Also, for those uncomfortable or unable to travel abroad, the web, google earth, and potentially virtual worlds have the potential to offer a wake up call, a glimpse into the greater reality outside their native zipcode and/or state. Experiencing the world abroad is a far better option, but for many even exposure to it would go a long ways.

My initial response to the last is that it’s all about why we’re here. Fundamentally to reproduce and survive. Civilization has moved us forward and facilitated major improvements in the way we do both. As our core directive, I don’t think we will ever truly deviate from the pursuit of those two. The real question for me is if it’s setting us up for disaster. A house of cards if you will.

Nobody would deny that virtual communication has greatly expanded the social boundaries of the individual, for better or for worse. What I wonder about is the effect it will have on that individual’s perception of the world.

With every technological advancement, human cognition becomes a little more detached from the natural world. With the development of agriculture, we stopped migrating with our prey and became sedentary. Communities grew, caste systems evolved, and people became specialized. Fast forward a few hundred years and I’m able to sit on my fat ass in an air conditioned box all day, have food delivered to me, have my waste speeded away from me, and still remain in contact with the rest of my “tribe”. And I never even have to look outside my window, or rather, my window has become an intricate grid of pixels.

The point is that the more detached we are from nature, the more we take for granted. Take physical contact out of the equation. How many more basic natural instincts can we eliminate before something snaps?