Where Do We Go From Here?

A couple of things first. I have added a Facebook Like/Share button on the left there to open my fan base up and allow you to know when I update. Please click it. I would really appreciate it. Another thing, I enabled Anonymous comments to be allowed. This means that you…yes you, can make a comment here without having a g+ account. I am in the process of incorporating Facebook comments for the site, so if you do follow me on FB, you will be able to comment and it will be posted here.

So much work!!!

Well, I have been covering race relations and Baltimore with the last two posts, let’s do something a little lighter hearted. I mean, it’s Friday, it’s May Day – and I’m in a good mood.

One thing I have noticed in popular blogs these days, is that everyone LOVES lists. They are concise, they can be funny, and they keep your attention to a certain limit without boring you to tears.

So here we go: 

THE TOP 5 REASONS WE ARE CLOSER TO LIVING IN THE MATRIX

Before I really get into this. We need to explore the idea of how technology is being more and more integrated into our lives, almost to becoming a necessity. It was just recently reported by numerous sources that the heart monitor feature in the iWatch was being disrupted by wrist tattoos. The heart rate monitor is actually a smart feature that allows the iWatch to shut itself off when not in use, or when it doesn't register a heartbeat. To those of you that may have sleeves or wrist tattoos, this function won’t work properly. Basically, you just dropped $400 on a worthless device. Apple’s response – suck it!

No really, Apple said, “Hey, we don’t have a solution, but if you want to purchase some Bluetooth chest straps and monitor your heart that way, go ahead." Steve Jobs just rolled over in his grave.

YOU RUINED MY LEGACY!

Regardless your opinion on the First World Problem that is the defective iWatch, you can’t deny that technology is here to stay, and may be poised to take over.

5. The Uncanny Valley is Getting Smaller and Smaller

There is a phrase out there called “The Uncanny Valley,” and it is basically defined as: a hypothesis in the field of aesthetics which holds that when features look and move almost, but not exactly, like natural beings, it causes a response of revulsion among some observers. The "valley" refers to the dip in a graph of the comfort level of beings as subjects move toward a healthy, natural likeness described in a function of a subject's aesthetic acceptability. Examples can be found in the fields of robotics and 3D computer animation, among others.

Basically – nightmare fuel.

It’s illustrated by this graph:

I would hope that we are repulsed by zombies.

The more a moving likeness of something that looks human but isn't human, the more it is supposed to make you feel uncomfortable. With UltraHD TVs, High Frame Rate movies such as Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, and the extensive use of CGI to create realistic characters in our entertainment, our brains are getting more and more acclimated to the idea that something that was once repulsive, is now acceptable. The “dip” that creates the valley is a lot shallower and narrower now. I mean, Andy Serkis has made his entire career playing CGI characters such as Gollum, Caesar, and King Kong.

4. CGI No Longer Looks Like a Cartoon

Who here remembers Ang Lee’s Hulk? Who here remembers the unholy creation that was Tom Hanks in Polar Express? How about the entirety of Beowulf? There are countless examples of how CGI, in its infancy, was just a gimmick. It was perfect for Pixar or Dreamworks movies, such as Monsters, Inc. and Shrek, but anytime it was used for feature films that needed photo-realistic renders, it just fell short.

Hulk SMASH!

As fake as it used to look, using CGI now is a standard in film making. We would not be able to have the sequel generating monstrosity that is Marvel Studios if it were not for CGI. I remember a time where if you were to say that they were going to make a movie about Thor without it looking cheesy, I would have said that you were out of your mind. And yet…..

Not only does it LOOK real, but it feels realistic. It almost feels so realistic, that if you watch older films where practical special effects were used, it looks fake. FAKE!

For example, if you were to watch Jaws, you would instantly be able to tell that the shark was robotic, and (not taking away from the genius that is that film) it would almost look comical. Our brains have to come accept that the artificial is the new reality, and that is the new standard.

3. Robots are no longer a thing from Science Fiction Novels

Check out these headlines:

“Experts predict robots will take over 30% of our jobs by 2025 – and white-collar jobs aren't immune”

“This humanoid robot can recognize and interact with people”

“The UK government is refusing to rule out building killer robots”

“A robot just started her job as the receptionist at Japan’s oldest department store”

That last one gives me the chills most of all. The headline actually personified an object by recognizing it with the pronoun “her” instead of the appropriate “it.” All four of these headlines come from BusinessInsider.com, which is a business and technology website that has been around since February 2009. I mean this is a fairly legitimate source for tech news and how it relates to business.

There was a time when robots threatened to take over the assembly lines of auto manufacturers, and it was disputed that it would never happen. Until it did. There was a time when the idea of having a robot in your home as a maid was only something in The Jetsons, until it wasn't (can you say Roomba…DJ Roomba if you’re hip!).

Pawnee was always using innovative technology to stay ahead in the game.

Not only have robots become a part of our lives, but we have started to accept the presence of them doing daily tasks that used to be jobs for people. Even our phones contain a robot in them that answers our questions when we need help. Apple even programmed certain responses and phrases into Siri to have conversational functionality. How soon before we become like Joaquin Phoenix in Her? Oh just for fun, click this link http://www.macworld.com/article/2915908/siri-says-the-darnedest-things-50-questions-for-apple-s-virtual-assistant.html and you will get 50 fun conversation phrases and lighthearted banter situations that you can have with Siri. She is adorable…I will admit that!

2. Virtual Existence is an Accepted Counterpart to Reality

About a year ago, Forbes reported that Blizzard’s World of Warcraft raked in over a billion dollars in 2013. Now rumor around the campfire is that WoW subscriptions have been dipping, but even so, that is a chunk of change. On ebay, while it has become a violation to sell virtual items for games such as WoW, the virtual reality simulator Second Life is not considered a game. Listed on ebay, there are literally hundreds to thousands of virtual items usable on Second Life available for purchase with real currency. 

Wrap your head around that for a second. 

Spending real money for virtual items. Items that you will never, ever use IRL (in real life). Well let me paint it through a different prism. How many “in game purchases” are on almost every game app out there. Buying more turns in Candy Crush Saga is not so uncommon. Video gaming and virtual existence has become so broad and accepted by most everybody in 2015. It is no longer just a hobby for neckbeards who live in their mother’s basement.

Selfie!

Many A-listers such as Mila Kunis, Vin Diesel, Dave Chappelle, and Mr. T have all confirmed that they have virtual lives within the realm of Azeroth. Even standard console games, such as The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and Fallout have become so in-depth in their RPG aspects. Living in these worlds can involve gambling, earning money, and even getting married. With the upcoming release of Elder Scrolls Online, Bethesda Softworks looks to give WoW a run for its money in creating a virtual realm that is accessible by the more mainstream console platform.

1.  We Don’t Care

Let me give you some stuff that cannot be unseen, which will haunt you for the rest of your days to come.

I bet you didn't realize until the end of the video that “Emily” was a virtual creation. I’ll let you watch it again. I’ll wait….

Now you notice the flawless skin, those dead eyes, and the facial expressions, that at first viewing made you wonder what you were watching, later chilled you to the bone. This video was made in 2008, and the tech is even better!  I watched an interview with the designer, and explained that the goal was to erase the uncanny valley. 

Terrifying!

Chew on this one now.

KILL IT WITH FIRE!

Kudos if you actually made it all the way through that one. If you didn't get to at least half, then you missed the pan of the camera.

This appears as if it is in a mall! AAAAAGHHHH!!!!!! Look at all of the people watching. Being entertained or fascinated…or I don’t know.

The pieces are already being put in place for artificial intelligence to take its next shape. I really hope that we end up having Frankenstein’s Monster turning against us.