Meet Will – The metaverse’s first homeless person
By Shadia Muse on Thursday, April 7, 2022
In a new campaign by Entourage, a network of 150,000 citizens that want to alleviate the social exclusion of homeless people, meet Will: “the first person of the metaverse”. The Metaverse has been reported to be the ‘utopian version of our earth’. People can escape here without being exposed to the problems in our reality that affect many real people.
‘Will’ is supposed to be a reminder to people that they cannot turn a blind eye to real-world problems right here on Earth, such as the social exclusion rough sleepers face. The character commemorates the end of the winter break for France which is March 31st each year. It is at this point that France ceases its emergency housing plans for homeless people.
“While huge investments in the virtual world are accelerating… and while virtual worlds are being built, social isolation has never been so strong,” describes TBWA\Paris, the advertising agency behind the activation. “With Will, Entourage questions the evolution of our society, of social ties, and invites us to look after the most precarious, in real life.”
As we all know-just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it isn’t there. There are 300,000 homeless people who live in France and being in the metaverse means you are shielded from this. However, hiding from the huge social problem that is homelessness is simply not an option.
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