Sequence

It’s not very often Atlas gets to reference a BuzzFeed.com article in our morning note, but we’ll take advantage of today’s opportunity.  Sequels are often not as good as the original.  Take this list which tallies 21 of the worst movies sequels in movie sequel history.  That’s right, it goes all the way back to the beginning of sequels.

While far from wordsmiths, Atlas still enjoys the English language.  Etymology is so readily available these days that it took just seconds to find the word “sequel” has roots in Latin; sequi and sequella both mean follow.  This makes sense; a sequel follows the original motion picture.  And just a few more seconds were needed to discover that parallel has Greek roots; para – alongside, and allēlos – one another.  As it turns out, this is a handy word when describing a universe other than our own which is theoretically co-existing with our own.  If you have more than just two realities, you end up with a metaverse, a word created in 1992 by science-fiction author Neal Stephenson when he combined the prefix meta with the word universe.

Immersive worlds are multiplying in number.  Firms have developed plug and play programs which allow individuals to create their own universe.  Virtual concerts are being created by teams associated with the biggest names in pop-music.  These events include different sets of rules than we’re used to.  Crowds can be bigger and physics works differently there.

Companies in our own world are getting in on this action.  Architectural firms are building skyscrapers in one dimension before breaking ground in our own.  Have you ever been to a place on an online map prior to arriving?  It’s an interesting experience knowing a neighborhood before you’ve ever visited in this universe.  In a way, it reverses the order of the sequel.  You were able to be there before you were there.  If done right, your experience of physically being there will be better than the virtual encounter.   Of course, you could save the money and keep the headset on.  On the other hand, this wouldn’t be the first time a sequel was more critically acclaimed.  Here is a list of the ones that did work.