Second Life and Carbon Credits – a modern day dystopia

Part one is a opinion piece. Part two is the start of a dystopian novel.

Part One An opinion piece on the situation today.

Questions are powerful.

We are being told not question anything (more on that for another day - misinformation is a crime). Here are some questions I had recently, the futurist that I am:

• Is there a economic shift from the old inefficient closed loop economies of consumption to digital?
• Is second life the new normal as we transition to a new virtual reality?
• Are our economies being destroyed by by elites with the aim to save the planet?
• Will future humans be allocated a set carbon footprint at birth?

Yesterday I wrote about the activists extinction rebellion and how I thought they were controlled opposition.

Today a quote on the BBC has also inspired this thinking:

Jobless people should be re-trained for work in geographically-spread labour-intensive “green” industries such as home insulation; tree-planting; and peatland restoration.

Welcome to Second Life – the new normal

If you aren’t familiar with second life, it’s been around for a while. It’s a virtual 3D world where humans are avatars and can chat, socialise and do business in a virtual world. It’s got about 1 million users who plug into this matrix.

Think about Zoom and the revolution we are seeing in the workplace. Yeah it’s a business tool and video conferencing has been used for years. But think about it in this context: We are now working in a virtual world. Email and whatsapp to communicate, video conferencing and digital transactions. CFOs everywhere are killing off face-2-face business to save costs. We now operate business in a second life scenario. I’ve even seen work colleagues changing their zoom avatars to be cartoon characters with virtual backgrounds. This virus has pushed us all into a second life of work. The same is true for every pub quiz, family get together, social gathering, even how our politics is being run. It is a low tech virtual reality, but make no mistake we are living in virtual reality right now.

The climate agenda and a shift of power

The human carbon footprint is massive and it’s growing. Many of the industries that make the most money out of us have the biggest carbon footprint. travel, eating meat, construction, all the other shit we buy from Walmart. Yet the tech companies are moving and investing in 100pc renewable energy sources. Also the old businesses are very inefficient. The supply chain is massive and everyone takes their cut. There is no closed loop in these industries only waste. This is where a virtual digital second life comes.

Why is there such a push for the climate agenda. The new normal? Look, I have no problem with avoiding waste, protecting the environment and saving our oceans. I think this is very admirable. I do wonder though if the global elites are using this environment to re-boot capitalism to allow the top 1% to have the best the world have to offer whilst the plebs of the world get restricted to the smallest carbon footprint possible. This is why I think they are decimating the airline and tourist industry. Think about it. The eltite own private jets and houses in every country they want. They have no need for commercial air travel. It is just a burden on the planet. It’s also big business, but we know the future of big business is tech. All the cash spent on experiences, $$s spent on leisure time need to be spent elsewhere. People will consumer more digital media, more adverts, more virtual experiences. VR is will get to the point where the sensory experience will be as good as the real thing. There will be new economies spring up within virtual reality. It’s already happing in Second Life. Human avatars in that world are buying virtual clothes created by other second life avatars – all taxed by the game creators. Eventually, we will be plugged into the matrix.

Part Two the start of a novel

Winston smith Jnr : Carbon balance 56.2g / Social Score 3.3 (3KG Loan outstanding)

Hi I’m Winston Smith Jnr, nice to e-meet you. A bit about me: I’m 28 years old and was born in 2024 and like everyone born in that year I was given my allocated lifetime carbon credit of 3.25 tonnes. I wish I had been born in 2023 as I would have had 3.85 tonnes of carbon, but I’m just going to have to do my best I can. I have a pretty frugal life and only went on one virtual holiday last year. I’ve heard the data centres are getting more efficient so I might have enough carbon for a short virtual weekend away later this year.

I’ve recently changed jobs, I’ve moved from planting trees to working in the Peat Bogs, this has been great as it’s giving me an extra 25g of carbon an hour. It’s still not enough to include any little luxuries in my diet. I’ve been eating nothing but 3D printed protein for months now. I’ve skipped a few meals as since the great carbon crisis of 2042 it’s never dropped below 22g of carbon just for a staple meal. I’ve also been saving my carbon for a new digital outfit. I really think you need to look the part to get a job in the Ministry of Tech. The trouble is it costs 100g just to get the interview, I’ve also heard that you need a SS (social score) of at least S5.6 I’m way down at S3.3 mainly because I went on that rant about how unfair it was that the kids of the Ministry of Tech are born with 20.5 Tonnes of carbon.

I think this was unfair as those words were written before they removed encryption, and I had no idea they would be able to go back over my old thoughts. Not only did they dock my credit score, they fined me 3kg of carbon. I had to take a loan out for that. Also, I find it strange that just before encryption was banned there were pictures (and I heard it from the elders) that there were flying machines that consumed hundreds of tonnes of carbon and took people around the world. I think this was a hoax, who could afford a lifetime’s carbon just to go somewhere? In Second Life can travel anywhere imaginable starting from 55 grams of carbon. The elders describe it as a free and different time, but I just see how it would be allowed. Anyway, since encryption was banned I haven’t seen any of those pictures of that time the call pre-corona. What was that time anyway, some talk of a human virus whatever that may mean? We all know viruses are impossible in humans since the vaccine and our daily pills. Anyway, enough of this talk, I don’t think this channel is secure now encryption is banned.

Besides I need to get back to earn some more carbon credits. I swapped my chip out last year and it’s much more efficient at tracking my body’s effort at carbon credit mining in the Peat Bogs. This almost feels like a pay rise, but some how the government are taxing me even more.

Must go, my 3D printed protein meal is ready and as you know if I let it get cold I’m fined 2g.

-Winston Smith Jnr