The Loneliness Epidemic-And The Rise Of Metaverse

How can a Metaverse club address social withdrawal struggles of the modern human brain-specially the ones that arise, thanks to our urban set-up? And how can pastel colours, music concerts, NFT museums and designers like Ladislav Sutnar help here?

- Pratima H

I may not be real, but for a second there I felt pretty alive. When you take a quick tour across Figment - a Metaverse-like Country Club, you are suddenly reminded of these lines. What the protagonist 'Guy' says in the movie 'Free Guy'-seem to be the script that inspires the creators of this new land. There could be more to the intersection between the digital and real world. And as 'Guy' aims for-'What if our world does not have to be scary?' A Metaverse does not have to be all alien, ethereal, drab and antithetical to this universe. It can be fun, augmentative, immersive and unpredictable in a good way. Has Figment cobbled together those bricks as it builds a new idea of a Country Club? We find out in this walk-about with Fang Low, Founder & President at Figment as he answers doubts about virtual bullying, privacy concerns and escapism.

Tell us something about the genesis of Figment?

In this increasingly globalised world, we constantly ask ourselves the question of where we should live. Is it possible to make ourselves at home over a short stay? Is it even worthwhile to do so, knowing that we might be called away sooner rather than later? Well, science tells us we need to figure this out, and fast. Social withdrawal is now officially recognised by urban authorities as a major risk factor for a wide range of illnesses. We now know that our buildings and cities directly impact our brains, moods and wellbeing, and that cells in the hippocampal region of our brains are constantly attuned to the spaces we inhabit.