Gaslighting and The Metaverse: 2 Popular Words

In today’s article, I have described Gaslighting and The Metaverse: 2 Popular Words.  Although not new, these two words have increased in popularity in the last few years. Continue reading to learn what they mean.

Gaslighting is when a person systematically gives their victim false information, leading them to question the truth of their own reality. 

It is an extreme form of manipulation, not a series of harmless lies. It is a type of abusive behavior that is intended to control the psychological environment of the victim by causing them to question what they know to be true about themselves and their world.

Although the word gaslighting is currently in vogue, it is not a new word or an unknown concept. It was first used in the 1938 play, Gas Light, by British playwright Patrick Hamilton. In this play, a husband tries to drive his wife crazy by manipulating her psychologically: for example, he repeatedly dims the gas light in their house, then assures his wife that the light has not dimmed at all. Slowly, as intended, the wife begins to doubt her own sanity.

At first, gaslighters will lie about small occurrences; for example, they might insist that something actually happened when, in fact, it didn’t, or that someone didn’t say a certain something, when, in fact, they did. 

Gradually, the amount of misinformation accumulates as gaslighters accuse their victims of lying or distorting reality. They will continue to twist the truth, and over a period of time, their victims begin to become confused, questioning the validity of their own judgement. 

People who use gaslighting in their relationships are usually unstable. Gaslighters may hope to strengthen their own sense of self-worth by having power over someone else. They have issues with control: they might try to control their victim’s money, their emotional state, or their physical being. 

Although people who gaslight are manipulators and abusers, they are often good actors as well; they can be well-liked within their social group or with their colleagues. Because of this, their victims are hesitant to ask for help, fearing (often correctly) that they will not be believed if they expose their abuser’s behavior.

Victims of gaslighting develop intense feelings of self-doubt. They doubt that their memory is accurate and that they are perceiving their world correctly; they eventually doubt that they are sane and rational. Their sense of identity is weakened, they lose their sense of self-worth, and their self-confidence is shattered.

It may sound like this seldom happens, but it is not a rare occurrence. Gaslighting is a real and devastating form of abuse and must be treated as such. A victim of gaslighting must be taken seriously and supported like any other abuse victim. 

Contact your local abuse hotline to learn the specifics about helping yourself or your loved one deal with situations of gaslighting.

Let’s begin by a definition of terms.

The term “metaverse” combines the two words “meta,” meaning “situated beyond or transcending” and “universe.” It describes a computer-generated space where diverse people from all over the world can interact with each other within a digital reality.  

It would take an enormous amount of collaboration to create a massive Metaverse that encompasses all. A single, overarching Metaverse does not exist today.

However, many different metaverses do exist, each created by its own tech company and involved in its own unique process of development. Although every metaverse is different, they are similar in that they all exist digitally on the Internet. 

Some examples of current metaverses include Omniverse by Nvidia, Horizon Worlds by Facebook (Meta), and Mesh by Microsoft.

• A metaverse is different than a computer game. When you play computer games, you are on the outside, looking in; when you enter a metaverse, you experience yourself as being inside that world, just as you do when you are living your everyday life. 

• In a metaverse, you inhabit a digital body called an avatar. Each avatar is unique, just as we all are unique in our real world. 

• By using digital equipment, such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) tools, you can immerse yourself in a metaverse and interact with people, places, and things.

• The physical look of a metaverse reflects the style and design of its creator and the imagination of its users. A metaverse can look like a desert, like a city, or like the bottom of the sea – the possibilities are infinite. 

• In a metaverse, you can be involved in an endless variety of activities and lifestyles; you can communicate and collaborate with people all over the world; you can create art or invent new technologies; you can use digital currency to own, trade, and invest in a wide variety of acquisitions such as paintings or real estate; you can access games and entertainment, and more.

In a metaverse, technological equipment ranges in price and could be prohibitive (or even discriminatory) for many prospective users. 

A person could find a metaverse so appealing that it becomes preferable to reality. 

Since a certain degree of technological knowledge is necessary to join a metaverse, people who are not tech savvy could be excluded.

In a metaverse, these possibilities already exist today.

These two words have been around for a while; now, they are back in common usage. Have fun incorporating them into your daily vocabulary.