Middle-Aged, Male, and Miserable…in the Matrix!
Middle-aged men are reportedly the most miserable humans of all. According to the study, the “angry young man” stereotype is a myth, as men in their 30s and 40s report greater dissatisfaction than any other group.
Oh, and we’re living in the Matrix.
Philosopher Nick Bostrom of Oxford University asserts - quite logically - that the chance we’re “living” in a computer simulation is at least as high as 20%. In fact, it may be even higher than that. Moreover, we’re likely not nestled in pods a la Neo - we don’t even physically exist as flesh. According to Bostrom, it’s possible that we’re simply complex networks of computer circuitry. This wouldn’t mean we’re not real humans; it simply would mean we’re not real in the way we’ve always thought. Provided we don’t destroy ourselves first, it’s highly likely that as post-humans, we will develop the technology (in the future) to create simulated ancestors (from the past). Which would be us, right now. Is your head hurting yet? I love this stuff! Scoot over to read the full thing, gang.
If you’re inclined to think living in a simulated reality would eliminate things like midlife crises, think again: from video games to Second Life, virtual utopias are unpopular because they’re boring. So there’s no reason a future omni-geek playing us would feel any differently.
As for miserable men, despite the money ball-n-chain headlines (you know what’s gonna be on Leno tonight!), the numbers really aren’t that extreme - or different between the sexes, for that matter. Young men rated their happiness at 7.3 on a 1-10 scale; middle-aged men came in at 6.8. Women rated themselves as a bit happier than men across all age groups, although they experience a satisfaction drop in middle-age as well - of .45 points. In other words, the difference in happiness between Homer and Marge is only .05 points. Is that really worth the miserable male news blitz?
Besides, 74% of people are generally happy…although it may just be an illusion!
Stuck at work? Want more? Of course you do!
Second Life haters…
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POSTED IN: Boys & Girls, Misc., Oddities, Philosophy, Technology
3 opinions for Middle-Aged, Male, and Miserable…in the Matrix!
Mikeachim
Aug 20, 2007 at 5:17 pm
I’d comment at length, except that I wouldn’t want to do anything constructive. You young people have too much energy, and I’d hate to encourage you with all your ‘oooh, my glass is half full’ rubbish. If there’s one thing that’s worse than a young person, it’s a young person who thinks they have something to say. I’d be much happier if everyone just be quiet, so I can read my newspaper in peace. Not that it’ll ever happen. My life just isn’t that blessed.
As for the Virtual Worlds argument (and more seriously)….
A very interesting one, that. I’d certainly argue there are already millions of people ‘living’ (that is, organizing their thoughts around) virtual lives. World of Warcraft has over 7 million players, a shocking number of which have to put in hours a week roughly equivalent to a full-time job, so they can maintain their game. Ditto Second Life, and a host of others.
Do they play the game, or does the game play them?
A major problem in all of this……is modern perceptions of gaming. It goes like this:
Define ‘video game’.
You probably categorize it as something for fun, non-serious, not in the real world, unimportant, non-adult.
Then go onto Google and type ‘Virtual Property’.
So now, suddenly, gaming is something that can make you loads of money - more than in a ‘normal job’, perhaps. Still non-adult? What could be more Traditional Western Adult than becoming financially successful?
And so on.
Yet for the 60s/70s generation and below, video games are still defined as “a waste of time”. That’s suddenly unhelpful and confusing.
Sociologists will be unpicking this one for decades……
Mikeachim
Aug 20, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Me again. Sorry.
Worlds within worlds within worlds…..
We’re culturally well-prepared for thinking about that one - thanks to Philip K. Dick and the like.
I can also recommend a short story by Greg Egan called ‘Wang’s Carpets’.
The idea is this:
Space explorers encounter a planet with a life-form covering the surface a bit similar to a carpet. These lifeforms are all arranged in different ways, forming patterns. And the ways they are arranged…..can be deciphered as a language, like binary….
The binary forms a running program. And within that program….lives an alien civilization.
My brain leaked out my ears at this point. But it’s an impressive point: ‘reality’ is just the interpretation of data. All life interprets data differently (broadly, we ourselves have 5 ways of doing so). So every form of life has a different reality….
Walter
Aug 21, 2007 at 10:15 am
I read about this over the weekend. Stuff like this makes my head hurt! At least I think it hurts, or maybe it’s just a simulation …
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