凱文·斯派西是一個虛擬現實的炒作者

凱文·斯派西是一個偉大的演員和戲劇導演，但我更喜歡凱文·斯派西這個氣喘吁吁的技術傳道者。當斯派西喜歡一種潮流時，他會投入時間、金錢和名氣。流媒體服務是未來嗎？斯派西成為第一部突破性的流媒體電視連續劇的明星。電子游戲是未來嗎？斯派西在這一代最受歡迎的劇集中扮演反派角色。虛擬現實是未來嗎？斯派西成為虛擬現實初創公司的顧問。...

技術傳道者不是斯派西的全職工作。他的全職工作是穿著漂亮的西裝，在移動的火車前推特技替身。他的全職工作是讓愚蠢的偵探們慢鏡頭地放下杯子。他的全職工作佔用了很多時間。這就是為什麼我覺得科技傳道者斯派西如此迷人：他不必在意。他不是什麼風投獃子或矽谷****。他一生都有其他愛好。

無論是作為一個演員還是一個投資者，斯派西都是引人註目的，但作為這兩者的混合體，他都將自己的面子、現金和合法性置於危險之中，這是前所未有的。一般來說，演員們會得到太多的贊揚，但斯派西的副業卻讓人感到異常的不被註意。在2016年達沃斯對詹姆斯·哈丁的採訪中，斯派西的榮耀深深打動了我。虛擬現實的討論在18分鐘左右開始。我已經轉錄了下麵最好的片段。

"I am a believer. I've been very fortunate to go and see, right up to very recently, where it all is. And I think it's going to be revolutionary for a whole lot of reas***. First of all, let's just think about sports [...] Imagine that you can buy a ticket to be on the sidelines of a live football match while it's happening, and be able to go... [He mimes looking around] That's going to happen. There's no doubt. Or a concert, that's going to happen. Paul McCartney did a VR thing last year. Beck did one. Quite remarkably you're so close to the stage you literally feel you're there.

I think [virtual reality] will end up being the natural home for capturing the living theater. Because finally we can take a three dimensional experience and retain it as a three dimensional experience. I think it will work in film. Maybe not an entire film, but I think we should try and see if there are five sequences in a movie where that device, whatever it's going to be... I don't think it's going to be this forever. [He mimes a large headset over his face] This reminds me of the first cell phones. I think it's going to be quite simple, much simpler as time goes by.

But I also think of [virtual reality] in terms of education. I mean, the classroom is probably the single space that we all know that hasn't change at all since the beginning of time. It's a chalkboard, seats, and a teacher up front. But imagine if we can bring the best teachers in the world into that classroom. And a student can put on a headset and suddenly be at the bottom of the ocean studying science. Or be in the Globe theater watching actors rehearsing in the 16th century. Or be in the Sydney Opera House while a concert is happening."

從那裡，斯派西比較了他作為演員的工作——穿著別人的鞋子行走，在別人的想法中徘徊——作為一種移情的禮物，並引用虛擬現實作為普通人進入類似體驗的切入點。斯派西引用了虛擬現實設計師克裡斯·米爾克（Chris Milk）的話，稱這種媒介為“移情機器”。他清楚而簡潔地從他作為一個人類所關心的東西和他想要定義未來的技術中劃出了一條線。這是驚人的，當你考慮到數十億美元的公司投入數百萬廣告宣傳從來沒有接近這樣的壯舉。