Time for this blog has been rare as of late since I've been actively searching for steady work since January. It becomes hard to focus on other pleasures in life if one is in a difficult place. This trial of unemployment has been at the same time an opportunity for reflection on both the nature of finding work and how I end up spending my time.
Nature of Work
Being productive and earning reward is somehow wired into us. When we find ourselves unable to earn, we become frustrated. Perhaps it is the American way to be able to stand on your own two feet and make your own way without anyone's help. While we my view our lives in this way, it could not be farther from the truth.
Our culture also emphasizes on how much output a person produces. A worthwhile member of society is someone who is productive. I know even I myself will judge another person by how much they work or the nature of their work. To me at least a doctor seems like a better human because the nature of their work requires a very specific, hard to acquire skill. They also contribute to the health of society which to me is a worthwhile "product". Which is to say that the value placed on that "product" is higher than others.
Nature of Unemployment
It is like wearing a badge of shame at times to be unemployed and actively looking for work. The temptation is to try to find something at fault with the person, especially if you are the one unemployed. This may be because we feel so defined by the work we do or the jobs we hold. It can become our identity. Losing that identity becomes a source of discouragement. It is easy to forget something of great importance.
Perspective
God does not identify us by the job we hold or how much money we earn or even how many hours we put into a job. It is so easy to lose sight of this when happily employed or when desperately looking. I've had trying days during this time where I did not even want to get up out of bed. What was the point? I had no plans for the day. No job to do. But I had to get up. And it was by the hand of God that I would get out of bed, drink a breakfast shake, and spend some time trying to find work or finding time to go to a daily mass or sit out on my porch and pray a rosary.
It is enough to our Lord that I just be. During this time I've had a few powerful revelations. Well powerful to me at the time. The first is the reassurance that God is more concerned with who I am and not what I do. And also that God ultimately wants me to be happy.
In the Legion of Mary, our spiritual director said once: God weeps at our suffering.
It is easier to think that God is a god of wrath and that suffering is a form of punishment. I had never thought of God weeping, but it makes sense. Christ shared sorrow and joy with the people around him, he would do the same for us. At the same time, Christ also laughs with us and gives us the strength to bear the weight of our crosses.
Pruning
I know at least for me this is an OBVIOUS pruning. A couple weeks ago the gospel talked about how God was the caretaker of the vineyard and even good branches must be pruned to bear more fruit. Since I have so much "free time", it would make sense that I have more time to draw closer to God and develop some of my virtues. (Well, I have my good and bad days. :))
My faith is growing and also my trust. It is only when our trust in God is challenged that we can grow in it. My brother, who has recently landed a steady job (God be praised), had been long unemployed or under-employed. He lived off the generosity of others while looking for work. At times getting a little frustrated with God, because he had trusted him.
This is a way to shake us out of lukewarmness which is definitely something I struggle with. Once I hit "good enough" I'll stop until motivated. But I also get "mad" because I can not see the eternal plan and my suffering right now doesn't make complete sense. I can only GUESS.
Nature of the Hunt
Now all this ties into how job searching and landing a job has changed over time. I've taken classes on job hunting and find myself its student quite often. In the entertainment industry, the saying is: It's who you know. That will land you a job.
There are many techniques the utilize to better your rate of success: Networking, Marketing Yourself, and Experience. However even with all these techniques there is NO GUARANTEE.
One of the great lessons I'm relearning is that any job I've landed was through Divine Providence. I moved over a thousand miles to a strange town where I knew no one and landed my first job in 8 weeks thanks to being proactive and blessings from God. Now my network is a little wider, I'm making all the right moves, but I'm still unemployed. So I have put my faith on the line and my trust in God...and trust in my friends.
For all those seeking employment, I highly recommend praying to St. Joseph the worker. And for those getting quite desperate asking St. Jude or St. Rita for a little help may do you some good.
Also don't be afraid to ask anyone for prayers.
St. Joseph, Pray for us.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The End is Bittersweet
This is just a reaction post to the uproar against the ending in Bioware's Mass Effect 3. Be forewarned this is an outside looking in kind of reaction as I've only played the ME3 demo and watched the first hour of game play of ME1. So I can not say I'm familiar with the whole story. However based on this spoilery video detailing the top ten plot holes, I can say I might understand the unhappy reaction of the masses. (I will try my best to avoid the obvious puns that I could use in a Catholic blog about mass.)
- Ending a Story
There are expectations for the end of a story that a consumer expects. The main thing is a resolution of all conflicts the story presents. This is something basic that is taught in creative writing. Resolutions need to follow logic in order for them to work. The resolution needs to fall back onto previously established story events. According to the linked video, that doesn't seem to be the case in this particular story since it was a co-authored story. But I'll get to that in the next sections.
You can have a bittersweet, hopeless, sad, or even cautionary ending. Such as the ending in Huxley's A Brave New World or Orwell's 1984.
- Ending a Game
The style of the game's narrative presentation will affect how the player accepts the ending(s). Delivering a narrative through a game is not the same as delivering through a book or film. There is a style of narrative delivery in which the game story is narrated or told directly to the player regardless of their in-game actions. This is called "Linear" in gaming. A linear game is something like the newer Legend of Zelda games or Final Fantasy. You play the game to be told a story.
The ending for a game like this can also be bittersweet, sad, etc.
Non-linear games such as sand box games or games with multiple endings are different in how they are perceived by the player. This is because the player becomes co-author of their experience and the storyline. They play not to be told a story but to in part direct the story.
In both cases reaching the end goal is a reward for in-game challenges. A resolution satisfies our narrative needs.
Ending Games Continued
Okay let me take a mostly linear game Odin Sphere by Vanillaware. This is a story based on an already established story...well...loosely. It's based on Wagner's Ring Cycle Opera. The game allows you to play the story at various points from the perspective of 5 characters. The various endings are affected only by which boss each of the characters decides to fight. There is ONE correct combination based on an in game prophecy which will tell you who should fight who.
In my first play through I mixed up a couple of the boss fights. Each character completed their arc in a satisfying way, however, the world was completely destroyed. I was surprised and a little saddened that despite the effort it took me to complete the game I got a "sad" ending. However, replaying the boss battles in the correct combination allowed me to see the happier ending. So I did not have to completely replay the whole game.
My reaction was still negative toward the sad ending but it was in a way the game "punishing" me the player for not really paying attention to that prophecy element of the story.
BUT this was a linear game. I did not feel "cheated" because I did not co-author any of the characters. I was just following their story, not directing it.
Trilogies
Trilogies are a way of telling a very large story in 3 Acts. Depending on how each ends will satisfy our following of this long journey.
For example let's look at Lord of the Rings. I will use the films as examples because it's been over a decade since I read the novels and I can not quite remember where each left off in the story.
The first film Fellowship of the Ring follows a story to a satisfying and hopeful end. We are introduced to the status quo, the characters, the conflict and the goal. The ending of the film while a little sad holds promise of more adventure. It's hopeful.
The second film continues on from the darker side of the first film and while it ends with a victorious battle there are still unresolved ends and a little less hope. It's harder to watch because we don't have that serene, happy beginning which is true of most "middle" sections of a trilogy.
The Return of the King starts dark but brings us to a happy resolution. All the ends are tied, the heroes win, we feel satisfied.
It is also heavily based on the Hero's Journey/Mono-myth story format which seems to satisfy some human desire within us. (It's all in the Bible too!)
- Reaction
According to the linked video, there are many plot-holes that upset players and seemed to betray story logic. The whole experience over 3 games seems disregarded which means the experience the player co-authored is disregarded.
It was not like the linear game experience where if you made "wrong" choices you get the bad ending.
Apparently there was also developer promises for endings that were not shoehorned in or allowed the player only flavors of the same ending. These promises were not kept.
Is the reaction appropriate? Campaigns demanding a better ending from the developer?
Personally I think that because the developer Bioware is very connected to fans that they have let down their customers. They probably could never satisfy all fans, but since a majority is so disenchanted then there is some incentive to comply with the desire for better endings.
From what I see in the ending I have a feeling I can guess what kind of ending they wanted to give. But it seems to try and fail to fit a player's experience into a singular ending. They wanted to give a sense of the gravity of sacrifice.
This was done a bit more elegantly in a previous Bioware title Dragon Age: Origins. However that was one game, not the finale of a trilogy.
Summary
Games like other mediums can offer lessons in sacrifice and offer a bittersweet ending. My Warden in Dragon Age died at the end of my first playthrough. Which upset me at first but then it really got me thinking that sacrifice IS hard and upsetting because there is no earthly reward. I could have let someone else die in my place or performed dark magic to save my character but I elected that based on everything that happened to my character in the story she would do the Jesus thing and die for everyone.
Since it is Lent and sacrifice is a big part of it, we like to see appropriate reward for it. Like Jesus dying for our sins reaps us everlasting life. Pretty awesome right? I think Mass Effect wanted an ending LIKE that, where the hero's sacrifice allows everyone to live. But did that fit with the rest of the set up? In a game where you can be a selfish jerk does it make sense to have a last minute change of heart? Feels forced right?
In any case, I can understand where the unhappiness comes from.I can understand an author's desire to really drill in the gravity of sacrifice with the death of the trilogy's hero.
But that's my take on it.
EDIT: There was a fairly well thought out vlog on the subject matter of changing the ending of release games and ART. It basically claimed that this outrage is part of games "growing up" as an art. As a work of interactive literature or art it is beneficial to developers to re-work it, such as films having a Director's Cut.
It was a well thought out vlog but I'm hesitant to post it here because it was also a bit crass.
- Ending a Story
There are expectations for the end of a story that a consumer expects. The main thing is a resolution of all conflicts the story presents. This is something basic that is taught in creative writing. Resolutions need to follow logic in order for them to work. The resolution needs to fall back onto previously established story events. According to the linked video, that doesn't seem to be the case in this particular story since it was a co-authored story. But I'll get to that in the next sections.
You can have a bittersweet, hopeless, sad, or even cautionary ending. Such as the ending in Huxley's A Brave New World or Orwell's 1984.
- Ending a Game
The style of the game's narrative presentation will affect how the player accepts the ending(s). Delivering a narrative through a game is not the same as delivering through a book or film. There is a style of narrative delivery in which the game story is narrated or told directly to the player regardless of their in-game actions. This is called "Linear" in gaming. A linear game is something like the newer Legend of Zelda games or Final Fantasy. You play the game to be told a story.
The ending for a game like this can also be bittersweet, sad, etc.
Non-linear games such as sand box games or games with multiple endings are different in how they are perceived by the player. This is because the player becomes co-author of their experience and the storyline. They play not to be told a story but to in part direct the story.
In both cases reaching the end goal is a reward for in-game challenges. A resolution satisfies our narrative needs.
Ending Games Continued
Okay let me take a mostly linear game Odin Sphere by Vanillaware. This is a story based on an already established story...well...loosely. It's based on Wagner's Ring Cycle Opera. The game allows you to play the story at various points from the perspective of 5 characters. The various endings are affected only by which boss each of the characters decides to fight. There is ONE correct combination based on an in game prophecy which will tell you who should fight who.
In my first play through I mixed up a couple of the boss fights. Each character completed their arc in a satisfying way, however, the world was completely destroyed. I was surprised and a little saddened that despite the effort it took me to complete the game I got a "sad" ending. However, replaying the boss battles in the correct combination allowed me to see the happier ending. So I did not have to completely replay the whole game.
My reaction was still negative toward the sad ending but it was in a way the game "punishing" me the player for not really paying attention to that prophecy element of the story.
BUT this was a linear game. I did not feel "cheated" because I did not co-author any of the characters. I was just following their story, not directing it.
Trilogies
Trilogies are a way of telling a very large story in 3 Acts. Depending on how each ends will satisfy our following of this long journey.
For example let's look at Lord of the Rings. I will use the films as examples because it's been over a decade since I read the novels and I can not quite remember where each left off in the story.
The first film Fellowship of the Ring follows a story to a satisfying and hopeful end. We are introduced to the status quo, the characters, the conflict and the goal. The ending of the film while a little sad holds promise of more adventure. It's hopeful.
The second film continues on from the darker side of the first film and while it ends with a victorious battle there are still unresolved ends and a little less hope. It's harder to watch because we don't have that serene, happy beginning which is true of most "middle" sections of a trilogy.
The Return of the King starts dark but brings us to a happy resolution. All the ends are tied, the heroes win, we feel satisfied.
It is also heavily based on the Hero's Journey/Mono-myth story format which seems to satisfy some human desire within us. (It's all in the Bible too!)
- Reaction
According to the linked video, there are many plot-holes that upset players and seemed to betray story logic. The whole experience over 3 games seems disregarded which means the experience the player co-authored is disregarded.
It was not like the linear game experience where if you made "wrong" choices you get the bad ending.
Apparently there was also developer promises for endings that were not shoehorned in or allowed the player only flavors of the same ending. These promises were not kept.
Is the reaction appropriate? Campaigns demanding a better ending from the developer?
Personally I think that because the developer Bioware is very connected to fans that they have let down their customers. They probably could never satisfy all fans, but since a majority is so disenchanted then there is some incentive to comply with the desire for better endings.
From what I see in the ending I have a feeling I can guess what kind of ending they wanted to give. But it seems to try and fail to fit a player's experience into a singular ending. They wanted to give a sense of the gravity of sacrifice.
This was done a bit more elegantly in a previous Bioware title Dragon Age: Origins. However that was one game, not the finale of a trilogy.
Summary
Games like other mediums can offer lessons in sacrifice and offer a bittersweet ending. My Warden in Dragon Age died at the end of my first playthrough. Which upset me at first but then it really got me thinking that sacrifice IS hard and upsetting because there is no earthly reward. I could have let someone else die in my place or performed dark magic to save my character but I elected that based on everything that happened to my character in the story she would do the Jesus thing and die for everyone.
Since it is Lent and sacrifice is a big part of it, we like to see appropriate reward for it. Like Jesus dying for our sins reaps us everlasting life. Pretty awesome right? I think Mass Effect wanted an ending LIKE that, where the hero's sacrifice allows everyone to live. But did that fit with the rest of the set up? In a game where you can be a selfish jerk does it make sense to have a last minute change of heart? Feels forced right?
In any case, I can understand where the unhappiness comes from.I can understand an author's desire to really drill in the gravity of sacrifice with the death of the trilogy's hero.
But that's my take on it.
EDIT: There was a fairly well thought out vlog on the subject matter of changing the ending of release games and ART. It basically claimed that this outrage is part of games "growing up" as an art. As a work of interactive literature or art it is beneficial to developers to re-work it, such as films having a Director's Cut.
It was a well thought out vlog but I'm hesitant to post it here because it was also a bit crass.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Anti-Christian Gamers
In online communities and even live events, there is a definite atmosphere that seems unfriendly to a Christian believer. Granted, there are many good and moral Christian gamers, but they are not very apparent within Geek or Gamer culture. This post will be mostly based on personal observation and a few hypothesis on the subject.
So I will start with the apparent "feeling" is towards a Christian gamer/geek.
Assumptions about Christianity
In an online discussion or online in general there seems to be a misconception of what a Christian is and what it means to follow Christianity. This is an overall cultural problem but it feels like everything gets emphasized in geek culture.
To me in conversation where a moral ethic was being debated it seemed to me that people reacted to the "I'm Christian" statement thusly:
- Christians are Puritans that don't like having fun and kill witches (aka were bullies)
- Christians impose their beliefs on others and damn those who don't follow them
- Christianity's a corrupt, human made religion
- Lots of Christians do terrible things
- Jack Chick Comics (Jack Chick supports a very extremist view and has made comics about D&D and other pop culture "evils". The extreme it takes and its assumptions kind of make it humorous but on the other hand it's also a bit frightening that there is a following. He's also very anti-Catholic.)
Christianity is probably the most proclaimed religion in the United States. However, it is well known that few Christians actually follow Christ. Many "former Christians" have seen or experienced major hypocrites and being hypocritical is just the worst thing you could possibly be. (I'm being over dramatic for effect.) Oh but if you're Catholic...
Catholicism's Bad Name
Being a minority in the U.S., Catholics often seem to have a bit of Puritan influence from Christian neighbors and American culture. There was a generation of very poorly educated Catholics and we are still recovering from that. However on top of that the following things also make Catholics very unpopular in geek culture...
- Pedophile Priests: This event was (by aide of the devil) blown out of proportion. Because our culture is so sexualized that the thought of living a celibate life seems like a punishment. However, it is completely possible. Granted it was a terrible, terrible situation and sweeping things under a rug was bad. Still, it's one of the easier targets to poke fun at.
- Conspiracy: There is a lot of mistrust in this ancient organization. There is a lot of mystery surrounding it and plenty of rumors or legends. Thanks in part to media popular in geek culture it's almost more accepted that the Church is hiding some dark truth and really only has ulterior motives. (Again also fed by the poor reaction to the stray priests).
- Weird Doctrine: Much of our doctrine and practices baffles outsiders. In fact much of it even baffles its own followers. As such it becomes difficult to properly defend a belief or offer a satisfying counter-argument. It also doesn't help that much of the doctrine seems to condemn popular culture's favorite pastimes.
These are just a smattering of ideas and some of these things are not exclusive to Catholics or Christians. Many people make poor judgement of others based on things like a person's sex, ethnicity, or which sport team they support.
Dealing with Backlash
As a social creature, it is quite possible that we will talk with one another and try to bond. Dealing with a particularly acidic remark must be dealt with in a Christian way so:
- Don't be a dick. I'm sure there's a nicer way to say this but it gets my point across. Don't become like the person who attacked you.
- Study your own faith, question it a bit. If you know the popular arguments against one of your tenants of faith, go back and see if there is a particular document, dogma or Scripture passage against that. Personally I ALWAYS run into trouble dealing with arguments for gay marriage so I constantly go to experts of my faith. There is no shame in sitting on someone's shoulders to get a clearer look at an issue. However, it may not be a good idea to throw these resources at your attacker, it is most likely they already don't agree and it won't change their mind. (You first have to change their heart and only God can do that.)
- Pray about it: You have the advantage of a loving God to talk to. And a myriad of Saints to turn to for intercessions.
Christian Geek, Don't feel Ashamed
Geek culture is largely made up of people who were marginalized in the past. Somehow this has made them very quick to marginalize others as well. It can be a poisonous community of internalized shame to be shared with others. Whenever cornered they want to lash out because they know what its like to feel powerless and its their mind/imagination/intellect that gives them power. In a word only forum of discussion, they have power.
Some other things to keep in mind are:
- Jesus said following him wouldn't make you popular. It kind of paints a BIG target right at you full of history. However our faith isn't about being POPULAR, it's about following Christ. Even if it is the most popular religion in the world, following Christ is still not super popular. Because following Christ means following the Commandments, OBEYING authority, SUBMITTING to God (islam), and dying to self EVERY DAY.
- Atheists are moral people too. In fact some of them follow the LAW in their hearts better than Christians. I had a friend who was agnostic tell me once that she did not like the idea of heaven as a reward for being good. Being good should be its own reward.
It was a view I could certainly respect. But I knew that I myself am a very weak human and I really LIKE the idea of someday getting a prize. (I'm kind of a child that way.) However even St. Paul frames the idea of winning the race for a crown (of thorns).
Atheists and Agnostics are not inherently evil OR wrong.
Conclusion
If you announce your faith in an argument, remember that your faith itself really is not a way to win that argument. (Also most arguments can not be won. Especially online arguments.) Remember if you do proclaim your Christianity your words and "actions" (as if there were actions online...well I guess in online gaming...) will cast a reflection of your faith. Christianity is a community and not just a personalized religion.
Also there is no shame in leaving a community if you feel the atmosphere is poisonous. Nurturing your faith and your relationship with God is far more important than gossiping about the latest trend in video games or comics.
Also, I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.
Peace and have a Happy New Year. (Yes, both Holy Days of Obligation fall on Sunday this year. XD NICE.)
So I will start with the apparent "feeling" is towards a Christian gamer/geek.
Assumptions about Christianity
In an online discussion or online in general there seems to be a misconception of what a Christian is and what it means to follow Christianity. This is an overall cultural problem but it feels like everything gets emphasized in geek culture.
To me in conversation where a moral ethic was being debated it seemed to me that people reacted to the "I'm Christian" statement thusly:
- Christians are Puritans that don't like having fun and kill witches (aka were bullies)
- Christians impose their beliefs on others and damn those who don't follow them
- Christianity's a corrupt, human made religion
- Lots of Christians do terrible things
- Jack Chick Comics (Jack Chick supports a very extremist view and has made comics about D&D and other pop culture "evils". The extreme it takes and its assumptions kind of make it humorous but on the other hand it's also a bit frightening that there is a following. He's also very anti-Catholic.)
Christianity is probably the most proclaimed religion in the United States. However, it is well known that few Christians actually follow Christ. Many "former Christians" have seen or experienced major hypocrites and being hypocritical is just the worst thing you could possibly be. (I'm being over dramatic for effect.) Oh but if you're Catholic...
Catholicism's Bad Name
Being a minority in the U.S., Catholics often seem to have a bit of Puritan influence from Christian neighbors and American culture. There was a generation of very poorly educated Catholics and we are still recovering from that. However on top of that the following things also make Catholics very unpopular in geek culture...
- Pedophile Priests: This event was (by aide of the devil) blown out of proportion. Because our culture is so sexualized that the thought of living a celibate life seems like a punishment. However, it is completely possible. Granted it was a terrible, terrible situation and sweeping things under a rug was bad. Still, it's one of the easier targets to poke fun at.
- Conspiracy: There is a lot of mistrust in this ancient organization. There is a lot of mystery surrounding it and plenty of rumors or legends. Thanks in part to media popular in geek culture it's almost more accepted that the Church is hiding some dark truth and really only has ulterior motives. (Again also fed by the poor reaction to the stray priests).
- Weird Doctrine: Much of our doctrine and practices baffles outsiders. In fact much of it even baffles its own followers. As such it becomes difficult to properly defend a belief or offer a satisfying counter-argument. It also doesn't help that much of the doctrine seems to condemn popular culture's favorite pastimes.
These are just a smattering of ideas and some of these things are not exclusive to Catholics or Christians. Many people make poor judgement of others based on things like a person's sex, ethnicity, or which sport team they support.
Dealing with Backlash
As a social creature, it is quite possible that we will talk with one another and try to bond. Dealing with a particularly acidic remark must be dealt with in a Christian way so:
- Don't be a dick. I'm sure there's a nicer way to say this but it gets my point across. Don't become like the person who attacked you.
- Study your own faith, question it a bit. If you know the popular arguments against one of your tenants of faith, go back and see if there is a particular document, dogma or Scripture passage against that. Personally I ALWAYS run into trouble dealing with arguments for gay marriage so I constantly go to experts of my faith. There is no shame in sitting on someone's shoulders to get a clearer look at an issue. However, it may not be a good idea to throw these resources at your attacker, it is most likely they already don't agree and it won't change their mind. (You first have to change their heart and only God can do that.)
- Pray about it: You have the advantage of a loving God to talk to. And a myriad of Saints to turn to for intercessions.
Christian Geek, Don't feel Ashamed
Geek culture is largely made up of people who were marginalized in the past. Somehow this has made them very quick to marginalize others as well. It can be a poisonous community of internalized shame to be shared with others. Whenever cornered they want to lash out because they know what its like to feel powerless and its their mind/imagination/intellect that gives them power. In a word only forum of discussion, they have power.
Some other things to keep in mind are:
- Jesus said following him wouldn't make you popular. It kind of paints a BIG target right at you full of history. However our faith isn't about being POPULAR, it's about following Christ. Even if it is the most popular religion in the world, following Christ is still not super popular. Because following Christ means following the Commandments, OBEYING authority, SUBMITTING to God (islam), and dying to self EVERY DAY.
- Atheists are moral people too. In fact some of them follow the LAW in their hearts better than Christians. I had a friend who was agnostic tell me once that she did not like the idea of heaven as a reward for being good. Being good should be its own reward.
It was a view I could certainly respect. But I knew that I myself am a very weak human and I really LIKE the idea of someday getting a prize. (I'm kind of a child that way.) However even St. Paul frames the idea of winning the race for a crown (of thorns).
Atheists and Agnostics are not inherently evil OR wrong.
Conclusion
If you announce your faith in an argument, remember that your faith itself really is not a way to win that argument. (Also most arguments can not be won. Especially online arguments.) Remember if you do proclaim your Christianity your words and "actions" (as if there were actions online...well I guess in online gaming...) will cast a reflection of your faith. Christianity is a community and not just a personalized religion.
Also there is no shame in leaving a community if you feel the atmosphere is poisonous. Nurturing your faith and your relationship with God is far more important than gossiping about the latest trend in video games or comics.
Also, I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.
Peace and have a Happy New Year. (Yes, both Holy Days of Obligation fall on Sunday this year. XD NICE.)
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Sharing a Link
I had wanted to write about this but this gentleman's words are much more eloquent than mine:
Dr. Nerdlove's Nerds and Male Privilege
I'll have another article about geek culture next time.
Dr. Nerdlove's Nerds and Male Privilege
I'll have another article about geek culture next time.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Gaming and Gay Marriage
This topic will be mostly focused on how gay marriage and the gay movement is having an effect on video games. In discussions about this topic, I tend to fumble around with my words so it is most likely this post might contain something you find offensive. So I'll put it out there, I do not support same-sex unions and stand on Church teachings on the matter. Now let's talk about games.
Popular Culture's Influence
You know who benefits from "negative" marketing? Most products, but especially games. They at times thrive on the negative attention they get because at least it's attention. If it upsets someone you do not like then you support it by spreading the word about it. Likewise, those that are upset about it and whine about it also advertise it.
The topic of homosexual encounters in a game's story tend to net positive attention from various groups so it has become appealing. As illustrated here rather eloquently by David Gaider's response to an unhappy fan "Straight Male Gamer". Mr. Gaider makes very valid points against the arguments brought to the table by the original post. However, the point is that the LGBT community is also a MARKET for products. It is a very vocal minority, more so than straight female gamers. The game in question also netted some public controversy thus making the possible homosexual relationship seem like a huge deal.
It is a very valid and seemingly open-minded (read relativist) point of view. The game neither praises nor condemns the morality of...well...any in-game choices. It tolerates. In a way it is a space in which you can project your own morals and see how things play out. I'll have a better article about this style of gameplay on another day.
Romantic Elements in Games
You know what else draws attention to a game? Having romance OPTIONS. For some games they bank on these options to help sell the game. And I'm not thinking only of the big name companies that have stoked the controversy flames for attention. No...I'm talking more about a niche series, Harvest Moon and a few other Japanese titles. Dating sims are a bit more popular across the ocean than they are here. There is a cult following but it's a minority.
A few years back there was a version of Harvest Moon where you could select a female avatar and have a "best friend" ceremony with another female NPC. (There were only 2 characters of supernatural nature that you could perform this with under my understanding.) However, the North American release removed this aspect from the game because well, they knew it would not market here AS WELL to have what looked like a lesbian marriage.
It's fun to have a choose-your-own adventure type story where you can choose what character gets to be the romantic interest. Why not right? Now what if I want the romantic interest to be the same sex as my character? Does that make it an interesting option to explore or a promotion of a sinful lifestyle?
Marriage vs. Romance Scenes
To better answer that question I would like to discuss what the differences are between marriage and romance options when talking about games.
A romance option can mean two things depending on the intended audience of the game and the game style. In a game marketed to a "Rated T" or "E10", it means someone you date or ultimately becomes your boyfriend/girlfriend. Generally because that intended age is not ready for marriage.
In a game marketed to the "Rated M" or more crowd, romance means you get a sex scene with this character or "mature relationship". Generally because sexual promiscuity is more marketable as fun for a predominantly male audience...and a growing female audience as well.
However, there are a few titles that offer marriage options. That is to say that the goal of the relationship is to net a spouse.
From a Catholic perspective there is a severe lack of positive views of marriage and sexuality in games. It either means nothing or its tacked on as one option out of many. FOR EXAMPLE:
In Dragon Age: Origins you create your main character and can choose their appearance, background, sex and "race". The main character travels with companions which can be interacted with and develop over time. There is only ONE marriage option. It is only for a human female character of noble origins. There are no marriage options for male characters. Which at least to me says: marketing has shown that female players are more interested in marriage than our males who just want a fun fling or a threesome. A majority of our players are not into commitment.
Harvest Moon (a farming simulation game) in the earlier games of the series had a "purpose" for the spouse character. She would perform some of the chores on the farm every so often. In later games the spouse just says nice things to you, brings you a present on your birthday and is required to have the child character. On the other hand, the whole point of romancing a character is to eventually marry and you only get one choice. There is no option to divorce and pick someone else. It treats marriage in a fundamentally traditional way although it's still very superficial on the surface.
In game marriage is fairly common in MMO settings where the gameplay depends on social contact. The setting provides some stat boosts when the characters play together and opens up "couple only" quests unavailable for single players or even groups. This helps not only in-game situations but can help real relationships. Most MMO games restrict that marriage has to be between a female and a male avatar. Unlike single player games, the union is between two players and may represent a real life romance, friendship or marriage.
In almost all cases (MMO's being the exception), romance or marriage restricts focus on a character to a very specific role. It can be the characters defining aspect in the eyes of a player. Games tend to categorize characters into "functional roles" since that is part of game mechanics. It is very easy to see a character as "healer" or "range fighter" instead of a character.
Games influence on our Culture
Ahh...yes, there is something very important as to why as Catholics we should care about how this is handled in a medium such as games. Art and Stories and Entertainment have a large hand in shaping our conscience and beliefs. This is why propaganda is a powerful weapon. It can dehumanize a group of people in our imagination.. Now, not all media propaganda is so overt, but social pressure influenced by the news, our films, and games makes an individual feel ostracized or attacked for believing or living in a way opposed to what is seen as popular.
There are games that do try and get an honest look at what a homosexual or Same Sex Attracted person struggle with in society without attacking any one belief system. It is usually through a "spokesperson" character in a narrative setting. The best example I know of being Persona4.
However, take that character and make it a romance option changes the perception of that character. It can narrow the view of the character to only be defined by their sexual orientation.
The character wasn't "FOR" you. You have other choices. Suddenly there is an US vs THEM instead of an attempt to open discussion on common ground. The same can be said of any female "option" in a game. Her struggles with society won't be taken seriously if she is also a romance option.
For example, (I'm sorry I keep using Dragon Age...its just illustrates everything SO easily.) the character Anders from Dragon Age was a party member in one of the expansions. There were no romance options. The character was interpreted as a character of a certain personality and most likely assumed heterosexual.
This changed in Dragon Age II when Anders returns as a romance option. This caused a bit of turbulence since he revealed he was bisexual and open about being in homosexual relationships. The player's view of him changes between the two games because as a romance option we care about his sexuality as a character and it became his defining feature. Instead of thinking about what kind of struggles the character went through the player feels "cheated" because now Anders is flirting with us and we don't know why and our avatar is NOT homosexual at all.
In the end, it caused a lot of discomfort which instead of reflecting on WHY and trying to understand the source it reestablished that dividing line of us and them.
(Side note: If playing as a female avatar, Anders does NOT talk about being homosexual directly. If you are a male avatar, he admits it. Really not sure if I should interpret that as he's bisexual only if you play as a male character or not.)
Closing Thoughts
So what's the big deal with gay marriage in games? If marriage and romance is so "cheap" and superficial in games it should not be our concern. Well, to be fair, games have not moved out of the 'entertainment' realm into 'art'. The handling of deep human exploration is basic right now but there is potential to get deeper than what film and literature can provide.
Extra Credits does a good presentation on the state of sexuality in games: http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/sex-in-games
I recommend it strongly.
However, that does not change video game's role as an idea shaping medium. The ideals it promotes are usually only a base level that is skewed toward a young, white, male demographic. This may be more worrisome. There is a need for views on intimacy and marriage within games (and other media) that offer more positive situations outside of a character being married in the past or cheapening sex and relationships.
At this point the inclusion of a homosexual romance option strikes me as pandering or marketing without much deeper thought about what marriage or being homosexual actually means. The only thing it does do is "normalize" the idea of same-sex marriage in our imagination. Just as it normalizes the objectification of women, human trafficking, prostitution and solving problems with violence. If you are not confident about your stance on these subjects, it is easy to be influenced by fiction and imagination.
If you don't feel up-to-date on the Church's stance on Gay Marriage, I suggest reading the following articles:
What the Church Teaches about Homosexuality
Catholic Answers: Gay Marriage
How to Make the Case for Marriage (Using Non-religious Language)
Whew...this was a tough one to write.
Popular Culture's Influence
You know who benefits from "negative" marketing? Most products, but especially games. They at times thrive on the negative attention they get because at least it's attention. If it upsets someone you do not like then you support it by spreading the word about it. Likewise, those that are upset about it and whine about it also advertise it.
The topic of homosexual encounters in a game's story tend to net positive attention from various groups so it has become appealing. As illustrated here rather eloquently by David Gaider's response to an unhappy fan "Straight Male Gamer". Mr. Gaider makes very valid points against the arguments brought to the table by the original post. However, the point is that the LGBT community is also a MARKET for products. It is a very vocal minority, more so than straight female gamers. The game in question also netted some public controversy thus making the possible homosexual relationship seem like a huge deal.
It is a very valid and seemingly open-minded (read relativist) point of view. The game neither praises nor condemns the morality of...well...any in-game choices. It tolerates. In a way it is a space in which you can project your own morals and see how things play out. I'll have a better article about this style of gameplay on another day.
Romantic Elements in Games
You know what else draws attention to a game? Having romance OPTIONS. For some games they bank on these options to help sell the game. And I'm not thinking only of the big name companies that have stoked the controversy flames for attention. No...I'm talking more about a niche series, Harvest Moon and a few other Japanese titles. Dating sims are a bit more popular across the ocean than they are here. There is a cult following but it's a minority.
A few years back there was a version of Harvest Moon where you could select a female avatar and have a "best friend" ceremony with another female NPC. (There were only 2 characters of supernatural nature that you could perform this with under my understanding.) However, the North American release removed this aspect from the game because well, they knew it would not market here AS WELL to have what looked like a lesbian marriage.
It's fun to have a choose-your-own adventure type story where you can choose what character gets to be the romantic interest. Why not right? Now what if I want the romantic interest to be the same sex as my character? Does that make it an interesting option to explore or a promotion of a sinful lifestyle?
Marriage vs. Romance Scenes
To better answer that question I would like to discuss what the differences are between marriage and romance options when talking about games.
A romance option can mean two things depending on the intended audience of the game and the game style. In a game marketed to a "Rated T" or "E10", it means someone you date or ultimately becomes your boyfriend/girlfriend. Generally because that intended age is not ready for marriage.
In a game marketed to the "Rated M" or more crowd, romance means you get a sex scene with this character or "mature relationship". Generally because sexual promiscuity is more marketable as fun for a predominantly male audience...and a growing female audience as well.
However, there are a few titles that offer marriage options. That is to say that the goal of the relationship is to net a spouse.
From a Catholic perspective there is a severe lack of positive views of marriage and sexuality in games. It either means nothing or its tacked on as one option out of many. FOR EXAMPLE:
In Dragon Age: Origins you create your main character and can choose their appearance, background, sex and "race". The main character travels with companions which can be interacted with and develop over time. There is only ONE marriage option. It is only for a human female character of noble origins. There are no marriage options for male characters. Which at least to me says: marketing has shown that female players are more interested in marriage than our males who just want a fun fling or a threesome. A majority of our players are not into commitment.
Harvest Moon (a farming simulation game) in the earlier games of the series had a "purpose" for the spouse character. She would perform some of the chores on the farm every so often. In later games the spouse just says nice things to you, brings you a present on your birthday and is required to have the child character. On the other hand, the whole point of romancing a character is to eventually marry and you only get one choice. There is no option to divorce and pick someone else. It treats marriage in a fundamentally traditional way although it's still very superficial on the surface.
In game marriage is fairly common in MMO settings where the gameplay depends on social contact. The setting provides some stat boosts when the characters play together and opens up "couple only" quests unavailable for single players or even groups. This helps not only in-game situations but can help real relationships. Most MMO games restrict that marriage has to be between a female and a male avatar. Unlike single player games, the union is between two players and may represent a real life romance, friendship or marriage.
In almost all cases (MMO's being the exception), romance or marriage restricts focus on a character to a very specific role. It can be the characters defining aspect in the eyes of a player. Games tend to categorize characters into "functional roles" since that is part of game mechanics. It is very easy to see a character as "healer" or "range fighter" instead of a character.
Games influence on our Culture
Ahh...yes, there is something very important as to why as Catholics we should care about how this is handled in a medium such as games. Art and Stories and Entertainment have a large hand in shaping our conscience and beliefs. This is why propaganda is a powerful weapon. It can dehumanize a group of people in our imagination.. Now, not all media propaganda is so overt, but social pressure influenced by the news, our films, and games makes an individual feel ostracized or attacked for believing or living in a way opposed to what is seen as popular.
There are games that do try and get an honest look at what a homosexual or Same Sex Attracted person struggle with in society without attacking any one belief system. It is usually through a "spokesperson" character in a narrative setting. The best example I know of being Persona4.
However, take that character and make it a romance option changes the perception of that character. It can narrow the view of the character to only be defined by their sexual orientation.
The character wasn't "FOR" you. You have other choices. Suddenly there is an US vs THEM instead of an attempt to open discussion on common ground. The same can be said of any female "option" in a game. Her struggles with society won't be taken seriously if she is also a romance option.
For example, (I'm sorry I keep using Dragon Age...its just illustrates everything SO easily.) the character Anders from Dragon Age was a party member in one of the expansions. There were no romance options. The character was interpreted as a character of a certain personality and most likely assumed heterosexual.
This changed in Dragon Age II when Anders returns as a romance option. This caused a bit of turbulence since he revealed he was bisexual and open about being in homosexual relationships. The player's view of him changes between the two games because as a romance option we care about his sexuality as a character and it became his defining feature. Instead of thinking about what kind of struggles the character went through the player feels "cheated" because now Anders is flirting with us and we don't know why and our avatar is NOT homosexual at all.
In the end, it caused a lot of discomfort which instead of reflecting on WHY and trying to understand the source it reestablished that dividing line of us and them.
(Side note: If playing as a female avatar, Anders does NOT talk about being homosexual directly. If you are a male avatar, he admits it. Really not sure if I should interpret that as he's bisexual only if you play as a male character or not.)
Closing Thoughts
So what's the big deal with gay marriage in games? If marriage and romance is so "cheap" and superficial in games it should not be our concern. Well, to be fair, games have not moved out of the 'entertainment' realm into 'art'. The handling of deep human exploration is basic right now but there is potential to get deeper than what film and literature can provide.
Extra Credits does a good presentation on the state of sexuality in games: http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/sex-in-games
I recommend it strongly.
However, that does not change video game's role as an idea shaping medium. The ideals it promotes are usually only a base level that is skewed toward a young, white, male demographic. This may be more worrisome. There is a need for views on intimacy and marriage within games (and other media) that offer more positive situations outside of a character being married in the past or cheapening sex and relationships.
At this point the inclusion of a homosexual romance option strikes me as pandering or marketing without much deeper thought about what marriage or being homosexual actually means. The only thing it does do is "normalize" the idea of same-sex marriage in our imagination. Just as it normalizes the objectification of women, human trafficking, prostitution and solving problems with violence. If you are not confident about your stance on these subjects, it is easy to be influenced by fiction and imagination.
If you don't feel up-to-date on the Church's stance on Gay Marriage, I suggest reading the following articles:
What the Church Teaches about Homosexuality
Catholic Answers: Gay Marriage
How to Make the Case for Marriage (Using Non-religious Language)
Whew...this was a tough one to write.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
NCLB: New Perspective
Apologies for the long delay between topics here. I have several that are partially written or outlined but I still need to do my research and/or find examples.
Over the holiday week, (that's U.S. Thanksgiving) I spent some time with my Dad and brother talking about society overall and our various insights on culture. It gave me a bit of perspective on how people view things, argue, and why there is such a need for No Catholic Left Behind that I had never considered.
For a refresher, No Catholic Left Behind or NCLB is my term for programs or items made for adult Catholics with only a child's understanding of the faith. I often express frustration at the presentation of such media that often falls short. However like I mentioned before I learned something interesting during our discussion on why the world is full of great evil but it is so very subtle.
I can not recall where the conversation started, I came in late. Things started with a discussion on the dehumanizing of people in general and its effect on Vatican II. My dad grew up in the 50s and 60s. He recalled that although he went to Catholic school, they real did not really teach religion class. In part thanks to the misunderstanding of the changes that Vatican II brought the new sense that religion is just about a personal relationship with God. Also the cultures "I'm okay, You're okay" mentality played a part of being quiet about your religion. My dad did not have a class on the Sacraments let alone other Church related matters. This lead to a whole generation of Catholics that after Confirmation only had a 5th or 6th grader's understanding of their faith. Which meant they were completely unprepared for that first testing university professor who would question their faith.
Now those youth are parents. And like their parents before them expected Catholic schools to teach the Catholic faith. Especially if the school is connected to a parish. Fortunately, schools are more thorough about teaching more of the faith and Youth Groups do well to keep the faith active in preparation for that first big test. However, many of my peers still have only a middle school level understanding, they were just uninterested in their faith because their parents were uninterested. The wheel turns and a cycle of lukewarm Catholics continues.
But this is where NCLB groups, classes and retreats are popular. The lowest common denominator Catholic is one with only a rudimentary study of the faith coupled with the lack of good parental examples. Catholicism is a faith of Tradition and passing on the Tradition is growing ever more important. Again, I see myself as fortunate. Had my father not been involved in the Charismatic Renewal and just been a stubborn, obedient Catholic I do not think I would have received such a good Catholic Education from him.
There is an importance in setting a family value to Tradition and the teaching of said Traditions. A family should be actively involved in teaching Traditions and teach by example. Schools continue to offer their support in teaching the things that perhaps the parents can not cover because they are not Bible Scholars or experts on Doctrine.
As our conversation went on we talked about how important the Catholic Church is in these current times. It is steadfast in a world of violent change, loose morals, and relativism. It remains as it has for generations a lighthouse in a turbulent ocean of trouble. It has its failings and history, but it cares to preserve that and remember it. It preserves ancient Traditions and will not change its foundations based on popular opinion at the time.
There were many topics we discussed that I hold in my heart but I can not clearly express here. I have not yet found the right words or context for it. There isn't much I can add about games this week but I do have a big topic that is somewhat related to something we talked about. So get ready because I'm going to drop a bomb on Games and Gay Marriage next time.
Peace be with you and also with your spirit. (New Roman Missal time!)
Also, Happy Church New Year. :) It's Advent.
Over the holiday week, (that's U.S. Thanksgiving) I spent some time with my Dad and brother talking about society overall and our various insights on culture. It gave me a bit of perspective on how people view things, argue, and why there is such a need for No Catholic Left Behind that I had never considered.
For a refresher, No Catholic Left Behind or NCLB is my term for programs or items made for adult Catholics with only a child's understanding of the faith. I often express frustration at the presentation of such media that often falls short. However like I mentioned before I learned something interesting during our discussion on why the world is full of great evil but it is so very subtle.
I can not recall where the conversation started, I came in late. Things started with a discussion on the dehumanizing of people in general and its effect on Vatican II. My dad grew up in the 50s and 60s. He recalled that although he went to Catholic school, they real did not really teach religion class. In part thanks to the misunderstanding of the changes that Vatican II brought the new sense that religion is just about a personal relationship with God. Also the cultures "I'm okay, You're okay" mentality played a part of being quiet about your religion. My dad did not have a class on the Sacraments let alone other Church related matters. This lead to a whole generation of Catholics that after Confirmation only had a 5th or 6th grader's understanding of their faith. Which meant they were completely unprepared for that first testing university professor who would question their faith.
Now those youth are parents. And like their parents before them expected Catholic schools to teach the Catholic faith. Especially if the school is connected to a parish. Fortunately, schools are more thorough about teaching more of the faith and Youth Groups do well to keep the faith active in preparation for that first big test. However, many of my peers still have only a middle school level understanding, they were just uninterested in their faith because their parents were uninterested. The wheel turns and a cycle of lukewarm Catholics continues.
But this is where NCLB groups, classes and retreats are popular. The lowest common denominator Catholic is one with only a rudimentary study of the faith coupled with the lack of good parental examples. Catholicism is a faith of Tradition and passing on the Tradition is growing ever more important. Again, I see myself as fortunate. Had my father not been involved in the Charismatic Renewal and just been a stubborn, obedient Catholic I do not think I would have received such a good Catholic Education from him.
There is an importance in setting a family value to Tradition and the teaching of said Traditions. A family should be actively involved in teaching Traditions and teach by example. Schools continue to offer their support in teaching the things that perhaps the parents can not cover because they are not Bible Scholars or experts on Doctrine.
As our conversation went on we talked about how important the Catholic Church is in these current times. It is steadfast in a world of violent change, loose morals, and relativism. It remains as it has for generations a lighthouse in a turbulent ocean of trouble. It has its failings and history, but it cares to preserve that and remember it. It preserves ancient Traditions and will not change its foundations based on popular opinion at the time.
There were many topics we discussed that I hold in my heart but I can not clearly express here. I have not yet found the right words or context for it. There isn't much I can add about games this week but I do have a big topic that is somewhat related to something we talked about. So get ready because I'm going to drop a bomb on Games and Gay Marriage next time.
Peace be with you and also with your spirit. (New Roman Missal time!)
Also, Happy Church New Year. :) It's Advent.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Happy All Saints Day
For fun I'm going to list a couple of saints that I think relate well to the game industry or entertainment.
St. Isadore of Seville - Internet, Computers, and Computer Programmers
St. Francis de Salles - Writers and Journalists
St. Luke - Artists
St.Catharine of Bologna - Artists
St. Cajetan - Gamblers
St. Veronica - Photography
St. Aloysius Gonzaga - Patron of Youth
St. Claire - Television
St. Isadore of Seville - Internet, Computers, and Computer Programmers
St. Francis de Salles - Writers and Journalists
St. Luke - Artists
St.Catharine of Bologna - Artists
St. Cajetan - Gamblers
St. Veronica - Photography
St. Aloysius Gonzaga - Patron of Youth
St. Claire - Television
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