元宇宙这个概念最近有点烫（too hot）。
The concept of metaverse has been a little hot lately (too hot).
新词汇都有这样的特征，由于它自身定义不清，于是民众的理解也千奇百怪，一千个人的眼里，有一百万个哈姆雷特 —— 为什么呢？因为每个人在每时每刻都有可能改变自己的理解。
This is exactly the characteristic of a new vocabulary - it is understood by the public in a plethora of ways, merely because of its lack of precise definition. An there are a million Hamlets in the eyes of a thousand people - why? Because everyone can change their meaning or understanding at every moment.
看看 Wikipedia 上的那个模糊无比的定义吧：
Take a look at the incredibly vague definition on Wikipedia:
Metaverse（“meta-” 和 “universe” 的谐音）是一种假设的互联网迭代，通过传统的个人计算以及虚拟和增强现实头盔支持持久的在线 3-D 虚拟环境。Metaverses，以某种有限的形式，已经出现在 VRChat 等平台或第二人生等视频游戏中。目前，元空间的雄心主要集中在解决现代虚拟和增强现实设备的技术限制，以及将元空间的使用扩大到商业、教育和零售应用。众多娱乐和社交媒体公司已经投资于与元空间相关的研究和开发。
The metaverse (a portmanteau of “meta-“ and “universe”) is a hypothesized iteration of the Internet, supporting persistent online 3-D virtual environments through conventional personal computing, as well as virtual and augmented reality headsets. Metaverses, in some limited form, are already present on platforms like VRChat or video games like Second Life. Current metaverse ambitions are centered on addressing technological limitations with modern virtual and augmented reality devices, as well as expanding the use of metaverse spaces to business, education, and retail applications. Numerous entertainment and social media companies have invested in metaverse-related research and development.
反正我是看不大懂它究竟在说什么。你看懂了吗？
Anyway, I couldn’t quite understand what it was saying, could you?
可是，如果我们换一个定义相对清楚的概念，你我就可能瞬间理解…… 其实你早就知道 —— 平行世界。而我们早就生活在平行世界里了，并且已经很久了。
However, there’s another relatively well-defined concept, which could be instantly understood… since it’s already known for a long time - a parallel world, in which We’ve already been living for a long time.
互联网从一开始就是一个相对于现实世界的平行世界。
From the very beginning, the Internet has been a parallel world relative to the real world.
每个人在网上和在现实生活中都做不到一模一样。两个 “个体” 虽然都是同一个 “个体” 的展示，但，总是不太一样（或非常不一样），却又终归处于平行状态。
One can not be the same online as one is in real life. Although both “individuals” are the same individual’s display, they are always somehow or drastically different, yet in the end, they are in parallel.
关键在于带宽和速度。最初的时候，带宽太窄，速度太慢。所以，我们在网上出了一个 ID（或者 “昵称”）之外什么都没有，能发布的内容也基本上只有文字。后来带宽宽了一点点，速度快了一点点，我们出了 ID 之外，多了个 “头像”；再后来，带宽更宽了，速度更快了，于是，我们在网上发布的内容就有了更多的图片；再后来，有声音、有视频…… 带宽和速度的增加是如此之快，乃至于到了最近，直播成了主流。
The key is bandwidth and speed. Initially, the bandwidth was too narrow and the speed was too slow. So we came out with nothing but an ID (or “nickname”) on the Internet, with contents consisting mostly of pure text. Then the bandwidth got a little wider and speed a little faster, and we came out with an “avatar” in addition to the ID; then later, the bandwidth got much wider and speed much faster, so we posted more pictures online; then later, there was sound and video… The increase in bandwidth and speed was so rapid that, until recently, live streaming became mainstream.
越来越宽网络带宽，以及越来越强的本地计算机的处理能力、越来越快的网络传输速度，以及铺天盖地的云服务器的加持，使得我们自身在网上的那个版本越来越 “形象丰满”。
Increasingly wider network bandwidth, more powerful processing capability of local computers, faster network transmission speeds, and the overwhelming supports of cloud servers make our version of the Internet increasingly “full-figured.”
在线版本的你，可以有一个甚至多个完美的 3D 形象，高矮胖瘦随便你选，爱穿什么衣服就穿什么衣服，甚至连性别都不受实际物理限制…… 还可以做你自己在现实世界里完全不可能做到的事情，比如，你竟然可以说很多种语言（感谢那些 AI 翻译引擎，比如 Google Translator 或者 DeepL）—— 这远比更帅更漂亮有意义得多，不是吗？
The online version of you can have one perfect 3D image (even more), be as tall, short, fat, or thin as you like, wear whatever you want, and not even be limited by the actual physicality… You can also do things that are utterly impossible for you to do in the real world. For example, you can speak many languages (thanks to those AI translation engines, such as Google Translator or DeepL) - and that makes a lot more sense than being more handsome or more beautiful, doesn’t it?
你早就开启了你自己的元宇宙，只不过你并没在意而已。
You opened your own metaverse a long time ago, which you didn’t bother to care.
我没有兴趣去讨论当前元宇宙这个概念被企业拿去炒作市值的现象。
I am not interested in discussing the current phenomenon of the metaverse concept being taken by companies to speculate on market value.
我倒是想继续探讨一下，在这个越来越丰满的平行世界里（也就是现在人们所说的元宇宙里），个体的机会到底在哪里？
I want to continue to explore where the opportunities for individuals are in this increasingly fleshed-out parallel world (or metaverse as it is now newly named).
在这样一个 “新的” 世界里，最核心的竞争力以及最核心的价值，只在于一个词：魅力。魅力这个东西，曾经是玄学，但它更可能是一个实实在在的东西 —— 它的得分高低是一个内容的最根本评价，它的得分高低决定受众（过去是读者，未来是观众）的数量大小。而后两者都是实实在在的价值来源。
In such a “new” world, the core competitiveness and the value lie in one word: charisma. Charisma used to be metaphysical, but it is more likely to be a real thing — its score is the most fundamental evaluation of content, and its score determines the size of the audience (primarily readers in the past, all kinds of audience in the future). And the latter two are natural value resources.
魅力这个东西，看似玄学，但，的确有一套切实可行的如何获取、如何维护、以及如何持续的方法论。
Charisma is seemingly metaphysical, yet there is a practical methodology for obtaining, maintaining, and sustaining.
想在一篇文章里全面叙述是完全不可能的，但，倒是可以飞快的讲完最基本的核心。
It is entirely impossible to give a comprehensive account in one article, but it is possible to skip through the most basic core.
魅力这个东西是外向的，而非内向的。
Charisma is outward rather than inward.
换言之，魅力首先要对别人有用才能对自己有用。
In other words, one’s charisma must first be helpful to others before it can be helpful to oneself.
至于 “到底什么是有用的” 又是一个长篇大论，没办法在这里继续深入。但，认识到 “魅力是元宇宙中最强竞争力” 本身，就已经具备足够大的指导意义了。再进一步，开始认真琢磨 “为什么魅力是外向的而非内向的？” 就已经开始了长足进步……
As for “what exactly is useful?”, it is another long discussion, and there is no way to go further here. However, recognizing that “charisma is the strongest competency in the metaverse” is in itself a significant and clear enough guidance. Taking it a step further and starting to seriously ponder, “Why and how is charisma outward rather than inward?” would have already sent you to a starting point of a brand new future.
我想，这篇文章的意义就在于此了。
I think that’s the point of this article.