Apple Vision Pro and How VR Makes Us Less Human

VR has been adapting to our current lifestyle, increasing its identity as the future of tech. What started as a simple idea has now become the obvious next addition into each of our ever-growing tech arsenal. But what does this do? Is this just the next step, or is it a step too far?

The Apple Vision Pro came out, and it’s been the focus of the internet for a while now. I haven’t had a chance to review it, but after a little too much time watching others review it, I think I can safely say that it is a very expensive toy. Marques Brownlee, a YouTube tech reviewer, said that he is most excited to watch movies on an airplane on a high quality screen, to which he says is a nice thing to have, but not nearly worth the $3500 price tag. But even then, he has concerns about his interactions with the people on those flights while he’s in their headset. Other people, however, have worn the headset in public, not caring about other people’s thoughts about them. Ryan Trahan, a YouTuber while no specific genre, accidentally created an interesting social experiment in his challenge to wear the Apple Vision Pro for 100 hours. He got strange looks everywhere he went, and said later as he rewatched the memories he had made while in the headset that those recorded memories didn’t feel like they were his, and that being in VR felt isolating, even though he could see everything around him. So is VR making us more productive? Maybe. Is it making us less human? Definitely. Despite Apple’s attempts to show your eyes in their headset, it still feels dystopian. Humans have always needed interaction, community, and conversation to be okay. That’s why solitary confinement is such a punishment in prison. VR doesn’t promote anything but isolation and alienation. There are upsides to this constant hunt for productivity and entertainment, but the sacrifices are adding up.