Does Simulation Theory Make the World Worse?
If you believe the simulation theory is true, and act accordingly, it might turn you into a bad person.
Most people don’t really believe what they say they believe. At least, they sure don’t act like it. This is why church services regularly remind believers to “walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk.”
Whether it’s Christianity or simulation theory, people are mostly a lot of talk.
Yes: simulation theory. That’s what I’ve been thinking about lately. People say they believe it, but do they act like it? What would it even look like for someone to really believe simulation theory?
A few days ago, I tweeted a link to my article about Elon’s bad take on longevity. Elon, it turns out, doesn’t like the idea of people living longer. My friend @mangledworld caught me off guard with this reply:
Elon has a bad take [on longevity] cuz he thinks the problem has been solved. He believes that we already live in a simulation...and simulated beings can be resurrected after death. In other words, Elon is under the impression that we've already solved the problem of death.
I’m doubtful this actually represents Elon’s view. But it points to something troubling with simulation theory: Believing the theory has immediate implications for the significance of death. With Elon, speculatively, this resulted in him believing we’ve “solved the problem of death” and therefore we don’t need to worry about people living longer. In other cases, believing in simulation theory only gets grimmer.
Consider the people who have used the Matrix defense. This is a legal defense raised when the defendant committed a crime under the belief that they were acting as a character in a simulated world. Joshua Cooke, for example, killed his adoptive parents because he was under the impression that it would matter: Since life is a simulation (as depicted in the movie The Matrix), they weren’t real. Cooke ended up pleading guilty. Others who’ve attempted the Matrix defense ultimately relied on the insanity defense. All of these individuals, presumably, didn’t just talk the talk of simulation theory. They were all in.
This leads me to wonder: Does simulation theory make the world worse? Imagine if there were a Church of the Simulation. And every Sunday morning, preachers stood up before large congregations and encouraged them to “Live like you really believe we’re in a simulation. Don’t just talk the talk; walk the walk!”
If properly inspired, what would these congregations of believers go out and do in the real world? If they were fundamentalists in the belief that life has no real value and death is not forever, might they find themselves carrying out some real mayhem? Would they find themselves cheering on mass shootings? Showing up to funeral ceremonies and celebrating?
“It’s not a tragedy! In death you move to the next level in the simulation!”
We don’t know if we live in a simulation. Probably we don’t. But regardless, the theory will likely become increasingly popular as our AI and VR technologies improve. As the theory becomes more popular, it will be prudent to start creating stories where life remains precious, and death remains scary, even if this life is simulated.
Notably, at the same time, we also need stories to replace our ancient religious stories, which are declining in popularity. The people have to believe in something. Even if they don’t act like they really believe it—and especially if they do.