Pros & Cons of VR Sex
Image Source: Wall Street Journal
Just as within any other industry, the virtual reality sex industry has its pros and cons. Before talking about the kinds of people that are going to benefit, and the kinds of people who are going to be upset by all of this, we should clarify something. It’s human nature to indulge in both sides of the equation, and with that being said some people will run with the benefits and create something amazing. Some people will run with the disadvantages of VR sex, and probably do a lot of strange things.
We are expanding into a world of newness when we talk about VR porn and VR sex. So, while everything is still fresh in its world, and its still early in the piece, laying out the pros and cons helps us to draw personal boundaries about how we choose to interact with this technology.
Pros of VR Sex
There are so many reasons why we are going to enjoy this new technology. For starters, it is going to add a whole new element to the sexual experience. What this is going to mean for people is enormous, especially the kinds of people who have sexual disabilities or social problems. Here we will discuss the kinds of people who are going to benefit from VR sex, and the kinds of benefits that they are likely to enjoy.
People in long distance relationships
This is probably the most common benefit people see to VR sex. As our worlds get bigger, the distance between our loved ones and us grows greater, too. Just being able to Skype changed the way that we interact with people across long distances. Imagine what it will be like for a couple to share a virtual sexual experience. This means both parties will be able to feel and see everything, without having to resort to phone sex.
People with strange, weird, or illegal fetishes
In the world of porn, who is judging anybody for their fetishes, anyway? Virtual reality porn will certainly give an avenue to those who have strange fetishes to satisfy their desires without being rejected or judged. For many people in this situation, finding a sexual partner at all is extremely difficult. We know that suppression is not the right way to deal with it, and so virtual reality might provide some kind of sexual relief to people with weird fetishes.
Image Source: The Independent
People with Deformities
For those who have physical deformities, virtual reality sex is a place where they can have the sexual experience without their physical limitations. It is essentially a place where they can “do whatever they want”, a luxury they don’t experience in the real world because of their physical conditions. Again, this can be seen as some kind of sexual therapy that allows a fully interactive experience.
It is also true that those with physical deformities are often rejected and don’t have the chance to experience a sexual partner. The virtual world, on the other hand, is judgment free.
Handicapped People
Just as is the case with people with deformities, handicapped people also confront physical and social problems when it comes to sex. It isn’t just hard to perform the act, but it is hard to find a partner in the first place. VR is just a chance to have the experience without those things coming into the picture.
People struggling to find a partner
Well, there are all kinds of people out there that struggle to find a sexual partner, whether it is because they are extremely unattractive, have deformities or have a social condition. For many of us who experience this, it can be extremely frustrating to deal with sexual energy if there is no one to share it with. And, ultimately, the feelings don’t just go away because they are neglected.
This is where virtual reality sex comes into the picture, giving someone the chance to actually have sex without the struggle of finding a partner. As the technology progresses, people will even be free to choose who their partner is. The benefit of VR sex to this community is priceless.
Image Source: Huccio
People with personality disorders
People with personality disorders often struggle to find sexual partners. It is socially hard to attract someone, or if the person does come, a personality disorder can make a person shy away. When sexuality is disregarded entirely, even more emotional and social problems can occur as a result of that. The virtual sexual experience offers those with personality disorders a way to “break the ice” if you will. It isn’t a way to escape the world of social interaction, but to gently enter into the act of socializing, and then to having intercourse.
People who live in remote areas
People who live in remote areas might benefit from the arrival of VR into the sex industry because it closes the distance. Living remotely means there aren’t many people around at all, and so for most people in this scenario it is a matter of curing some loneliness. Most of these people will probably testify to the fact that they would rather the company of a real person, but when there is nobody else around, VR can provide a good alternative.
Image Source: Newscientist
Prisoners in jail, or sex offenders
This is where the uses of VR sex can start to get extremely interesting (and of course, beneficial). There is excitement about the way this technology can essentially be used as treatment for sex offenders or prisoners in jail. Other than just giving prisoners a sexual outlet so there doesn’t have to be so much rape in prison, VR sex can actually be a form of therapeutic treatment for those who commit sex crimes.
So far as we have come with VR technology, it is sufficiently real to generate the kind of experience that patients can benefit from. And, of course, it is the way this technology is used which is going to decide whether it will be beneficial or not.
The principle by which VR sex can be used as therapy is through immersion and self-presence. Through the realness of virtual reality, people can become fully immersed in an experience that is simulated through the technology. Through complete immersion, a person can begin to identify with their own avatar, or the others they are experiencing in their virtual realities. This immersion is what therapists say creates the self-presence that is required to take the lessons they learn into the real world.
Therapy for victims of sex crimes
Just the same way this technology can be used to treat those who offend, it can be used to treat the victims of sex crimes. The principle is virtually the same, whereby through immersion into the experience, a person can learn something as if they had the actual experience.
What we are talking about now in terms of the benefits people can experience through this technology is somewhat life changing. Those suffering emotional trauma from sex crimes spend years in therapy and in certain circumstances have to take a myriad of pills to deal with something that VR might be able to handle gently. If someone can experience 2 years of therapy in one session of VR therapy, then the value of this technology could change the way we see therapy.
Image Source: Killscreen
People Who Want to Experiment
At the end of the day, some of us are more sexual than others, and it’s not fair to be judged for that! VR is a great place for those who are more sexually active or experimental than others to explore their world that way. The benefit of this is more freedom to explore sexuality without being judged by the rest of the world!
Cons of VR Sex
Image Source: VRporn
For the most part, the disadvantages of VR sex lie in what we fear could happen in the future if this technology continues to grow. So far as we can see, none of the “disadvantages” we are talking about have really entered the picture yet. However, as the technology continues to grow and expand, there are fears about how this will affect human interaction moving forward. The biggest fear is of course that we won’t be able to draw the line anymore between what real human interaction is and what is not. Here is a list of what I consider to be the fears that are associated with VR sex, rather than labeling them cons.
Image Source: RT.com
Cybersickness
Okay – this one might actually be a con of virtual realities. Yes, just like motion sickness, people actually experience cyber-sickness through the use of virtual reality. It makes sense because there is a lot of movement taking place in the perception, but the body itself is not engaged in so much motion. This causes a conflict in the brain, and can lead to nausea or a feeling of motion sickness.
Social immobility
Well, this is arguably the biggest fear that is linked with virtual reality technology. There is a general fear in the public that virtual reality porn is going to cause some kind of global social meltdown. Now, there’s nothing to say that some people will not get lost in the world of virtual reality and essentially lose interest in this reality. It probably will happen to a few. But remember the times when we thought that sex robots were going to take the place of women? Well, they didn’t because a lot of people still prefer the magic of a real person.
This can be caused by so many different factors. Removing a headset and returning to this reality after being in the most fantastical place of your dreams can have neurological impacts that cause social disruption. This is, for sure, going to happen on an individual level for some people that are probably already predisposed to this kind of escapist behavior. It is human nature for people to become addicted to certain behaviors. Not being able to put down the bottle after a weekend causes the exact same kind of social disruption.
So long as we are still able to recognize that there is a level of human interaction that is required for someone to be a healthy human being, this social disruption probably isn’t going to happen on a mass scale. I think a lot of the fear surrounding this is that we think it is going to happen to everybody. Just because there is a possibility lingering in the air, doesn’t mean everybody is going to jump on it. Some people might put on their Oculus headsets, enjoy a couple of hours of virtual shagging, and then get on happily with their life.
Increased sexual frustration in this world?
There is some psychology to suggest that the expansion of this technology might actually cause more miseducation about gender and sexuality. The principle behind this is that just the same way porn causes sexual frustration, that virtual reality might do the same. It is possible that the sexual experience that is had by watching porn or interacting with VR isn’t actually enough to satisfy the desire that is taking place. For this reason, it can cause an addiction to sex or an illusion. This can lead to further sexual frustration rather than positively dealing with anything.
It’s entirely possible that some people are going to suffer because of this. But it’s really hard for me to imagine a dystopian world where everybody is consumed by their virtual sex toys while society crashes and burns. It is increasingly hard to draw the line between whether we are perpetuating our problems or finding creative solutions for them, and it always seems we have the possibility to do both. There is probably nothing different in this circumstance.
Image Source: Slate
Blurring the line between real and unreal
This point truly is a fear, rather than a con. Yes, virtual reality technology pushes boundaries in terms of what we consider real. It is even more so when it comes to sex, because we see this act as particularly special, unique or taboo. Is sex that happens in a virtual reality real sex? Is it cheating on your partner if you spend a couple of hours virtually sexing your favorite porn star?
Yes, the line is becoming blurred! Is it such a bad thing? It might encourage us to actually explore these questions of what true interaction and connection means. Virtual reality sex is not in the future. It’s right here, tickling our bellies and asking us how we want to play. Right now we are here in the potential of virtual reality sex, and it is exciting to see where the future is going to take us.
https://virtualrealitytimes.com/2017/04/26/pros-cons-of-vr-sex/https://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/042315futuresex3_1280x720-600x338.jpghttps://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/042315futuresex3_1280x720-150x90.jpgAdult VRImage Source: Wall Street Journal Just as within any other industry, the virtual reality sex industry has its pros and cons. Before talking about the kinds of people that are going to benefit, and the kinds of people who are going to be upset by all of this, we should...Sera GhalySera Ghaly[email protected]AuthorVirtual Reality Times - Metaverse & VR