So, once upon a time, in the land of Tír na nÓg …the land of perpetual youth, the shining world just over the western horizon, reachable only through the veil of fog and sorcery. It's a potent image, isn't it? And frankly, when I consider the metaverse, I can't help but see echoes of that ancient longing for another place, a better place, a place of endless possibility. That’s the thing, isn’t it? Though it seems like endless possibility, it’s really endless corporate opportunity. That’s the question that all of us need to be asking.

Metaverse Architects Or Just Salesmen?

Today, financial analysts are salivating over “metaverse stocks.” MarketBeat is making our own addition to the discussion by shining a light on a few AI stocks like NVIDIA (NVDA), Accenture (ACN), and Globant (GLOB). I get it, these are titans, builders of the digital universe, natch. Let’s face it, they’re trying to sell us something.

  • NVIDIA (NVDA): Powering the visuals, the very sight of this new world. Makes sense. But will those sights be breathtaking vistas or just endless advertisements? I'm wary of a future where every digital sunset is sponsored.
  • Accenture (ACN): Consulting behemoth, advising businesses on navigating this new frontier. Translation: helping corporations colonize the metaverse. Are they ensuring a level playing field, or simply paving the way for the biggest players to dominate?
  • Globant (GLOB): Building the platforms, the very ground we'll walk on. But who controls that ground? Who sets the rules? I'm anxious this could lead to a digital feudalism.

These companies certainly have a role to play, no doubt. They are building the infrastructure. We must hold a skeptical lens towards their motives and the unintended consequences of their actions. Simply because the new world has to be built far better than the old.

Preserving Culture, Digitally

Here's where the "cultural twist" comes in. As an Irish person, I was born a skeptic of anything that smells like a cultural steamroller. Here are a few ways we can use the metaverse to save culture, not destroy it. How do we use these technologies to help smaller communities and nations, and not just make large multinational corporations richer?

The potential is there. It requires intention. It takes an investment in complete projects that protect cultural identity as opposed to ones that seek to maximize profit. It takes a little bit of work to not participate in digital cultural appropriation. I would be furious at the idea that my culture was being traded on.

  • VR Recreations: Experiencing the Hill of Tara in its glory days, guided by a virtual druid, speaking in Gaelic.
  • Blockchain Artifact Protection: Securely digitizing and protecting priceless Irish manuscripts from theft or damage.
  • AR Tourism: Overlaying historical context onto modern landscapes, bringing the past to life in a way that enriches the present.

MarketBeat hints at "better buys" than NVIDIA. I can’t give you individual stock picks, so do your diligence out there! I hope to make the case that you should look for more than low-hanging fruit. Stay tuned to find out what smaller companies and grassroots initiatives are doing with metaverse technologies. Find out which of these “hidden gems” are really changing the game!

Hidden Gems & Ethical Investments

These investments are what’s needed to actually build a better metaverse. They will not replicate the inequalities of this imperfect real world, but instead serve to illustrate and illuminate the richness and diversity of human culture. One of the deepest joys of my life has come from seeing small businesses move in the right direction.

The metaverse — a persistent, augmented and virtual reality — is coming, like it or not. But it's not a predetermined future. We have the power to shape it. We hope you’ll join us in building a future we all want to live in. That future must respect the past, be inspired by all that is possible in the present, and favor humans before profits.

  • Empower artists and content creators from diverse backgrounds.
  • Promote digital literacy and accessibility in underserved communities.
  • Prioritize data privacy and user control.
  • Actively work to combat misinformation and harmful content.

These are the investments that will actually build a better metaverse, one that reflects the richness and diversity of human culture, rather than simply replicating the inequalities of the real world. I feel joy when I see small companies doing good.

The metaverse is coming, whether we like it or not. But it's not a predetermined future. We have the power to shape it. Let's make sure it's a future worth living in, a future that honors the past while embracing the possibilities of the present, a future that doesn't just chase profits but instead embraces the wonder and awe of human connection.