Friday, Mar 13 2020 8:30AM to 11:00AM

Monthly BIG Ideas Exchange: Dawn of the New Everything: Encounters with Reality and Virtual Reality

Friday, March 13, 2020

Location: TechWorks Gaston

52A Ervin St, Belmont, NC 28012

Parking: Free Parking all around the building

8:30 am to 9:00 am Continental breakfast and networking
9:00 am to 11:00 am Book Discussion

Free to Members and Guests of BIG: RSVP to terry@bigcouncil.com or register below.

Book: "Dawn of the New Everything: Encounters with Reality and Virtual Reality" by Jaron Lanier

https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-New-Everything-Encounters-Reality/dp/1627794093

Overview:

Named one of the best books of 2017 by The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, & Vox

The father of virtual reality explains its dazzling possibilities by reflecting on his own lifelong relationship with technology. This book describes the future of the internet of things and spacial computing.

Bridging the gap between tech mania and the experience of being inside the human body, Dawn of the New Everything is a look at what it means to be human at a moment of unprecedented technological possibility.

Through a fascinating look back over his life in technology, Jaron Lanier, an interdisciplinary scientist and father of the term “virtual reality,” exposes VR’s ability to illuminate and amplify our understanding of our species, and gives readers a new perspective on how the brain and body connect to the world. An inventive blend of autobiography, science writing, philosophy and advice, this book tells the wild story of his personal and professional life as a scientist, from his childhood in the UFO territory of New Mexico, to the loss of his mother, the founding of the first start-up, and finally becoming a world-renowned technological guru.

Understanding virtual reality as being both a scientific and cultural adventure, Lanier demonstrates it to be a humanistic setting for technology. While his previous books offered a more critical view of social media and other manifestations of technology, in this book he argues that virtual reality can actually make our lives richer and fuller.

Book discussion facilitated by Philip McGinnis, Entier, and head of the VR/AR Association (VRARA) for the Charlotte Chapter.

As a reminder, you don't have to read the book to attend! Most do not, and we always have a very engaging discussion!

During this roundtable we'll:
· share our own experiences in this area in our businesses
· share best practices from our own personal experience or from industry thought leaders
· share ideas on how to improve the area within our businesses to fuel growth

Note: We are looking for people to facilitate a book discussion for 2020, so please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is a book that you’re passionate about and would like to share with the group. The meetings take place the second Friday of every month. Thanks!