What is the Metaverse and what does it mean for me?
The metaverse, Web 3.0, NFTs, the blockchain, IOT, VR, AR these are all words we’ve heard a lot about over the past few years but since Facebook changed to Meta all eyes are on the Metaverse, we’re curious, we want to know what on earth (or on cyberspace) the metaverse is and what does it mean for me and my future and my career.
Firstly, let’s get this straight the Metaverse is not owned by Meta (previously known as facebook) nor is it a concoction of the social media firm. It’s something bigger. It’s not actually something that we can talk about with exacting fact, we don’t really know what it’s going to become and that’s all part of the fun, right? What I do know is that Meta and other giants are bringing talented people in from all over the world to help create and shape spaces that remove borders and aid better connectivity, communication.
Right now understanding what the Metaverse will be in years to come is beyond our imagination and how thrilling is that?
But if I was going to try and explain the metaverse to you I would say something like this: web 3.0 is the next iteration of the web this is what the Metaverse is built upon. Any older millennial will remember the beginning of web 2.0 which is the connected and social media web that we live with now. The ability to interact with one another without the boundaries of space and time, a web of social places to connect with people. We no longer had to travel to the shops to buy the products we wanted, we no longer had to pick up the phone to call a friend when we knew they might be home because web 2.0 meant that we could have these things that we take for granted today at our fingertips. But to do all of this we would need a good internet connection, computers, phones are essentially a barrier to being totally submerged in this world. The internet as we know it has shaped us, the tools, tech, systems and apps that we use daily have been developed to bring us the web we know today. And web 3.0 will be much the same except there will be less barriers, more immersive technologies and spaces created and the line between real and digital will start to merge into one.
“Remember, computers were once the size of houses and now we have the same technology in a small handset that not only has a powerful operating system but a whole host of features that make our day to day life easier.”
Web 3.0 is the next phase, remove the huge headsets, the laptops and phones and step into the digital world which is also going to be very much intersecting between both physical and reality. This concept may scare people, I mean, weren’t our parents afraid that if we watched too much TV our eyes will go square? Or if we spend too much time on computer games we’ll somehow be affected? When the home computer became not a must have but a trusty piece of furniture our worlds were opened up to the universe and education, community and knowledge. In web 3.0 it’s much the same but if you could never make it halfway across the world for a Harry Styles concert, you’ll be able to do it in your front room and get the same atmosphere as you would in person, in fact VR has already made this a reality but imagine if you took away the huge headset?. You can travel to the depths of the universe from the comfort of your own home, Interact with the planets and learn how they came to be. Exercise in Central Park when you’re really in Dagenham and generally experience things that you aren’t able to unless you of course have unlimited time and money.
Of course, some of the scenarios of the future metaverse are just speculation, in all honesty, there is so much opportunity for businesses, entrepreneurs or anyone willing to learn and understand the potential and possibilities of the metaverse.
The next iteration of the web will heavily feature digital currencies, digital real estate, digital products. If you think that people won’t buy a pair of designer trainers for the metaverse then just take a moment to think about how much money you’ve spent on making your gaming avatar look good, or how many Robux (this is Roblox currency that you buy with £/$) you’ve had to buy for your gamer kid so that their characters look good so they can flex. We already are deeply integrated into buying digital goods. And you may have seen that Crypto and NFT’s have really started to take off, if you haven’t dabbled with your first digital wallet yet or brought a little Ether where have you been? You can buy, sell and create NFT’s very easily now with lots of great new technologies being created every day. And that will get easier and easier over time. Crypto, blockchain, NFT’s it’s all going mainstream now and we’re here for it!
I haven’t felt this excited as a business owner since eBay and Amazon made it possible to sell products online from my teenage bedroom.
What does it mean for me?
If you’re reading and thinking, this is great but what does it all mean? Why should I care? You should care, this is where the future web is going, this is where people will spend an incredible amount of thier attention. Don’t get left behind, be curious and ask questions. Your job may just change a LOT over the coming years, your skills may need honing and if you don’t know what you need and what is happening then how can you upskill to be relevant in the future workspace? We’re in the midst of a digital revolution….
What do you think the Metaverse is going to become?
I’m still learning about the Metaverse and this is the first part of a series of blogs that dive into all things Web 3.0. There is so much to learn and explore and I can’t wait to dive in.
Metaverse month is taking place all month in feb and we’ll be inviting women to share what they know and learn about the Metaverse, including NFT’s, Crypto, VR, design and more.
Lucy Hall is the founder of Digital Women, learning about the Metaverse and on a mission to upskill women through digital education.
