Blog Post 9-Cassandra Chabot

 I believe thinking of VR as a device for empathy makes complete sense. Of course, anyone can tell a story using their words. However, description can only take a piece to a certain degree before all that can be read has been, and there is nothing left to discover. Conveying a message using alternative mediums offers a new form of storytelling, open to a wide array of emotions and interpretations. Using videos and a 360 view, the audience member is completely engulfed in the story. They are getting the important visuals that may or may not be enhanced with accompanying text. It really puts the words of the author into action, particularly if the topic is more serious or solemn. It puts an image to a place and a face to a name. This aspect for me seems to be the most crucial in supporting the idea that this form of media exudes the possibility of empathy. In order to truly become connected to a text or a writer, the reader must be able to genuinely feel as though they are with the author, side by side in their creative journey. Aside from just the 360 visual, making the project interactive adds another element that allows the audience to get closer to the work. If the reader has to click through different hyperlinks, or scroll through a site, I feel they are more inclined to care about the author's purpose of writing and be engaged. Sometimes, it is hard to focus on a story, even if it is riveting, simply due to the fact that words on a blank page aren't always the most appealing. In giving the reader control of the experience, they are taking a voluntary chance on the author. A chance were they decide what the want to keep reading, what part of the story they are most interested in. It is a way for an author and the reader to sit side by side while viewing the work, despite the physical distance that may be there. It is such a personal thing to be immersed in someone's private space, or catch a glimpse at the mundane tasks of everyday life. It really makes for a human experience.