The Metaverse, are we there yet?

There’s a lot of talk about the metaverse and it makes me wonder…

There are so many definitions

In some ways the money definitions of the Metaverse and the definitions of Web 3.0 are the same.
In my opinion Metaverse descriptions focused on money describe systems where we move away from Web 2.0 constructs where we give our content away for free and instead we sell our content by monetizing it.
To do this we move away from internet constructs where someone else owns the infrastructure and takes all the profits our content and our attention to content generates.
We move to a system where we own the infrastructure by owning tokens which give us ownership like owning stock gives us ownership in a company or business.
In this token ownership system we own the infrastructure and this infrastructure allows us to sell our content through various systems, collectively referred to as monetization.

In this definition construct, the focus is not on the money, but the experience.
In my opinion, experience based Metaverse definition focus on the individual being anonymous or pseudoanonymous, and both allow you to take on a persona or personality separate from you real one if you wish.
Or it allows you to keep your persona, but to change your physical representation in such a way that it no longer defines you or limits you.
You also are defined more by how you act, how you treat others and by your contributions to the system via content, money or your interactions, be they positive or negative, these things now define you.
You can take on different physical attributes then those you possess.
You interact with people you meet in the virtual Metaverse and spend more time interacting with people here then you do in real life.
You travel virtually, exploring and experiencing the world virtually.
This is my description of a Metaverse defined by the interactive experience being virtual.

Another definition of the Metaverse describes it as a place you can live, in an Avatar or representation of yourself more pleasing to you then your current physical body.
And you live in an apartment or home more pleasing then your current one, along with your home being in a nicer neighborhood and nicer city.
This version of the Metaverse also has real estate investing, real estate appreciation and rents.
There are also social outlets like bars, dance clubs, drugs, alcohol and other activities.
There are also stock markets, farms or other business or income generating locations where you earn income virtually, which can be used to advance your status in this virtual world, and you can become more successful there then you are in the real world.

In my opinion yes. I think we are already living in the Metaverse
It is a living place, not unlike a new continent a world explorer finds
We are living in it and in the real world.
It is evolving as we speak, and although famous, powerful people speak of creating it and inviting us to it. They are like ancient explorers landing on a foreign land and being greeted by the natives. Who tell the native they have discovered their land, renamed it in honor of themselves and now they will build it.
What they really are announcing is their desire to control the place where people already live, and ecosystems already exist.
And mainly their intention to extract value from it, the main value being money.

That’s my opinion of this Metaverse thing.
What’s yours?

@shortsegments penned by my hand 01/23/2022 the year of the Metaverse LOL.