Notes

I think there is a connection between religion and virtual reality. Both are trying to shape a world that fits the way we think and view the world. In reality the universe is a chaotic place with no inherent meaning. Any meaning we find is completely based on our human desires and instincts. We are fascinated and drawn to the patterns that benefit us. The molecules that coalesce into the shape of an apple become a form in our minds. We collectively decided the chaotic form of this fruit to be worth categorizing. However there is nothing inherently different from this apple and a random pile of dirt. Religion is our attempt to categorize and divide the world up into pleasing and understandable partitions. We try to make our actions feel just and right by discarding uncertainty. If we push a group of symbols into evil and some into good we know what to fight for and against. The uncertainty of random grey area chaos is displeasing because it makes any sort of direction impossible. We must categorize our world to some extent or we will be completely catatonic. For most known human history religion has filled this role. It is the way we became certain about the completely uncertain world we inhabit. We become sure about who we must fight, who to help, what to eat, how to spend our time, and how to prepare for our mortality. Everything we encounter is pushed into a symbol and easily accessible for decision making. When we encounter a person or object they immediately fit into a category and we are confident in our actions toward them. In reality nothing is as sure as religion makes us think. No action we take has the intended consequence every time we make it. Many realize now that praying is not the most useful action against suffering. However before we realized this, praying was the go to response to many of our ailments.

Virtual reality is our attempt to make a world with a God. When we have the power to emulate and control reality we will be able to make the just world many of us envision. The divisions we create in our minds will be divisions in the universe we live in. There will truly be a definition for good and evil and everything will fit neatly in these two camps. Every decision we make will be made with confidence and certainty. instead of floundering in chaos the righteous will rise and the sinners will fall.