Ready Player One is great science fiction set in the very near future. It is well done drama that leverages totally realistic visions of what technology is rapidly evolving to. Imagine a world where virtual reality and global connectivity enables universal access to high quality education. Incredible. Awesome. And achievable by us if we put our minds to it. I love visions like this.
The book does not paint our future as a wonderland for all, for most it seems the new VR is the greatest thing in their lives. I’m hoping that is not the future we build, but for this drama it works.
The book does a great job introducing many of the ethical consideration people are already encountering in today’s high tech world were issues of big business, personal privacy, war, peace, healthcare, wealth and poverty are all impacted by our new technologies. It describes situations and a technological environment I believe to be very realistic if you consider the current capabilities of big data analytics, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and mobility.
There are also plenty of lessons for cybersecurity professionals, including an interesting plot element involving an insider threat.
I highly recommend Ready Player One for any technologist. But I wonder, could it be that I like it so much because of the many references to the video games of my youth? Might it be that those from the generations younger than mine might not be so entertained? Please give it a read and let me know what you think.
Related Reading:
US Navy CNO’s Navigation Plan 2014-2018: Warfighting first. Operate forward. Be ready.
