Chapter 1: A Critical Look at Meta's New Values

Recently, Mark Zuckerberg conducted an internal meeting at Meta (formerly Facebook) to unveil the company's updated values. These values, crafted after substantial investments in consultancy, are intended to serve as foundational principles for the brand. They aim to influence decision-making, shape behavior, inform consumers about what to expect, and ensure that employees align with the company's objectives. (In an unsettling twist, employees are now referred to as "Metamates.") Meta has proposed three guiding principles to navigate their journey into the metaverse: "move fast," "build awesome things," and "live in the future."

We should pause to consider that these are framed as active verbs, rather than the nouns many associate with values, such as integrity, trust, or compassion. For those unfamiliar with the concept, the metaverse is a creation of Big Tech: a digital realm accessible via virtual-reality headsets, allowing users to interact as avatars with friends, businesses, and even the physical world through augmented-reality filters. Meta has already poured $10 billion into this endeavor, while JPMorgan has established a presence in this digital space with its Onyx Lounge, where users can encounter a virtual tiger in the blockchain-based environment of Decentraland — whatever that entails.

Will this be an exciting venture? Absolutely. It's essentially a more advanced iteration of Second Life from the early 2000s, but with enhanced features. Compared to what Zuckerberg and Meta envision, the current version will likely seem as rudimentary as classic arcade games do today. In the coming years, this space could become central to our daily lives, much like Twitter has replaced the traditional office water cooler. While this prospect is undeniably intriguing, it also poses serious risks for humanity, especially if the initiative is driven by the three values championed by Meta.

I understand that I might come across as resistant to change. However, as a member of the Geriatric Millennial cohort, I inhabit a unique position in the generational timeline. We are the small generation caught between Boomers/Gen X and Millennials/Gen Z. We learned to use email as adults and grew up with the emergence of social media. Our experiences straddle both a pre-digital and a digital existence. We are among the last who can genuinely recall life before social media. To put it succinctly: it was better.

This historical perspective is crucial because the future shaped by Meta's values could strip away our remaining human experiences. Initially, social media began as a harmless concept: digitizing the Harvard freshman directory, The Face Book. Nearly two decades later, we face a vastly different reality. The values embraced by this new entity are as follows:

Move fast. But why should we accelerate further? The rapid pace of modern life has already become overwhelming for many. The emphasis on speed, often marketed as attractive, is precisely what we do not need. Our finances shift quickly, our communications are instantaneous, and our lives are a blur. We spend much of our time striving to decelerate and engage in fundamentally human activities like eating and connecting with loved ones. In this fast-paced world, we rarely sit down for a meal, and our relationships suffer as a result.

This approach primarily benefits the wealthy. The mantra of "move fast" translates to quick monetary transfers from our accounts to the coffers of major corporations. In 2022, Facebook reported a revenue of $33 billion and a net profit of $10 billion. Just take a moment to consider that figure — counting to ten billion would take you 300 years. The majority of us do not need to hasten our lives any further, perhaps apart from governmental processes.

Build awesome things. We have already accomplished something extraordinary: civilization itself. The wonders of human achievement — the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, and the Great Wall of China — are what truly deserve the label of "awesome." The thrill of a concert in Nashville or a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway evokes genuine awe. Yet, as we immerse ourselves in the metaverse, future generations risk missing out on these real-life experiences. I worry for the children who react with outrage when their screen time is interrupted.

As we invest more in the metaverse, we risk depriving kids of the beauty and excitement of the actual world. Meanwhile, that very world continues to deteriorate. Major cities are in disarray. Recently, I witnessed a group of individuals using drugs in broad daylight in midtown Manhattan — a sight I never expected to see. Instead of funneling billions into a digital realm, shouldn't we be focusing on revitalizing the world we inhabit? This is where we live, love, and heal. I feel a deep sympathy for Zuckerberg, who seems to lack the firsthand experiences that make the physical world so valuable.

Live in the future. What Meta truly means is to exist in their interpretation of the future — a vision crafted by sci-fi narratives that have been presented as inevitable. This is perhaps the most disingenuous and disheartening of their stated values. We already live in a future shaped by tech giants like Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk over the past two decades. While some innovations have undeniably improved our lives, we've also paid a steep price for the conveniences we've gained.

Inequality has surged to levels reminiscent of the Gilded Age, as evidenced by the recent HBO Max series on the subject. Homelessness is rampant in our cities, and conversations often revolve around the tent cities that have proliferated. The economy has undergone a transformation that benefits only the elite, squeezing artists, small business owners, and countless workers in the process. The pandemic further exacerbated this suffering, impacting businesses and families alike. Why would we desire more of this future, especially one entrenched in a digital alternative?

We consistently overlook our power to define the future we genuinely want. Such a future may be more intricate and challenging to build than a shiny new virtual world. However, it is essential to pursue it. Our leaders have not presented a vision of the future that is more alluring than a tech-centric one filled with VR and digital lounges. Instead, they have the resources to drive real progress but choose to invest in the metaverse and space tourism instead.

At what point do we declare, "enough"? No one yearns for a vision of the 21st century that reduces our humanity to mere data points for commercialization. No one desires a metaverse.

Chapter 2: The Metaverse and How We'll Build It Together

In this section, we will explore the collaborative nature of building the metaverse and its implications for society.

This video discusses the collaborative efforts needed to develop the metaverse and how it will shape our future.

Chapter 3: A 100-Day Experiment in the Metaverse

This chapter will cover the experiences and learnings from spending an extended period in the metaverse.

A firsthand account of living in the metaverse for 100 days, examining the impacts on lifestyle and social interactions.