Virtual Natives

The eclipse of Digital Natives and the dawn of virtual culture—how Gen A, Z are radically redefining the future of work, play, economics, and social life. We’re living through what is arguably one of the most exciting, confusing, and powerful social moments in the history of humanity, the shift from the Digital Age to the Virtual Age. This shift is being driven by technology, and the people who are leading it are the ones who know it best: the Virtual Natives, made up of Gen Alpha and Z. This book will introduce you to the Virtual Native cohort and mindset, decipher their socio-cultural and economic experiences, and unpack their expectations of companies looking to engage, market, or employ them. In this book, we explore: How Virtual Natives are deploying the new technologies driving the virtualized world How relationships and work habits are being virtualized Identify ten main Virtual Native-led behaviors that are upending work and culture How Virtual Natives are evolving their expertise into a full-blown economy This is nothing short of a cultural revolution. Virtual Natives are the driving force behind a seismic change that is redefining the world through technology and virtual worlds: this book tells you how they are navigating everything from AI to Augmented and virtual reality, gaming, blockchain and Web3 in easy, accessible language. To understand the future, read Virtual Natives.

Preface: Welcome to the Dawn of the Virtual Natives vii Part 1 A Generation Unlike Any Other 1 Chapter 1 Virtual Is the New Digital 3 Chapter 2 What Is Reality, Anyway? 13 Chapter 3 Fluid Identities 25 Chapter 4 Radical Acceptance 39 Chapter 5 Putting on the “Rizz” 53 Chapter 6 From Apprentice to Expert 63 Chapter 7 Create, Consume, and Own 73 Chapter 8 Autonomous Agents 89 Chapter 9 Send Pics 107 Chapter 10 The First Cyborgs 119 Part 2 The Revolution Starts Here 131 Chapter 11 Meet the Degens 133 Chapter 12 You’re Not the Boss of Me 145 Chapter 13 Love, Sex, and Algorithms 157 Chapter 14 Web3 and the Culture 169 Chapter 15 Life Is Games 181 Chapter 16 The Charismatics 191 Chapter 17 Main Character Energy 211 Chapter 18 Future Forward: Virtual Natives and the New Tech Landscape 225 Epilogue: Invisible Architecture 237 Notes 243 Acknowledgments 279 About the Authors 281 Index 283