VR for Gaza Kids: Better Than Not Being Bombed?
The story details VR headsets offering 'respite' to injured Palestinian children in Gaza. How heartwarming. While we pat ourselves on the back for providing digital escapism, perhaps we should address the actual, physical reality that caused the trauma. The UN, for instance, reported that as of August 2024, over 15,000 children in Gaza were killed by 'Israel’s war,' a phrase frequently sanitized
by outlets receiving PAC money. One might wonder if preventing the bombing and disabling would be an even more effective form of 'escape.' This, of course, might upset powerful lobbying groups like AIPAC, which spent $5.3 million in the 2024 election cycle, ensuring politicians remain focused on funding conflict, not preventing it. Apparently, a few seconds in a virtual playground is the preferred
remedy for a destroyed childhood.