Recently a teenaged digital artist sold 620 pairs of virtual sneakers generating 3.1 million dollars in under five minutes.
Translation: a savvy kid made a ton of money selling clothes that don't exist in less time than it takes you to get your morning coffee.
Yes, this really happened.
Now you might wonder... who in the world is spending money on virtual clothing?
Right now it's people who want to spruce up their fashion - and hence their avatar and identity -- while engaging virtual world activities, like online gaming...
Tomorrow it might be someone who wants to 'wear' something special for an important Zoom meeting.
This may seem really confusing... especially if you're over 50, like me.
But we all need to be aware... whether you like it or not... the line between virtual reality and physical reality keeps getting blurrier.
Already, the digital world goes far beyond fairly easy to understand realities like email, online banking, and storing your photos in 'the cloud.'
We're now facing a growing 'metaverse'... with the digital world impinging on everything we do.
The rise of this phenomenon -- with all its complexity -- is sure to raise all kinds of anxiety and questions about ethics... and even what it means to be a real person.
But here's something to remember...
New technology will continue to emerge.
And like old the tech, it can be used for good or bad purposes.
The most important thing is, no matter what changes come...
God made you in His image and calls you to obey Him, find your security and value in Him, and shape this world for His glory with the gifts He's given you... as you walk with Him and grow in His grace.
There is nothing new under the sun... (Ecc.1:9).