Once a tool of the 1960s military through which virtual wars were staged and studied so that actual wars could be perfected, in the 1990s virtual reality has become a revolutionary technology allowing users to experience nearly unlimited computer-generated realities. It exercises a strong hold on the popular imagination, attracting hundreds of researchers and spawning a booming industry. This book explores the complex significance of this technology to popular culture. It provides a sociological and historical account of the genesis of VR and how it has shaped social life, and then relates it to more general issues in the study and effects of the new communications media. The book provides an explanation of VR's relationship to advanced research and development, to the culture of cyberpunk, youth culture, and cultural expression.
- ISBN10 0813329566
- ISBN13 9780813329567
- Publish Date 1 January 1999 (first published 13 June 1996)
- Publish Status Cancelled
- Out of Print 12 March 1998
- Publish Country US
- Publisher Taylor & Francis Inc
- Imprint Westview Press Inc
- Format Paperback
- Pages 224
- Language English