Can Virtual Reality Substitute Actual Reality?

Virtual reality is basically a digital mechanism for creating a simulated environment through the use of computer technology. Broken down, this translates to a way in which to experience real-life situations and environments through the use of a headset that goes onto your head and covers your eyes. It can re-create an environment so effectively that the user experiences a life-like reality from the comfort of their own home.

Virtual reality has a lot of advantages. It makes your experience more ‘real,’ and, thus, when it’s used for the entertainment purpose, it brings more fun and complexity to it. Also, with the help of virtual reality, one could simulate one’s own environment and virtually go anywhere one has dreamed of going to. Not to mention the opportunity to ‘see’ the masterpieces of some famous artists. And, of course, watching movies with 3D goggles has become a lot more entertaining as one could get more immersed into the story.

But, at the same time, there is a danger that people could get involved too much in virtual reality and, thus, lose interest in the actual reality. Besides, people already spend too much time while staring at the smartphones or computer screens, and the virtual reality brings more flavor to the computer-generated environment and creates the illusion of having a ‘real experience’, while it’s just a simulation.

Although current and potential future developments in the VR field could go a long way to providing a realistic & convincing experience of such things, but there are some events that virtual reality simply cannot and never will be able to substitute. Sleeping, eating and using the bathroom are all examples of this.