Science fiction? No, now a true story.
Author: Ibrahim C.
Level: 5
Instructor: Valentina A.
Photo Credit: ufabizphoto / 123RF Stock Photo
Article ID: 2014 [General- Winter 2020]
We all watched or heard about “Contagion” - the fiction movie from 2011 - that came true at the end of 2019 and is still a reality as I am writing this now. Yes, you got it right; you can call it the Covid-19 movie - from the imagination of a writer as fiction to a real-life story.
Many examples in this era demonstrate the fact that things we considered as fiction some years ago are now a reality. And it is not the first time when fiction predicted reality. It is also the case of virtual reality (VR), with its gadgets used to move virtually to a different environment while physically staying at the same place. I will pick “Matrix” in 1999 from the list of fiction movies related to VR. We can easily find other movies considered fiction back in the 70s or 80s that came true today. Science fiction is more a kind of prediction of the future, and it is becoming a part of our daily life.
On the other hand, I came to realize that more and more people prefer to live in their own fictional life than living in the real world. This explains the interest in and even addiction to video games, simulation games, all kinds of VR (virtual reality). I will not judge because in our current life with Covid-19, I understand the need to use fiction to virtually travel, virtually connect with people around the world while locked down.
Working from home is the new way of working from a place that is not the office where we could easily imagine that VR (virtual reality) can also be used here to create the office environment for meetings and collaborative activities.
The most improbable fiction, which is not seen as the potential future reality, is teleportation. But, let us keep an open mind and work and wait for it. It may be us or our children and grandchildren who will experience it one day and even find it common.
Despite all the amazing virtual reality possibilities, we cannot replace a hug of a spouse, parents, children, relatives, friends! Humans stay attached to physical contact as we hope with all our hearts to turn back to normal very soon!