Tim Sweeney: belief

Transcript context

…Let me ask you a big philosophical question. So you’ve created these gigantic worlds that bring so much fun to humanity, but you also get to learn about humanity. What gives you hope about us humans, about the future of humans, about the future of humanity? I see two contrasting worlds that have been brought about in the digital age. One is the world of social networks and people typing at each other and just massive negativity and politics and hucksterism and creation by engagement often promoting negativity and toxicity. That’s a harsh world that I think is a step backwards in many ways. I think that the foundation of the world is actually a little bit shaky because of just the social dynamic that those platforms have brought on. But then I compare that with the good spiritedness of what’s happening online when you’re connected to real people. Actually playing Fortnite, playing Fortnite fill squads with people you’ve never met before and never talked to, and just judging what human connections develop there and whether they’re positive, I found those to be really, really excellent and endearing. I think the lesson from all of that is that humans talking to humans and being together in the real world or a virtual world, is a naturally empathetic medium, which naturally leads to bonding, and though conflict sometimes occurs, it’s just generally so much more promoting of our social norms and good interactions between people and positivity promoting. Whereas the typing angry messages thing at each other as a self-reinforcing negative dynamic that’s negative. And I think you look at social media and you look at gaming that is increasingly social, and I couldn’t see a bigger divide between any two medium as I see there in terms of the actual social dynamics. One super positive, one super toxic at times. Yeah, that’s actually really… The text-based medium. Now, that could even be around gaming. You could look at Discord, it could be real toxic in text, but you place humans together in the real world here in the room, I very rarely see humans not get along in the physical space. And the degree to which you can create a digital space, like a metaverse type of space where it’s sufficiently immersive, where you feel the other person, the empathy comes out, and then the joy that’s derived from the empathy comes out. And it’s just a reminder that humans… I don’t know, that humans are good and they want to see the good in others. They want to share the goodness. And then when they get in that group together, there’s love there. Now, they might talk shit about some other group, this is the dark side of humans, but together in terms of the dynamics of that group is joyful. So yeah, that gives me hope as well. And the more degree which we can create those worlds online that make it super easy for us to connect in that empathic way, the better. And I am grateful that you are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in creating such worlds. And I’m grateful that you would talk with me today, Tim. This is amazing and it’s an honor to talk to you.…

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