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?
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Very thought provoking. I also plan on reading Fountainhead because of bioshock.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
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.
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.
@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.
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."
"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. ;)
Well, in fact the objetivism is based around Socrates philosophy (not everything, but a lot).
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