Being a Hero

After reading a lot of panicked news about the decline of our culture and wide-spread corruption, it feels like all one can do is stand by and watch. But we don't want to watch idly by. We want to DO, to ACT on something. And that got me thinking about Captain America...more accurately Steve Rogers.

I'm only familiar with the recent movie so that is what I'll be referencing. One of the reasons this was one of my favorite movies is Steve's single-minded devotion. It was not enough to sit and watch along the sides or support the war efforts indirectly. He wanted to act, to participate, to DO something. However, he could not participate in the normal way.

So many times, an issue will crop up that makes me feel like I want nothing more than to take up arms and march against the injustice. However, in our world there won't be just one thing, it'll be 20,000. I want to give myself to all these issues. I want to right all these injustices. But I'm not Captain America, I'm Steve Rogers, blocked at every point of entry.

I've often reminded myself that there should be one main passion in my life and that is what my energy should be spent doing. It's just so hard to choose, especially with all the noise that surrounds us. Protest this! Petition against that! March with us! Write to your representatives! Fight the injustice! It's nearly impossible to think with all the shouts for attention.

At the same time, the Church calls us to uphold Social Justice. The question is how do you answer the call?

This is when I look to St. Terese of Lisieux's story. There is the physical world where we see a lot of injustice, evil, and destruction. There is also the unseen side of things where battle rages on. The Little Way to Christ is still a way. That is the most important thing.

Stewardship is what it's known as in the Church. Our Time, Talent and Treasure are what we can give. I'm sure it has come up in a homily or two in your parish. It usually aligns with the ministry fairs where every ministry is recruiting for new members.

This past weekend, I went to my parish's ministry fair. I officially joined the parish a few months ago although I've been attending masses there for a year. (It's close to my work and after night shift, I could catch the 7:30 a.m. mass on my way home.) It's been one of my "recovery steps" to get involved with a parish community again. AND luckily this parish has a ministry for those that struggle with life's difficulties.

I don't want to bite off more than I can chew because I have a lot of hobbies I love to neglect. For now, I've signed up to join the choir, I've been part of the Prayer Warrior team (seriously an easy ministry. They email intentions and you pray for them. I love it. It also give me a good picture of how folks in the parish are doing in life. Looks like it's not all a walk in the park.). I also want to join the sewing ministry that makes prayer blankets. Because it fits with my hobby of sewing!

For starters, Church ministries are a great place to start on your walk to hero-dom. (Which may lead to martyrdom.)

In anycase, Thank Jesus for everything. He likes to work through us to help the least of his people.
(Which is why I help kitties get adopted at the pet store on Mondays. <3 I know kitties aren't people! That's more of a make me happy volunteering. Although I still have to take time out to do it.)

Objectification and Games

Recently the infamous Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency came out with a new video in her series Tropes vs Women. This one focuses on female characters in the background of games specifically those that are "objects".

The video itself does contain explicit examples that are Not Safe for Work or Children.
A copy of the video's transcript can be found here.

I was particularly fond of Anita's look into the psychological effects of these visuals and gameplay have on players.

One of the points I really liked in the video was this:

A toaster is still a toaster regardless of whether or not you choose to make toast with it. It’s still designed for the express purpose of toasting bread. And it still communicates that fact even while sitting unused on your kitchen counter.

Likewise a sex object is still a sex object regardless of whether or not you personally choose to use and abuse her. And that fact, in and of itself, still communicates extremely regressive ideas about women.

This seems like a problem that won't go away, but that is the big lie. It can be stopped.
We begin with prayer, one of the most powerful tools in the Catholic armaments in our fight against evil.
Then support is given to better games.

God in Sci-Fi and Fantasy

As I played through the Sci-Fi romp Mass Effect, I thought of other sci-fi titles in other media that I have experienced. Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, Battlestar Gallactica and pretty much anything that takes place OFF our planet seems to leave God back on Earth. Seems a bit odd seeing as he's the Creator of the Universe according to our Faith. Everything in the heavens and on Earth, visible and invisible.

Science, the New god 

It was in a philosophy class IN a secular school that I re-encountered the notion of the "religion of science". Now this wasn't news to me, but the concept and reasoning was understandable. People are comfortable with the idea that Science will explain everything. Anything can be done through science. It has it's rules, laws and methods. The faith put into science is certainly greater than what a lot of people put in any one religion.

Science can be wrong but, it makes sense and follows logic. The mistake can be corrected by approaching the problem differently. It has a following of defenders that will vouch for science with a passion equivalent to an evangelical. But Science is not the enemy of faith. This Extra Credits video illustrates the point very well.

In most future settings, the only true god is Science. But it can't answer all questions. Some questions must be dealt with in philosophy or theology. BOTH these fields use reason and logic similar to science, however, it goes into metaphysics. Things that may not be readily observable.

Deities, the Old gods

On the flip side of the coin, many fantasy worlds have some form of religion and deities. Generally, these are set in "simpler times". There is no democracy, no off world travel. If there's flight it is by "magic" or flying creature, not invention. In this quaint setting, there is also an old quaint belief system. Maybe there's some formality to the religion but it's there often to govern magic. Thus giving the impression that religion is an "old-fashion" thing, something for a simpler people and a somewhat oppressive system.

I think the only "sci-fi" or space travel set story that uses any kind of supernatural force is Star Wars. (Ah...I said force.) That's why I often think of Star Wars as more of a "space fantasy" than a sci-fi movie.

Not to let fantasy off the hook so easily because often a fantasy story can be about defying the gods and killing the gods. (Killing God must be a human thing. *shrug*)

Mythology

Our modern mythology just goes to show how far away we have fallen. Now I only remember the quote from the TV mini-series of "The Odyssey" where Poseidon's "big moral lesson" was "Man is Nothing without the gods." All the punishment suffered was due to hubris.
Modern myth now glorifies man has the pinnacle, a creature that no longer needs the gods. C.S. Lewis describes us as being "men without chests" that is to say "no heart". We find our gods in our own intellect and heads.

That is not to belittle man, because humans ARE great. God himself took on our form and became human. If you believe such things...which I assume a Catholic geek would.

A Godless World

 There is something very unsatisfying for me about a world without God. It's empty or tragic or un-human. However, in our pluralistic culture, we don't want to exclude any one faith. Therefore, it's easier to just not include religion or make up a "safe" religion. In a strange way though, it makes a life-giving sacrifice almost more of a sacrifice. There is literally no promised reward. Just boom...dead, but everyone lives. You're the hero.

I guess the redeeming quality there is that luckily these games and worlds are open to interpretation. For me at least, like in the real world, I see a glimmer of God's work within human art and story. To me it is very significant that in Mass Effect the big bad Enemy is defeated on Earth (where God walked) by a human (a form which God himself has taken.)...or it could be taken as American Imperialism if you want to feel so cynical. Star Wars, while relying heavily on Buddhist philosophy, has an afterlife in which those in the past still affect the physical world. I'm not familiar enough with other Sci-Fi series (besides the comedy series Red Dwarf) I can't point to more examples.

Conclusion

Dear writers and authors, if you are of the Christian or Catholic persuasion AND not just culturally following your religion, I encourage you to write more. I'm doing my best. But I would love, love, love to read/write a book about a Catholic priest sent on a missionary trip to another planet with another race. I've already got Out of the Silent Planet that does the opposite.

Is This Real Life?

As someone who spends a lot of time in her head, fantasy is familiar to me. There is both safety and danger in this realm. Today I'm going to write about something that sometimes I struggle with. This is definitely going to be difficult to write.

Fantasy as an Escape

When I was in high school, our health book had a section on psychological well being. One page listed out, with short blurbs, various coping mechanisms people use to deal with a negative experience. The one I remember most vividly was "escapism" which was described as someone who retreats into their head and daydreams. (I'm heavily paraphrasing here but that's how I remember it.) Reading this in high school, I felt angry that such a thing was considered a negative coping mechanism. The book favored proactive and positive reactions which for a shy introvert is incredibly difficult if not more psychologically damaging.

Now full blown escapism is definitely dangerous. It avoids the problem or ignores it or becomes a delusion. As a victim of bullying, fantasy can be a safe haven because in your fantasy world YOU are in control. Control of the situation makes it appealing and empowering, since in reality bullies take your power away.

Pretty much all geek activity offers some sort of escape from reality. At a convention, you can dress up as a favorite character and not receive strange looks. Playing in a LARP or D&D session or an MMORPG, places you in a different world unlike our own where you can be anything, but you. (Not that there's anything inherently wrong with any of these activities! I don't claim everyone uses these as an escape, I'm just trying to make a point.)

Fantasy can be constructing a safe-place to go to for your mind if you are dealing with trauma or even abuse. It's also a safe-place to go if you are often rejected by peers, social groups etc. It allows your mind to stop thinking about the rejection and simulates acceptance. Such a thing can often lead to disappointment in reality and a preference to the fantasy. It helps avoid the problem.

Fantasy as Distraction

Blaise Pascal in his Pensees often talks of Diversions and Man's condition.

171. Misery. -- The only thing which consoles us for our miseries is diversion, and yet this is the greatest of our miseries. For it is this which principally hinders us from reflecting upon ourselves and which makes us insensibly ruin ourselves. Without this we should be in a state of weariness, and this weariness would spur us to seek a more solid means of escaping from it. But diversion amuses us, and leads us unconsciously to death.

Diversion sounds pretty grim but at the same time an almost necessary thing. To alleviate man's inevitable misery, distraction feels necessary. So long as the distraction does not last forever, it can be a good thing. Dwelling on a problem or negative emotion can be harmful. It can hinder recovery. At the same time, ignoring the feeling can cause festering.

Humans are not meant to be happy 24/7. Culturally this is what is expected. We MUST be happy all the time, nothing should be wrong with us. "How are you?" "Good." Anything that is not a positive response is met with surprise. Misery is normal, but it is often treated as abnormal. Feeling bad feels is actually good. I know for me personally when feeling low, I can step outside my "feels" and say "I know this sucks but at the same time it's not bad. It hurts but it's okay to hurt." It's part of being refined by fire and this gives me hope.

Emotional diversion is one thing but there's also the risk of distraction from responsibilities. For instance, instead of doing homework or housework, I might distract myself with playing a game. In my case I usually distract myself from sleeping by my over active imagination.

At the same time, periods of rest for the brain are good. Studying or physical labor drain us and entertainment is necessary.

Fantasy as Pleasure

There is a great deal of enjoyment to be harvested from fantasy. Thus the desire to spend much time devoted to it. As with all pleasure in life, moderation is required. It's a terribly overused mantra but still quite necessary: Everything is good in moderation. However, it is our sinful nature that makes reigning in our desires difficult and we might fail. That's okay too, God is forgiving AND understanding.

It is not good to go into extremes and condemn pleasure as evil outright. And although it feels like I've been condemning fantasy in this post, I'm really not trying to. It seems obvious (at least to me) that like anything that is pleasurable has a time and place.

Most of my favorite writers USE fantasy and it's pleasure to teach bitter lessons. C.S. Lewis and his Chronicles of Narnia was in a way an escape for the young children in war-torn England. Fantasy is kind of old hat when moral lessons are involved.

Reality

 Part of why living in your own fantasy is potentially harmful is that it can cause a dissatisfaction with the current state of a person's life. It in a way rejects the  amazing world which God made and makes us a little god in a world which we create. It will be in all ways inferior to reality. It can pull us away from the present moment in which we have to live.

However, because of the fall and sin, the world can be dark, scary and plain unpleasant. This is not part of the plan. There is something in human nature that desires a world without the darkness and unpleasantness. We want an Elysium and we can make something like that in our minds. There is a real reality that makes our own world like passing shadows. (I'm thinking of C.S. Lewis' "The Great Divorce" right now.)

In our current culture it seems that there is perhaps a desire for adventure, to prove our worth, test our mettle physically but there are only a few ways to do that. Joining the Army (which not everyone can do), going on an adventurous vacation (which not everyone can afford), or "playing pretend" (which can feel pretty childish) seem to be the only ways which this desire can manifest.

I recently watched a vlog about "synthetic relationships" and how it has been affecting Japan. I'll link it here but heavy warning that there are some mildly explicit imagery (to prove his point, he does put up a warning) so it's not necessarily safe for work, but it does illustrate perfectly the dangers that can face society when a fantasy is preferred to reality: Game Exchange: Dating Sims and Synthetic Relationships.

Conclusion

This topic comes up to me as something I usually get defensive about. I fall into fantasy way more than I care to admit, but whenever I do I have this nagging voice telling me that I'm just playing pretend. But the good thing it does is lead me to question: What am I trying to avoid? Why do I like this? Is it good? Is this something that makes me ill-prepared to deal with life's real problems?

I like fantasy. It's a fun diversion, but I can't live in a bubble world. My goodness this makes me think of an Eiffel65 song: Bubble World. Definitely sums up what I want to say with auto-tune. Ha ha!

Video Share: David Gaider's Presentation on Sexism and Sexuality in Games

Video Link (50 minutes)
Note: The video is pretty clean but there are some mild swears and sexy pictures. (nothing explicit).

I want to be a bit jaded about the video article, but he makes some very good observations and solutions. Still recognizes that very broken nature of business.

Basically advocates player centric design practices (feedback from fans, research etc), hiring a diverse staff, and trying not to please all audiences all the time.

Also noted that games normalize some behavior or makes it seem okay.

I like these practices. but I have my scruples about how sex is portrayed in games and other media in general. They are still aiming at the base nature and male fantasy portion, not so much the consequences, responsibility, etc.

That's my piece on it.

Gaming Responsibly

This was an entry I made for another blog a couple years ago that I'm reposting here because it fits and it's a good thought bubble:

Part of our human nature is to tell stories. We regale our friends with events of the past in a perhaps more fabricated way. With gaming becoming more socially acceptable, stories about exploits within a game can come up as topics of conversation.

You won't believe what I did last night

Personally, I've noticed that whenever I tell a friend about something that happened in a game play session, I tend to say "I" did something. I defeated the archdemon and I caught a unicorn. And I'm not alone in this. I do remember distinctly when Fable 2 released that my friends proudly proclaimed that they got an STD.

I don't generally think that people boast about their genital warts. (At least not in the social circles I hang out in.) The fact of the matter remains that no, I actually did not go out last night and kill an archdemon nor did I drive down to Mexico to lasso a unicorn. However, the mode of telling the in-game events comes across as reality, which can be quite humorous on one hand but offensive on the other. For example, some of the guys I once worked with regaled some of the violent sex crimes they wanted to perform in a game. However, they used the terminology of "I want to bash her head through a wall." Disturbing, no?

It just comes so naturally to us when we talk about what happened within a game. Really all I did last night was press buttons in a sequence and move a joystick. I didn't exert myself. Sometimes I catch myself before I say "I did this in my game" and try to frame it as "my character did this in my game." Particularly when retelling in game events to a non-game playing friend.

With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility

I understand saying that "I beat the last level" or "I won the Halo tournament". That is something that the game player does take responsibility for: their performance.

But do we also feel subconsciously responsible for character actions within a game?

When we say "I", that means we claimed some kind of ownership over the performed action even though we did not physically perform that action. Because I don't think any of us physically harvest a field in Farmville.

Is it because visually, we see results of our button pressing that we feel some ownership? Because we "made" or "forced" a character to act?

Perhaps it is different for other players but I feel no twinge of regret shooting and killing a stranger in Halo. However in reality I know I could never bring myself to shoot a person in real life.

Yet in other games where I have a choice about how to respond in a conversation, I wrestle with how I should respond because I don't want to hurt their "feelings". 

Conclusion

In the end I don't think there is a solid answer to my pondering. How responsible am I for a character's in game actions? Do I really claim ownership over slaughtering a horde of undead or have I really only triggered the programming to display video?

I suppose it's up to individual conscience how they deal with this question.

Or perhaps we should consider the way we retell our in game achievements.

Value Systems

There are days when I am lucky to find a site with articles for geek women like myself. There is some solidarity. However, as with all collective groups there is going to be only some overlap with values. I might rant a bit today.

A value System

First, a value system is a collective of your held personal beliefs influenced by experience, religion, morals etc. What one might think is good and bad.
So for myself, I have a Catholic value system meaning I accept the Churches teachings on pretty much all moral matters.

What becomes difficult is reading or talking with someone with perhaps a more secular value system about moral matters.

It is particularly mind-numbing and eye-gouging to deal with relativism. Give me anything but a relativist. (Although I probably shouldn't ask for something worse. I just can't think of it at this moment.)

The Offender

I've written about feminists before and I will again today because my feathers are a bit ruffled. The particular article I started to read was about the virtue of modesty. (Modesty is generally the handle I use online.) Effectively, the article was about turning this virtue into a vice.

RAZZAFRAGGA!!!

This gets under my skin SO MUCH. This article isn't the only offender no. The general attitude is seen in many places and often amplified in online geek communities. It's opposite land out there! Vices are virtues! Virtues are Vices! They question the idealism of being courageous and noble and virtuous? They praise the ability to act out violent childish fantasies. And by "they" I mean game journalists and other online journalists.

It can be applied to the media culture at large though.

Hypocrites All!

One of the big reasons that such a mirror universe is so aggravating is that the writer still expects decency. For example, the writer who wrote about the "vice" of modesty claimed that the burden of resisting temptation was on men. Basically, if men get turned on by a flash of ankle it's not the woman's fault. Granted it was more about being allowed to show as much skin as she wanted without being objectified or sexualized. One, God made woman beautiful. She is created to allure, it wasn't a mistake. Two, God created man to desire beauty and therefore woman. These are good natural things.

We live in a world where anything good is twisted by the Enemy. The deformity is what we often experience. Sexiness is a distortion of true feminine beauty. So unfortunately, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

On the other side of the coin, yes, it is true that there are those so Puritan that they cover the body because they believe it evil and gross. The mindset should be that my body is so precious and sacred that it should be covered lest the world go mad upon gazing upon it. (I may be dramatizing this a bit, but hey drama is the spice of life.)

But there's a bright side too...

Today I happened across this Kickstarter Project: TUG.
Most geek girls lament the scantily clad super heroine or game characters. This project took social science to help design this game. Seriously going through their philosophy and design plans and studies fills me with hope.

It is only in a fantasy world where a woman can wear a bikini and somehow not be ogled by the men around her 90% of the time. Fantasy is not reality and often we forget that.

I may have a Thomas Merton type post about that sometime soon. I'll first have to re-read some of Merton's complaints about journalism.

A Conflict of Interests

I was going to (and still will) post a personal whiny blog post about my personal struggle to find others who both share my faith and share my passion/hobby. 
Of course with the internet, it's kind of easy to find such people. I've linked a new website I stumbled upon http://catholicgamer.com  (I guess I can't buy that domain name.). The blogs are definitely better written than mine and there are some very cool game suggestions for my fellow Catholic gamers. 

Polarized Opposites

So, I enjoy geeky things. I like going to conventions. I'm getting more and more interested in cosplay. I play video games and make them in my spare time. I draw my own web-comic. I could prattle on about Narnia and Lord of the Rings and Dragon Age for hours if given the chance. 
And most of all I love sharing and participating in group geek activities. However, I always felt that there was a part of me that was not always accepted. I'm Catholic and a pretty orthodox one at that. I love my faith as much or more than my hobbies. 

It's not really something that I will bring up at a convention. I am not out to evangelize when I attend conventions or participate in my hobbies. That would be something that would almost immediately get me "kicked out of the club". I don't preach on soap boxes, because that's not my style. However, I feel very lonely on a Sunday during a convention weekend as I go to Mass without friends. 

However, on the flip side when  hanging out with my Catholic female friends, we can talk all about the Church and relationships and gossip for hours. One is sort of an anime fan and one sometimes plays games with her husband. 

To have all parts of our person accepted by a group of friends can be tough when one's interests are niche or appeal more to men. 

Why the Two Sides?

I've written before about some of the possible reasons for anti-Christian attitudes in geek culture. Now I'd like to explore the other side of the coin. What is it about Catholicism or Christianity that doesn't like geek culture. 
1.) I find that the Catholic Church is notoriously slow with adapting to much of the newer technology of our every day life. This starts to cripple the Church in evangelization and education.  Hopefully, the New Evangelization will help in these efforts.

2.) Geek culture openly rejects religions and the Church will not force itself where it is not welcomed culturally. That is to say if no one is receptive we "shake the dust of the town from our sandels and move on."  

3.) Lots and Lots of rampant sin or methods of weakening the will can be found in geek culture. From pin-up comic girls to violence to hentai, there is plenty that the Church and good Christians should turn away from. To be honest a large chunk of geek culture is focused on sin. It glorifies lust, revenge, and unhealthy obsession. 

Popularity Contest Loser

As with any hobby there is potential for great good and great evil. At the same time, the heart of Christianity is not to be the most popular religion on the planet. The scope of eternity matters to the Christian faith and our own relationship with God. We are called to live life in holiness which means to be "set apart". 
Geek culture and gaming have helped me better understand who I am, to love myself and actually draw closer to Jesus. This is why at least for myself I can reconcile this apparent paradox of interests. 

Growing up, I went to a Catholic middle school. I was unfortunately stuck with a rather rotten bunch of classmates. I was teased, shunned and well, generally I was odd. Slow to mature physically and socially, I was at a disadvantage. I was very artistic, very interested in my own religion (which some Catholic students were not, surprise surprise) and interested in odd things...like science. The internet was one of the first places that taught me that I was not alone in my interests.

So you could say, in a sense, that my enjoyment of geek culture is because like most geeks I was "bullied". I felt accepted for the most part...except that one obnoxiously obvious religious part of me. But I was more accepted in Geek culture than in any Catholic Youth Group. 

And that's all I'm going to write about that. This was helpful to me at least and hopefully to someone else. I know I'm not alone in this paradox, but geez oh pete why are we so darn quiet? 

Link Share

I couldn't really think of anything to blog about this month so I'll be sharing some links about Media and Catholic things.

Grey is the Devil's Favorite Color

Game Addiction Part 1 (video)

Harassment (video)

Stupid Internet Debates (video...humor)

In other news, I may be starting a new job soon. So thanks for the prayers.

Battle of the Sexes

There's a Women's Issue in Gaming! (Note: Some of these links may not be work safe).
 On many gaming news websites, it is bound to come up. There is bound to be some commentary on the inequality and abuse of women in games and the gaming community. Women are considered an outside other or toy or generally made to feel unwelcome. Online reactions (and in some cases real life conversations) end up in a HOSTILE confrontation between the differing opinions. (Most reactions are summarized well by Dr. Nerdlove.)

Okay, we get it, there's a definite inequality going on here that favors men. We also get that there is something wrong about it. However, both parties continue to be worked up about it and very little progress is made. Now I will not go through and try to debunk every argument brought to the table on this issue (Dr. Nerdlove's article does so nicely.) However, I'm going to try to understand where the friction lies, why the reactions are so volatile, and tie it in with Catholic Theology. (Because that's how I roll.)

The Friction
 The conflict probably starts at the beginning with Original Sin. This opposition of men and women is a product of our sinful nature so there will be friction between us. Luckily there is grace but only if our hearts are open and willing. There are things that make it difficult for BOTH sides to really be forgiving or open to grace. I'll take only one sample from each side. 

  Straw Feminist/Extreme Feminists
   I wrote about feminism once. There are some problems with the feminist movement that have hurt our society rather than helped women. Some of the media tactics aim to belittle men, guilt men, or emasculate men. These make men out to be the enemy...the evil tyrant to be overthrown.
...
In any case this certainly causes friction between the two parties. However, NOT ALL FEMINISTS DO THIS. Most feminists I know work quietly and educate misinformed parties on a one-on-one basis. Feminists are also men, as Jesus himself is often viewed as one of the most feminist men in history. Feminism is not meant to take power away from men and give it to women so that the roles are reversed. Feminism is MEANT to empower women to be women...to be a person and a creation of God.
I forget where I read it, but somewhere I read that "the morality of women is historically what standardized morality for society." However that's not to point the finger of blame. (The first reaction of our parents...SHE MADE ME DO IT!)

  Man Child Culture
Perhaps this trend is a result of the wrong way the feminist movement went. Or perhaps it is the nature of work/providing for the family has changed so that physical strength is not a necessity. (Helloooo office work.) I don't have the research or background to really analyze it but if I was to point to the source I'd merely point to our fallen nature. (It's that nice catch all.) So, we have a generation of men and women that are maturing slower in some areas but too fast in others. In the past there was a clear distinction (and fun rituals) for becoming an adult in society. This in between "teen" stage where you're not yet an adult but not really a child leads to some confusion. Some of my friends still reason and think like they did in high school.
High school was a time I remember being fueled by lots of emotion, passion and feelings instead of rational thought and reflection. And it was a fun time. I did not have the responsibility of an adult like bills or work. I could enjoy all the fun stuff of childhood but still be treated like an adult.
Much of my philosophy was based on what I "felt" was right. Many people still do this and its difficult to reason with them. I think I was lucky and was often in the 'wrong' as a teen so I got to learn what was right. I learned to look at data, evidence and back up my arguments. (Granted, "experience" still makes a large portion of my argument but hey, it works to an extent.)

Anyway, the whole point of this part was to clarify that because masculinity seems to have changed in our minds, then extremes are taken instead of the middle ground. You know the rational path? Or that little part in your brain that makes you question your beliefs or admit you are wrong? (Hint: It's called humility.Hmm I should probably get some more of that.)

Solutions that are not solutions
 There's a problem. So what is the answer? Some things that I've seen offered as solutions either are more damaging or like a band-aide for a cold. One of the repeat offenders is the over use of sexploitation of women characters in games and comics to market the product. So obviously the answer is...
- Equal Sexploitation -
While it works for humor purposes, there is all kinds of wrong. This is reinforcing the sin of objectifying the human body. Yes, its true they are only drawings or 3D models. True they are only characters with no real feelings and are (in a sense) things not people. I think the heart of the issue lies in what characters represent and what art is. That may be for another blog post. For now let's just say that having revealing armor for both characters is not the answer. 

- Women Only Space
 This would be that there are games "for women/girls" and games for men. This is kind of like there being a segregated space in a place that should be for everyone. Now there ARE places and situations where it is indeed better and healthier for it not to be co-ed. (Public Bathrooms come to mind but I know not everyone believes this.)  However something like entertainment usually held in the privacy of one's home and in public spaces, there really is no "men only" space. It's imaginative. Which is quite powerful as imagination does not always have reason to control it. I think this solution fits under the banner of "get back to the kitchen."
 HOWEVER, there are special groups of women only gaming sessions which I think is a pretty neat idea. (Probably because I feel there's a disconnect between me a gaming woman and my other female friends who do not play games frequently.)

- Role Reversal
Now this is an interesting idea but in practice does not work. Having the princess save the prince CAN work as a plot line but...I think this student animation kind of illustrates where things can go wrong.  (Thus the comedic value.) Video games often play as an empowering fantasy. Not all players do this but some project their desires onto a character doing fantastic things. (Role Play as it were.)
This is NOT to say that female game characters can't be knights, captains or soldiers out to save the day. The point is that the role of a character should not be limited or defined by the gender. (For example, in many JRPG titles only female characters hold the position as a "healer" and never use swords. There is a cultural thing about this which is interesting but that'd be a tangent.) 

Theology of the Body
Now I'd hardly call myself an expert or even well versed in TOB. I've only had a couple intro classes and kind of tuned the rest out as re-hashed chastity talks that I've had barked at me since middle school. That said, I will be a student of ToB for a long time but I've got the GIST of what it's all about. It's about the truth of our sex. And the truth is God created us male and female for a purpose. We would compliment each other, but still both be ultimately human.

 For us without the benefit of seeing beyond the Veil of the Flesh can have difficulty understanding this simple truth and amazing gift.
So are there things that can only be enjoyed by men? I'm sure there are many that have a higher interest for males but that should not exclude the fact that it is not an exclusive activity. Video games are one of those activities that have a higher appeal to men on the surface but looking at earlier games we can see that in actuality, there was no gender bias.


Solutions?
Is there a solution? I like to believe so. I spent two years steeped in research detailing the differences between men and women in their approach to computers, games and STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.) Some of the best solutions are about Gender Equity. Some companies do better than others in this respect.

 - Nintendo Japan: Systems marketed as FAMILY systems meaning men and women of multiple ages. This has been Nintendo's model for years, because they were primarily a toy company. They are smart in targeting such a general audience and for the longest time only offering limited 3rd party games on their system. (However, as of this past E3, Nintendo seems to be opening its door to more 3rd party developers.)

  - Mobile Gaming: This platform really does target as many demographics as it can thanks to its cut-throat competitive market. (It's tough...I know...my company didn't survive. :( ) Games are smaller and usually more abstract but it does not bar anyone.

 - Raising Gaming Girls: One of the causes of low STEM interest is how young girls are socialized, especially at a young age. Research (at least older research) claimed that boys were more often given computer privileges. Girls are very aware of their social status and reputation which causes them fear of being disliked or rejected by peers (especially boys). This accounts to why girls don't tend to participate much in math or science class where they may be labeled as "outcast" if they show too much interest.  It has become socially acceptable for girls not to be as in touch with math and science which could lead to careers in game development or at least participation in gaming.

  - Trouble spots: Larger companies like Microsoft need to take a better stand on inter-player interactions. The harassing, hating and vile behavior really does not give games a good reputation.

Conclusion
Over Ten years ago there was a book printed called Barbie and Mortal Kombat, which detailed some of the gender studies done on game content, player behavior and developers. Ten years after its release another follow up book, Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat came out to detail new research. Unfortunately very little had changed and some things had gotten worse. Luckily there have been some progress to bridge the gender gap in technology activities. Much of society's sexual sickness is really hurting many aspects of entertainment.

All we can do now is pray, support women and men making positive changes, and raise the standard of our media content. God has the power to heal wounds of the past and change hearts.

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. 

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.