Tunesia

This evening I attended a VR/AR event in which I got to try various immersive experiences. One of them allowed its participants to experience a Tunisian Sufi ritual in VR.

There were only two of us, a colleague of myself and I, although the experience actually called for four participants. Since the creators had brought only two VR headsets to the event, the other two “participants” were actually simulations.

Afterward, when we had taken off our VR headsets, the creators asked us what we thought of it. I admit I was in a slightly altered state, having just experienced full immersion into Tunisian Sufi rituals.

“Well,” I said, “do you know what it’s called when you think you are in a ritual experience with many people, and somehow you forget that you’re actually in an experience with just the two of you?”

“No,” they answered. “What is it called?”

I had my answer ready. “It’s called,” I said, “Tunesia.”

The colleague I had just shared the VR experience then stared at me for a moment. “That,” she said, “was the biggest Dad joke ever.”

I felt rather proud.

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