games  anime  |  toys
This is a Dtoid readers's blog. For staff blogs click here. Confused? read this Create you own!  |   Members: Login now





The Fountainhead, Bioshock, and gaming in general
blehman | 10:16 AM on 08.29.2007 9 comments


I started reading the Fountainhead today, and along with Bioshock, it got me
thinking.
Before I start this post truely; a quote.

This speaks of journalism and it is an Ayn Rand quote from the forward of
The Fountainhead, but can still be applied to gaming.


"That most are written and published...to fade as rapidly is one of the sorriest aspects of today's...(culture)...and one of the clearest indictment of it's dominant esthetic philosophy: concrete-bound, journalistic Naturalism which has now reached it's dead end in the inarticulate sounds of panic.

Longevity-predominantly, though not exclusively-is the perogative of a literary school which is virtually non-existent today: Romanticism. This is not the place for a dissertation on the nature of Romantic fiction, so let me state-for the record and for the benefit of those college students (and the rest of us) who have never been allowed to discover it-only that Romanticism is the conceptual school of art. It deals, not with the random trivia of the day, but with the timeless fundamental, universal problems and values of human existence. It does not record or photograph; it creates and projects. It is concerned-in the words of Aristotls-not with things as they are, but with things as they might be and ought to be."

Now, before the next quote, let me tell you what I find relevant and interesting about that passage. It was written years ago, before most everyone reading the destructoid were but a twinkle in their parents eyes, and it is based on novelists and journalists of the time. I believe that games are now on this list. I believe that games have underwent a renaissance back when we went from Atari to Nintendo, 8-bit to 16-bit, SNES to PS1, until now when we are back on the precipice, waiting to see if we fall back to the safety of the tried and true (but now so boring) formulas, or if we step off the edge and embrace the new. The new that which will make us look back on these stories and games that we know and love (i.e. Chrono Trigger and Earthbound) and fall in love with these new games as we did with those. Original IP's such as Bioshock offer such futures as these, if they can be sold and adapted to fans such as us, who look back at games like Psychonauts and frown at the "casual gamer" who would rather have their new Madden, or a game with a number behind it, than a completly original, funny game such as that.


Now to the next quote:

"It does not matter that only a few in each generation will group and acheive the full reality of man's (games) proper stature-and that the rest will betray it. It is those few that move the world and give life it's meaning-and that the rest will betray it. It is thos few that move the world and give life it's meaning-and it is those few that I have always sought to address. The rest are no concern of mine; it is not me or mankind that they will betray; it is their own souls."

Now I know I'm taking both of these quotes greatly out of context (this is a book about Ayn Rand's philosophy after all), but it feels to me that this completely applies to the gamer generation of today. Those game designers that try to change the perception of those that play, those that adopt new, fresth ideas (even Nintendo, which reinvents most new renditions of old franchises) want the best of us, to challenge us mentally, physically, and emotionally as gamers.

I have more, but I need to read a little further in the book, and I also need your opinions on this matter. Do you want me to write more? Do you agree or disagree with my view on this matter?



Is this post awesome? Vote it up!

0


Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

9 comments | showing # 1 to 9

prev next

Moshiiii's Destructoid Blog
Very thought provoking. I also plan on reading Fountainhead because of bioshock.
nademagnet's Destructoid Blog
The more things change the more they stay the same.
Velt's Destructoid Blog
I agree on the subject Blehman and i will keep an eye on your objetivist blogging. Im a spanish speaker (south america), so to make my point of view in philosophy and in english is hard.

If i were you i would first read "atlas shrugged"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Shrugged

which is the last novel of Ayn Rand and the high point of the objetivism philosophy, atlas shrugged offers an engaging novel and the whole objetivism philosophy. Is a long read, but once you start you cant stop. I loved the book, the novel and the philosophy behind it.


Banj's Destructoid Blog
I don't understand what she means by "the rest will betray it". Is she implying that anyone who does not achieve the heights of human endeavour have betrayed humanity? Unless you're produce your masterpiece for the ages, regardless of field, then you have betrayed your own soul?

If that what she's getting at then it sounds like elitist, capitalist, bourgeoisie, bullshit propaganda to me. I might have to 'read' her, she sounds like my kind of chick.
Velt's Destructoid Blog
@Banj.
Well Banj, yours is an interesting point. In some ways in atlas shrugged you see individuals that are not as bright, intelligent and capable as the rest of the main characters. But in a way the question is asked by a main character to a great industrial (another main character), "when you invented it you mean it for people that, even not as intelligent as you, has the same morale stance than you?" The answer was "yes".
When she talks about the betrayals she is talking (at least in atlas shrugged), in terms of people that gets in the way of those trying to do something. The goverment for instance, making popular legislation (estatization stuff mostly), and the people that criticise an endevour of a private party, only that when is finished they use it (hipocrats).

I think we can all live together in this world, but freedom must be preserved. Thats the problem in latin american countries like the one i live for example: if you want to live like a comunist with a bunch of people thats ok... but you cant impose that on other people, even if the majority vote for you, you dont have the right to do so.


Velt's Destructoid Blog
Here i found it, Rand description of objetivism
"My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."


Banj's Destructoid Blog
"My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."

I'm gonna have to read some of her work because it sounds like she's cherry picking from a bunch of different philosophies. Seems 'objectivism' would lead to a conclusion of self-obsessed, ego-maniacal elitist cunts. ;)
Velt's Destructoid Blog
Well, in fact the objetivism is based around Socrates philosophy (not everything, but a lot).


To1kien's Destructoid Blog
Nice Post Blehman ; )
It is surprising how few games really leave a lasting impression. The only ones i can really remember extremely well are Final Fantasy III (VI) for SNES and Shadow of the Colossus.

Hopefully designers and developers start to take more chances and really understand that we don't need cookie-cutter games to be happy.

Plus, i start Atlus Shrugged this summer, so It is always nice to read writeups about good books


prev next


Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

 about me

Real name: Mike



Amazing gif!



bleh, man
Age:27
Lives in: Dallas, Tx
Occupation: Mayor of Metro City
Member of: Official Destructoid Beard Club
Consoles: 360, wii, ds, snes, ps2
Hobbies: Games, reading, guitar, drinking

Because The GHost is teh awesome, my dtoid playing card:


Visit my: Minicity: Suburblehia



Current Games:

Persona 3: FES
Shadow Hearts: From the New World
Left 4 Dead
GTA IV


Old Blogs:
Teh Randomtoid Linktoid (This is all my randomtoid blogs in one spot)
My Dtoid Thank You Note
One year w00t!
Avatar Chat
My Feelings On "Next-Gen"
Bleh-views:
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Lost: Via Domus
Community Discussion Time!
Gaming Journalism
Oh snap! Front paged!
Playing with Others: The Death of Split-Screen



My Hero:



My Left 4 Dead Dream Movie



Longcat:



Myspace profile: bleh6467

To e-mail malicious hatemail: blehman646@gmail.com

To whomever drew my header: Awesome
Note: old header link here

For Wiisucks:
Hi! My name is Jack Klassen.! I'm a completely ordinary teenage boy from San Diego, California. My interests include soccer, surfing, writing poetry, and luge. I am homeschooled by my father who fought in the Korean War and was exposed to nerve gas. He is kind of crazy but I still love him. We got the Internet two years ago and I started making new friends on Yahoo! messenger. Surprisingly, most of these new friends were older men who wanted to have illegal, underage sex with me. Needless to say, I got a boner like a rocketship and cybersex quickly became my favorite thing in the entire world. Wait, did I say boner like a rocketship? I meant my vagina got as wet as Lake Titicaca. I started saving all of the hot chat sessions I was having with the Pakistanis, lesbians, child molesters and other monsters who were instant messaging me all day and all night, and I decided to put them up here on this website so you can see exactly how disgusting the entire human race is. Since then, I have been in a waterskiing accident that mangled my genitals beyond repair, been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, brain cancer, and Crohn's disease, learned to speak Urdu and French, covered my naked body in superglue, went to French lesbian camp, made a Hindu eat a roast beef sandwich out of my vagina, and ruined perfectly good cybersex for at least one hundred people. Use the menu above to find out more about me and start reading my sexy adventures,





Also, I make people from Pheonix Wright cry:


Also, also, sparkle:


Also, also, also, jiggles:


Also, also, also, also, Trent!


Alsox5, kitteh:


Also, X-mas Shake(a.k.a. itemforty is teh sex)

 xbox 360 gamertag
 mii friend code:
blehman

 friends' updates
aborto thefetus's Profile aborto thefetus
Aborto Rants: or how the problem with game reviews doesn't actually exist.
Aerox's Profile Aerox
IT'S TYRA TUESDAY - GET'CHO FIERCE ON
Altered Beets's Profile Altered Beets
Edge of Reality is out! (a game I made to download and heap scorn on)
Atlas's Profile Atlas
Hey Paisano
B-Radicate's Profile B-Radicate
B-Radicate has a Surprise, Bitches!
BahamutZero's Profile BahamutZero
TITAN QUEST IS AMAZING - aka - BUY THE THQ PACK ON STEAM BEFORE MONDAY
bahss's Profile bahss
Goodnight and Sweet Dreams. I'll see you on the other side.
balth's Profile balth
My bi-monthly post: Dragon's Age: Origins the Anti-Jimpression Review
BigPopaGamer's Profile BigPopaGamer
Drunkcast PAX Drinking Challenge: Official Rules(NSFW)
blehman's Profile blehman
Dear Diary, I've Met Someone Else
bloodylip's Profile bloodylip
The Greatest Joystick Ever.
BluDesign's Profile BluDesign
A More Positive Katamari Forever Review...
BlueWolf72's Profile BlueWolf72
Ultimate Robot Trophies
Brad Rice's Profile Brad Rice
GTA IV isn't helping anime with Princess Robot Bubblegum
Brandon Undead's Profile Brandon Undead
Rock Band 2 Bonus Tracks Site Update
Brilliam's Profile Brilliam
The EVERYGAME blog: it's elolmentloly, my dear lolson
BulletMagnet's Profile BulletMagnet
The Obscurer Tribune # 22
Butmac's Profile Butmac
Live with Butmac makes it's return
CaffeinePowered's Profile CaffeinePowered
TF Tuesdays - 10/7
CarlostheJackal's Profile CarlostheJackal
Think Geek Selling New Dreamcasts...4realz
Carrion Crow's Profile Carrion Crow
In search of something more
ceark's Profile ceark
I can't figure some things out and it's driving me nuts.
Chad Concelmo's Profile Chad Concelmo
The tragic history of the videogame turkey
Chewpathingy's Profile Chewpathingy
Fails at blogging.
Clockwork's Profile Clockwork
I won something! But I don't remember why!
Coonskin05's Profile Coonskin05
A Not-So-Weird Kid's Top 10: NES Games
CountingConflict's Profile CountingConflict
Extra Life
Cowzilla3's Profile Cowzilla3
Monday Review: Drag Me to Hell
CronosBlade's Profile CronosBlade
360 Paradise Wednesday Week 2 - 10PM EST
DaedHead8's Profile DaedHead8
The Future of Mobile Gaming
digtastik's Profile digtastik
Wii FNF: No More Mr. Nice Guy edition
Droll's Profile Droll
Kanji Tatsumi is no Coward.
Drunkcast's Profile Drunkcast
Drunkcast Episode 17 not recording tonight!
DtoidAustin's Profile DtoidAustin
The Pew3vol NARP
DynamicSheep's Profile DynamicSheep
Fails at blogging.
El Guapo's Profile El Guapo
DIE SCEA DIE
Evil Blehman's Profile Evil Blehman
Things you might not know about Evil Blehman
Excremento's Profile Excremento
A Weird Kid's Top 10 -- NES Games That You Had To Leave on All-Night To Beat
FAILCAST's Profile FAILCAST
Failcast episode 54 records tonight; [insert additional phrase here]
FooLiz's Profile FooLiz
PAX Impromptu (male)Nerdcore session
Fuzzy's Profile Fuzzy
It's Got Hair On It: Fuzzy Impressions of Too Human
GayBear22's Profile GayBear22
The Beardstroker Part I
Hamza CTZ Aziz's Profile Hamza CTZ Aziz
Weekend Destructainment: Jesus cheats at Modern Warfare 2
Hoygeit's Profile Hoygeit
Cammy Fan Art Illustration
Iolaus's Profile Iolaus
BK:3 - Pain, Disappointment, Sadness
itemforty's Profile itemforty
WWJDTN: What would Jesus Do to Nazis?
JACK of No Trades's Profile JACK of No Trades
The Evolution of Mr. Destructoid....Mega Model
Jahute's Profile Jahute
10 random thoughts. Ep: 1
jdub28's Profile jdub28
EA has done it again...
jerrt's Profile jerrt
happy 9-9-09, happy birthday dreamcast, happy birthday nerf
Jesus H Christ's Profile Jesus H Christ
DToid Confessions: I suck at video games
Jim Sterling's Profile Jim Sterling
Raskulls still looks adorable in these new screens
JoshDunford's Profile JoshDunford
Is this the end?
kezins's Profile kezins
Swag Lighter I Received From Pandemic Studios
king3vbo's Profile king3vbo
Why I Love Destructoid
Kryptinite's Profile Kryptinite
People in the gaming industry: Is your passion still strong?
KyleGamgee's Profile KyleGamgee
Why I love Destructoid.
lacysquid's Profile lacysquid
Meh
liam2015's Profile liam2015
10 things you or may not know Liam, but probably won't.
Macca's Profile Macca
HAPPY HAMZAKAH!
MaxVest's Profile MaxVest
My New Job As A Chicken Sexer -- Not What I Thought It Would Be
MechaMonkey's Profile MechaMonkey
FOP Theme #1: Every Girl's Crazy 'bout a Sharp Dressed Space Marine
mid3vol's Profile mid3vol
it's business time.
Morrius's Profile Morrius
Littlebigplanet hilariously delayed in Europe
MrJunko's Profile MrJunko
Dan Hibiki will break your f*#$ing face
MrSadistic's Profile MrSadistic
Hey Destructoid, Happy Thxgiving.
mudkip5000's Profile mudkip5000
Some tutorials and things (nvgr)
Mxyzptlk's Profile Mxyzptlk
Left 4 Dead 2: Interview with a Zombie 2
Necros's Profile Necros
Dtoid's 2009 Completed Games List: August/September/October
necrozen's Profile necrozen
Demon's Souls: Lost Journal of Necrozen the Unwise Day 2
Neonie's Profile Neonie
Thanks Rock*, just what I needed. (Rage Post)
NihonTiger90's Profile NihonTiger90
Steam-opoly: Why Valve's already on top and why no one can do anything about it
ninjamogzero's Profile ninjamogzero
ELIZABETH FIGURE OMG OMG
NobodysDream's Profile NobodysDream
David Foster Wallace Dead At 46. Fuck. [NVGR]
nopk's Profile nopk
Sins of a Solar Empire: Review
NotAZombie's Profile NotAZombie
Shortblog! Fight Night Round 4 Demo Now Up.
pendelton21's Profile pendelton21
Celebrating Thanksgiving in The Wasteland
Phist's Profile Phist
Calling all 360 Street Fighters: SFII Turbo HD Remix XBLA Tonight
PointingDevice's Profile PointingDevice
Hitler was NOT a good man, Itemforty!
power-glove's Profile power-glove
I'm back in the saddle again: 360 Friday Night Fights
Professor Pew's Profile Professor Pew
Pew Review: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (360) (spoilerfree no less)
Qalamari's Profile Qalamari
PAX 2009: The do's and do NOT do's
RICHARD BLOCKER's Profile RICHARD BLOCKER
L4D cheaters never prosper
Riser Glen's Profile Riser Glen
Thanks for being my Neighbor, DToid
Rockvillian's Profile Rockvillian
I Suck at Games: Negative Reinforcement Negatively Reinforces Everything
Sadie G's Profile Sadie G
Gamings Guilty Pleasures: Games for girls
Sentry's Profile Sentry
Ain't No Rest for the Wicked (please help)
ShadokatRegn's Profile ShadokatRegn
My Recovered Gaming Rig, Let Me Show It To You
shipero's Profile shipero
PS3 Friday Night Fights: Boldly Going Forward, 'Cause We Can't Find Reverse
Snaileb 's Profile Snaileb
I've been having a blast, but miss you too, Dtoid!
Spartacus's Profile Spartacus
I once hugged a man in Reno...
SPIDER PIG's Profile SPIDER PIG
I can hear Taps playing ever so faintly in the distance...
Steel Squirrel's Profile Steel Squirrel
Semi-easy money in Tekken 6
Surf314's Profile Surf314
TFNF(2) Or How I Learned to Love the Fortress
Tactix's Profile Tactix
Dtoid Community Discusses pt 19: Digital Distribution
tazarthayoot's Profile tazarthayoot
Top 10 reasons it's Samit's birthday
The Faux-Bot's Profile The Faux-Bot
PS3 the equivalent of a mid-life crisis Porsche...apparently
The GHost's Profile The GHost
Why I Love Destructoid
TheNakedAnt's Profile TheNakedAnt
Fails at blogging.
Tiff's Profile Tiff
Post-PAX Love & Farewell to Destructoid (for now)
To1kien's Profile To1kien
Achron Looks Awesome
Tragic Hero's Profile Tragic Hero
My gripe with P3:FES
Velt's Profile Velt
Dear IW: fu** you.
vexed alex's Profile vexed alex
Beneath the Pixels: Wind Waker Part One
Vixen's Profile Vixen
Fails at blogging.
Volcanon's Profile Volcanon
A New AC Adapter for my Nintendo Wu!
VWGTI's Profile VWGTI
Go out and buy Borderlands. Right now.
WDot's Profile WDot
FACT: Mr. Destructoid stars in Eternity's Child.
wobblefunk's Profile wobblefunk
WOC:World of Cockfags, formally known as WIC
xper's Profile xper
Dickish post about RE5 and racism - I'm smarter than you-edition
Y0j1mb0's Profile Y0j1mb0
PS3 Friday Night Fights: I CAN'T MOVE EDITION
Zodiac Eclipse's Profile Zodiac Eclipse
The Forgotten: The Save'n


 

 
  get involved

register or login
post a blog
post a forum
enter a contest
contribute a news tip
suggest a feature
be a guest editor
support

new member's guide
login assistance
tech support
report abuse
email our editors
read our dev blog
nuclear crisis?
keep in touch

RSS feed
Twitter
Facebook
Myspace
Flickr
Game nights
Meetup+play online
seriously

about Destructoid
advertising
terms of use
privacy policy
jobs at MM
buy our crap
our network

Tomopop
Japanator
Despingation?




Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
living the dream since March 16, 2006