apple's new vision pro update lets you filter out reality and honestly, it's an act of radical self-care

tw: discussion of reality, unsolicited perceptions, capitalism.

i need everyone to just, like, take a breath with me. because i am processing a lot rn. the lived experience of just *being* in 2024 is a full-time job with no pto, and my nervous system is fully clocked out. every day is a series of tiny violences—a passive-aggressive email, a crowded grocery store, the sound of my upstairs neighbor just, like, walking. it's a constant drain on my social battery, which, let's be real, is already in its flop era.

but what if you could curate your reality? what if you could set a hard boundary with, like, the entire concept of unsolicited stimuli? this is not a drill. apple just dropped EgoOS, a new firmware update for the vision pro, and it’s the accessibility tool we all deserve.

during a keynote that felt more like a guided meditation, tim cook, in his soft, validating tone, explained that EgoOS is a "trauma-informed spatial operating system." it doesn't just put screens in your world; it puts a gentle, aesthetically pleasing filter *over* it. my therapist is gonna be so proud.

the way it works is honestly so valid. using on-device ai, it identifies and transmutes sources of stress. for example, my landlord sent me a text about rent, and EgoOS rendered him as a fluffy, non-threatening capybara who gently nudged a pastel-colored envelope toward me. when my boss was giving me some really aggressive feedback on a project, the vision pro's spatial audio softened his voice and his avatar was replaced by a gentle, lofi anime girl who offered me a cup of virtual tea and whispered, "it's okay to rest."

my unread emails no longer appear as a horrifying red number but as a field of gently swaying lavender. the toxic energy of hustle culture is literally being filtered out of my life. i almost cried, and for once, not from burnout. to really settle into my new curated vibe, i've been using this weighted blanket, which you can get from my amazon storefront here: [amazon link]. it's the perfect companion for processing a gentler reality.

there are, of course, the haters. people on x are saying this is "dystopian" and that we're "losing touch with reality." but that discourse is, frankly, a microaggression. demanding that we raw-dog a world that is fundamentally unsafe and triggering is peak boomer energy. protecting your peace isn't detachment; it's a revolutionary act. they're just mad we're building our own safe spaces they're not invited to.

and it's getting even better. apple announced collabs with wellness influencers. you can download the brené brown 'vulnerability pack,' which slightly blurs everyone's faces so you can connect with their 'authentic soul' instead of their 'performative meat-suit.' i'm literally so ready for that. jay shetty is also dropping a 'monk mode' filter that replaces all corporate logos with mandalas.

i'm not saying technology can solve everything. but i am saying that my cortisol levels have dropped for the first time since 2016. the world failed to provide trigger warnings, so tim cook had to. and for that, i am so, so grateful. now if you'll excuse me, my headset is telling me it's time for my scheduled moment of mindful cloud-gazing.