"Through this machine we become more compassionate, we become more empathetic, and we become more connected. And ultimately we become more human"
-Chris Milk, 2015
Chris Milk argues during his 2015 Ted Talk that virtual reality has the power to create empathy, which in turn makes us become more "human". Milk is the co-founder of Within (formally, Vrse) media company, as well as the co-producer and co-director of Clouds Over Sidra and The Displaced. He self-describes himself as a story-teller who wanted to "put people inside the frame" when they viewed his work. When discussing Clouds Over Sidra, Milk remarks that virtual reality has the potential to the change the world by allowing people to become more compassionate, empathic, connected, and human.
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Chris Milk's claim that virtual reality could make people more empathic, even when viewing visual imagery of suffering contrasts with the idea of moral fatigue. Moral fatigue is discussed by academic scholars Arthur and Joan Kleinman, who explore how images of suffering are appropriated to appeal emotionally and morally to the viewer.
Yet, even intensely violent or emotionally touching photographs taken and circulated today are not always, or even mostly, able to produce a sympathetic response in viewers. Why? The reason circles back to moral fatigue, which the Kleinmans believe is the state of feeling overwhelmed and helpless by the sheer volume of images representing human suffering. Moral fatigue prevents viewers from feeling engaging and empathic for every visual image of suffering.
Empathy is a essential part of encouraging people to help others in pain or need. Although there are extensive moral, ethnical and philosophical disagreements on what hospitality means and the extent of ones rights and duties to help, it is widely acknowledged and accepted by most that people have some sort of moral obligation to help others.
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Empathy, which can be defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, makes it easier to help other people after the viewer feels empathic towards the subject.
It is well documented that humans have a fear of the "other" or the unknown; for some people, it is easier to empathize with those who appear similar to themselves or who have had similar life experiences. For others, it can be more difficult to empathize with someone who is from a different culture, nation, religion, or race. Some people might be unwilling to ever empathize with certain groups.
Previously, photographs and journalism articles were the only forms of technology that widely represented vulnerable populations such as refugees and displaced people. Yet with the advance of technology and increasing variety of platforms to view, share, and add pictures, people are no longer as shocked or moved by photographs as in the past.
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Today, virtual reality is the key to creating an empathic response to representations of suffering and vulnerable populations.
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Virtual reality creates an immersive experience that allows the viewer to feel as if they are in the same setting as the subject of the virtual reality experience. The viewer also has increased interactivity, and is usually able to move their head or body around and gain different visual perspectives. Both these properties of immersion and interactivity contribute to creating increased feelings of empathy for the subject of the virtual reality experience.
Stanford University even conducted experiments to study if virtual reality did lead to an increase in empathy; they concluded that virtual reality can increase feelings of empathy in certain situations. Although it is not feasible for everyone to use virtual reality instead of looking at photographs or watching news footage, it is important to acknowledge that new forms of technology should be embraced and encouraged as they offer additional benefits beyond being able to simply deliver news and show images. Instead, one is able to interact and connect with the virtual reality experience, as opposed to letting the information pass by. It is more difficult to be a 'passive' observer to events when one feels like they are physically standing in a different place, such as a refugee camp, and personally listening to a refugee's story.
Virtual reality has its flaws and limitations, but ultimately should be embraced for its ability to encourage empathy and reduce feelings of moral fatigue.
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Top image: Sisters walk on railway tracks at the makeshift camp of refugees on the Greek-Macedonian border near the Greek village of Idomeni on March 5, 2016, Image by Getty Images
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Bottom image: A rally organized by the group Stop Islamization of Europe in Slovakia. Image by Samuel Kubani/AFP/Getty Images
Virtual Reality & Empathy: The Drawbacks and Limitations
Virtual reality is an effective way to both represent and facilitate self-representations of suffering and vulnerable populations in a manner that encourages increased empathy and user engagement.
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However, virtual reality as a technology has its flaws, drawbacks, and limitations for representing suffering and vulnerable populations like refugees, displaced people, or the stateless. It is important to acknowledge these drawbacks and limitations to remain aware that there are still potentially flaws in the representations presented and thus it is crucial to still critically examine, question, and seek outside sources after learning about a topic. It is also essential to point out these flaws to encourage other innovators, directors, and creators to overcome these problems.
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Above: Refugees walking along railways. Image by UNHCR/A. McConnell
A significant drawback of virtual reality can the expensive equipment required; however, there are some virtual reality experiences that can be viewed through a internet browser. Google also has released "Google Cardboard" (pictured right) which is a virtual reality platform developed by Google for use with a smartphone; it is intended to be a lower-cost system to experience virtual reality. Yet, even this cardboard equipment requires the use of a smartphone. Most virtual reality systems also require a wifi connection.
These factors prevent the majority of the world from experiencing virtual reality; it is essential to lower the cost of virtual reality systems to allow people of lower income levels to experience it. Virtual reality systems in a public space, such as a library or school, would also allow more people access.
Another limitation of virtual reality is that it is only effective as long as the user is willing to actually watch, interact, or experience it. For example, if someone refuses to even try a virtual reality experience about a refugee, it will not increase that person's empathy towards vulnerable populations. Unlike a photograph, which can be unavoidable to look at, it can be easy to avoid particular virtual reality experiences. This can create a willingly unknowledgeable population if many choose to 'opt out' of viewing.
Above: Myanmar refugees in China. Image by Ann Wang/IRIN
An important drawback of media companies involved with virtual reality are their inability to accurately self-represent or represent every refugee, displaced person, etc. Even if the fact that a particular virtual reality experience is the story of one individual and does not represent a larger population is highlighted, viewers will still most likely form generalizations and ideas about the entire population based off of the one experience. This can be partially reduced by increasing the amount of virtual reality experiences centered on individual stories.
Virtual reality also has the limitation of only being able to do so much to encourage viewer action. Although virtual reality is more engaging, immersive, and interactive than typical photographs, the viewer still has to make the choice to take action after experiencing virtual reality focused on suffering.
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Another drawback of virtual reality focused on suffering and vulnerable populations is the aspect of commodification of refugee, displaced, or stateless bodies. By selling virtual reality experiences about refugees or displaced children, one is making money off of others' suffering. Although it is important to spread awareness about an issue or group, it is also important to focus on the people before the profit. Companies that create virtual reality experiences focused on vulnerable populations need to be exceedingly careful to avoid commodifying suffering or using other people's situations to create a product to sell.
Above: A child waits at the migrant processing center at the Moria Camp on the island of Lesbos on October 23, 2015. Image by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Virtual reality about vulnerable populations can also be problematic in terms of primarily Western audiences possibly viewing these for entertainment before removing the virtual reality headset or exiting out of the internet browser and returning to their reality. Suffering should not be used as entertainment or to pass the time. This problem will be hard to eliminate but may be reduced with companies establishing that particular content is serious or urging the viewer at the end to take action.
Virtual reality as a tool for increasing empathy of vulnerable populations, such as refugees or displaced people has its drawbacks and limitations. Although the technology is helpful for allowing the viewer to feel immersed and possibly more connected to the subject of the experience, the required equipment for virtual reality can be expensive or difficult to obtain. Companies wishing to make a profit in virtual reality might also commodify the suffering of vulnerable populations for the company's own gain. There is also the problem of Western audiences possibly using experiences of suffering as entertainment before returning to their own lives.
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These flaws are important to consider when creating or watching virtual reality experiences centered on suffering or populations like refugees in order to best avoid them.
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Although virtual reality as a technology is not perfect, it ultimately is a platform for better representations and self-representations of individuals in vulnerable populations to be heard, seen, and witnessed.
Technology and Empathy
Positive Attributes, Drawbacks, and Limitations of Virtual Reality and Empathy