24: The Experience Machine

In Good Faith

On today’s show, Chong and Dan plants the flag on a topic that is looming large on the horizon: the metaverse. We begin by exploring how previous technologies have transformed society and worship, including automobiles (leading to megachurches) and smartphones (leading to Instavangelists). The metaverse looks like the next “big thing”. What is it, and why should people (including Christians) care about it? Drawing on a Gospel Coalition article, we critically examine the metaverse through three lenses: (i) identity, (ii) physicality and (iii) limits, and call for more wisdom in how people interact with the metaverse.
Music by: Julian Wan
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Show notes
Technology and worship (1:31)

• What do McDonalds, Walmart and megachurches have in common?
• What do Instagram, Uber and Airbnb have in common?
• Automobiles and smartphones have profoundly shaped society and worship

What is the metaverse (10:42)

• TL;DR - The metaverse is an extension of the internet where we interact inside digital worlds
• Recent developments - Facebook/Meta rebrand, Web3 technologies, VR and AR

Framework for the Metaverse
Meta-thinking about the problem (19:58)

• “Traditionalists” - cautious with new tech; characterised by the Jurassic Park quote: just because you could, doesn’t mean you should
• “Progressivists” - excited by new tech; it is good to push boundaries and do new things
• IGF approach - use new tech thoughtfully, give thanks for the good, think critically about the downsides

How to Prepare for the Metaverse

Consideration 1: Identity (26:56)

• “What happens when we identify more with a virtual version of ourselves than with our real selves?”
• As Christians, celebrate our received identity that is given by God

Consideration 2: Physicality (35:57)

• “It will be easy to begin to see the infinite possibilities of our virtual world and bodies as better and more real than the physical world”
• As Christians, resist constant digital connection; intentionally disconnect to be physically present with others

Consideration 3: Limits (43:32)

• “The metaverse will present us with the opportunity to experience glimpses of power only God has” - omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent
• As Christians, embrace God-given limits - including on who we are, where we live, and what we know

Conclusion (58:05)

• Robert Nozick’s Experience Machine and the Matrix - “plugging in” was seen as a bad thing; that is not the case today
• The metaverse is about the normalisation of “plugging in”
• We need to seek wisdom and ask the right questions

Wikipedia: Experience machine

Chapters

1. 24: The Experience Machine (00:00:00)

2. Technology and worship (00:01:31)

3. What is the metaverse (00:10:42)

4. Meta-thinking about the problem (00:19:58)

5. Consideration 1: Identity (00:26:56)

6. Consideration 2: Physicality (00:35:57)

7. Consideration 3: Limits (00:43:32)

8. Conclusion (00:58:05)