Narula, H: Virtual Society The Metaverse and the New Frontiers of Human Experience

I ve long been fascinated by how technology can be used to augment the human experience. Herman Narula s brilliant book shows how the nascent metaverse has the potential to do that in ways we re just beginning to appreciate. He makes a case that virtual worlds are the latest manifestation of an ancient human drive to enrich our day-to-day lives. This is an important book brimming with big and convincing arguments about where human life is heading. Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive

A fascinating, provocative case that the metaverse will not merely transform our virtual experiences it may actually enrich the quality of our lives. If the best way to predict the future is to build it, Herman Narula is holding quite the crystal ball. In this book, he gives you a look inside and establishes himself as a thought leader on the future of humanity and technology. Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife

Too often, technologists propose a grand vision of the future without much considering the past. I am delighted to see that this is not the case with Herman Narula. His highly impressive book Virtual Society weaves together perspectives of human history and psychology, placing new developments in digital technology within them. The course he charts for the metaverse is one to be taken seriously. Prof. Dr. Jürgen Renn, director, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

The evolution of the internet into a metaverse of virtual worlds marks a profound shift in our society. Herman Narula s brilliant new book lays out the most intellectually rigorous case for why this is happening, arguing that what we call the metaverse is the latest manifestation of an ancient human drive to build worlds of meaning that complement our physical surroundings. This mind-expanding, vitally important book blows through superficial takes, showing us where we might be heading. Marc Andreessen, co-founder and general partner, Andreessen Horowitz