Sara Conti- BLOG 9

While listening to the TED talk on virtual reality made me reflect on the powers of VR. As the speaker began on the topic of empathy within the film I reflected myself on the documentaries I’ve seen myself of people and situations in other countries. I find it interesting to hear about people's individual stories. This filmmaker especially, for his vital role in creating a music video for Kanye West. I laughed at his Evel Knievel joke about his signature, I thought that was hilarious. Once he began speaking on the emotional connection people had within VR and the real connection they had. Even looking into Sidra’s story I felt a sense of empathy, being in that moment with that little girl and what it felt like looking around. I’ve always been interested in documentaries and learning about the details of one's stories. Being placed in Sidra’s world gave me a first-hand experience of the details of her story while being there with her. Bashir’s Dream gave another inside look into the lives of a Jordan refugee. It's always interesting to me to see what these individuals living conditions are, I feel that it gives perspective to those in need. I feel that VR can have a substantial impact on our society, especially on those who don’t understand what it feels like to be in one's shoes. This also made me reflect on the project that I’m creating and the impact I could have. Although mine is rather a lighter project topic, it's still my experience and thoughts I have while being in this space. Mine could better be used for a marketing stunt to appeal to customers about the experience they could have walking through TJ’s.