"Every generation needs a new revolution" -Thomas Jefferson



I am writing this in response to the well-thought article on storytelling in video games written by Cowzilla3.

Thomas Jefferson is the only established center of knowledge I will quote in this article, for he was a revolutionary and I wish to argue for the importance of subverting authority, our own independent knowledge, and its importance to freedom (America, Fuck Yeah!). I will not quote scholars or established centers of knowledge, because that would prove hypocritical to and denigrate the point of this article.

Gaming is a subversive medium. Many have argued such, comparing video games to comic books and Rock n Roll. Video games are comparable to comic books and Rock n Roll in that it is a new form of expression created by unestablished artists.

Born as a child to the computer age, video games supported independent development. Anyone who owned a computer and could write code could create a game.(The growth of blogging and the use of the internet is comparable to the growth of video games in its democratic qualities,go DTOID!) Also, production costs were significantly less than any other medium of expression. I remember watching the credit roll of the early Final Fantasy's and being stunned: the games were being made by a team about the size of a typical high school class.

It is because of the initial low cost and market-penetrability of video game production that they became a subversive medium. In this way it was revolutionary in the same way as comic books or Rock n Roll. They represented ideas moving not top-down, but instead across and up in order to challenge and change, not maintain. I use this analogy only in terms of established centers and unestablished centers of entertainment, culture, whatever. Instead of anyone telling us what's what, we made fun of what's what and created our own culture through games. A culture not defined by established centers of entertainment.

The newfangled art styles and creativity in video games were different. This made them subversive. But they also encouraged a new generation to take an active role in the culture they were consuming by entering it, changing it, and exploring it literally. In this way, video games are a medium that encourages action, change, revolution, individuality, etc. in ways that the passive nature of consuming television and films were not (In books people still play an active role, and they are actually the oldest subversive medium).

In this way, video games are as important to the humanities insofar as its purpose in developing new ideas and direction in creating new art and narrative as the teaching of the humanities itself. Ironically, in some ways they are perhaps more important than the established re-hashing of classics and the molding of minds that so many universities engage in. Nothing new will come of the old, nothing will change.



Video games also represent a new merging of formerly separate, distinct mediums. Video games are a combination of painting, computer technology, music, books, film, and of living insofar as living involves actions and reactions. This truly awesome combination of mediums represents many possibilities.

One of the primary enemies of change and advancement is the departmentalization and lack of communication of ideas, scholarly fields, art, social groups, individual people etc. If established centers of knowledge or culture refuse to engage in debate with others, change cannot occur. Compare it to a color pallet, if the colors do not mix then nothing changes and everything looks the same. It is the same with everything else in society. Video games have succeeded in merging many distinct mediums and so alters them, the ideas they portray and encourages new thought.

Due to the aforementioned merging of separate forms of expression, video games are an intensely powerful medium. One particular aspect of gaming makes it potentially more powerful than any other. "Art" or expressive mediums have the never before integrated the aspect of living in the game, that is, actively interacting and affecting the game. Living requires action and reaction. Games have this aspect of action and reaction which means that essentially, one can live in the game, figuratively speaking.

This aspect of living in video games has possibilities to be subversive and...not. In games in which the principally controlled character has limited control and so is in turn controlled by his/her surroundings, the game is not subversive but brainwashing. The gamer is told what's possible, what he/she must do, and generally what's what. Conversely, in a game in which the surroundings are presented neutrally and the principle controlled character has power, and is encouraged to explore and make decisions, the game is subversive in that it encourages the player to change the game and interact with the story. A great example of this is the KOTOR games.

This is why people such as Jack Thompson are so frightened by video games. They represent a powerful new channel for the cultural construction of meaning. This power can be used to both good and bad ends. I will say that games such as Manhunt and Grand Theft Auto use this power in a somewhat irresponsible way. Correct me if I am wrong, but as far as I know there is no encouragement for thought in the acts portrayed in the games. Also, the games give you little choice, basically you must kill people gratuitously. So, the game tells you what's what, they tell you that in order to complete your goals you must kill and maim many people. I remember, I think it was Jim Sterling, using the term "torture porn" to describe Manhunt. This I think sums of the value of such games.

I will now contend Cowzilla3's point that video games should become as "smart" as films and television. Video games should not aspire to be "smart" because that would, as I understand Cowzilla3 saying, diminish its positive subversive qualities. In the aspect of video games as a subversive medium, they should not aspire to anything other than creating new ways of seeing, thinking, and interacting. They should not aspire to become an established center of culture, for then they become the new establishment molding thought and preventing the sacred right of the power of the individual mind. So, video games should show us not something that is "smart" like more established centers of culture but something that is different, new, and challenging.

However, this may be inevitable. Gaming is becoming more of an establishment every day. Increasing production costs are now creating an environment in which more established corporate entities decide what to create opposed to more creative independent minds.

So what is so great about subverting things? It is the key to our power as individuals and our power to create change. If we subvert established culture, we are creating our own culture and allowing ourselves our full right of self-actualization and freedom. If we subvert established culture, we are free to explore and build our own independent lives. We can enjoy our full potential as humans and fully utilize the absolute function of democracy: to live as equals compelled and controlled by no one.

This is part of the reason I love gaming.

Game on and subvert authority! Those who are the "smart" ones are only those with the power. Find out what they know then turn it upside down!