Since we haven't revisited this topic in a while, some notes:
Brain implants. Thoughts to text. Sight to the blind. Thoughts to text is getting stuff out of a closed brain. Sight to the blind is putting stuff in. I have been one of the belittling majority on the Metaverse. But if you happen to have a brain that won't let stuff out or in (or both), getting the Metaverse injected in your brain could bring astonishing relief and meaning to your existence.
Free power. The combination of astonishing progress in renewable energy sources (which I have been skeptical of for years, but am I on the verge of yielding) along with advances in battery storage means the cost of energy will continue to drop and may even approach zero. Probably not in my life, but maybe millennials will see it. This is not an unmitigated blessing. It would provide us with the ability to reshape the world in ways we can barely imagine. But, like the atom bomb, it would also make it very easy to destroy ourselves. Also, it will be wasted if it's just used so the masses can exit the job market and play video games in the metaverse all day. It will only be of use if we have a strong culture of building and creation.
Web3. Have you heard of it? It is effectively a catch-all word to cover the possibilities of crypto/blockchain technologies in the world. I have been trying to follow it for a while and I barely understand it. I feel like I should involve myself in it in some way just to keep up with where everyday life might be soon. Still I think I have a vague idea of where they are going with this, at least in the crypto arena. Short description that I may expand on in the future: They are attempting to treat fiat money as a feature, not a bug. Our current monetary system amounts to an act of faith that everybody will continue to agree that our currency has value. Most folks see this as a problem, as a risk, as something make-shift. The Web3 guys think, no, it's perfectly human to have faith in that which will benefit you to to have faith in, and we can leverage that for Dogecoins and Bored Apes and such. I have no idea if they are correct. I have no idea if I am correct about their intentions, for that matter. Here's a primer if you can make sense of it.
We are only in year 2 of the decade.
