our every move should be concerning if not downright terrifying. It can be argued that big tech corporations have too much insight and control over our lives as is, imagine how bad this could get if we spend our entire day locked into a virtual reality set.

This isn’t a far-fetched concept, the metaverse has been marketed as a place to hold office meetings and hang out with friends. Everything we say, everything we do, will be monitored and monetized. We should not consent to this blatant violation of our civil liberties.

If it is true that we get to choose our own futures, we should choose one that is centered in the real world. We should choose one that steers clear of a dystopian future spent in the metaverse.