That may be it. The internet was not a business project ( attempts were made before Darpa, but those failed ), but rather some technically-minded people trying to make it work. Metaverse, if such thing is to come forth, should be in the same category.

But it won't.

Internet was already too much of a proof that we are not ready for it as a species. I am not just talking about powers-that-be getting riled up over how it took some of the power away. I am talking about how it laid bare how downright awful average human can be.

But I hear metaverse and I chuckle, because the best comparison for it for me is Fed-issued crypto coin. Completely misses the point, but it runs on blockchain. Yay.