Question one.) 1. Clifford Geertz says, “Every culture loves its own form of violence.” In what way do video games confirm this? What forms of violence do they represent? Geertz says the forms of violence are not always the actions that are bloody, but rather the unequal systems and structures that are created by violent means and then perpetuated. Pick a game that reveals not the superficial violence but the deeper structural violence of our culture and explain that form of violence.

Call of duty and war games re-depict the aspects of being out in the battlefield and virtually face things that our real soldiers do on a daily basis for years at a time. We find PLEASURE in reenacting situations of real life events that take lives of our own people. Modern Warfare also reenacts the issues and situations that take place. The user of the game is dropped off at a location—given certain assignments and objectives—the only way to be successful is to kill others, steal and overcome and be dominant over others that are in worse situations or on the opposing team (even though knowledge of why they are on the other side is not necessarily clear)

“threats that we are defending ourselves against are illusive”

–cancer, driving accidents, texting while driving, alcohol poisoning; things that are out of  control and at the same time controlling our actions leave us followingi the rules that have been laid down for us.

New Economy shows us different alternative situations that go against the stream that we’re all in currently.

Repetition compulsion: repeating something that concerns you for the reactionà a movement that continues. It continues so that we can find the resolution for this issue

Playing these games can help people identify with the issues that are presented in the situations that the games throw you in.

Question 2.)

Immersion into this virtual world. Opening scenes of movies or games really engage the mind or push you away. What is the hook specifically that keeps you there? Natural reactions to a fire in a mansion and super human ability which intrigues people.

The dream space; creates reality–if you can’t dream it, it can’t become a real thing. If you control the dream space of a culture, you control the culture. People take advantage of the control they can place and the reactions they can pull from society with the information and representations that are put forth.

We are allowed to virtually play it, while the bigger “higher” ups play it daily on society and those that are on the receiving end.

Structural Violence–>people who pay off the rulers to get a free pass can surpass the rules to continue on, while those who can’t afford it get in the most trouble.

Question 3. stops representing the game and starts being real life.

see how much you can get away with virtually before they get caught. what is the boundary, where is the line being drawn, what are the least amount of consequences I can receive. the sky is the limit virtually.

Physically experiencing the pain that is occuring in the game is another form of experiencing and being more involved with the situations that you are seeing visually.

“TEKKEN” Torture Tournament; electrodes are pushing people as far as they can go. “Fighting is the way of surviving”-Joline

De-sensitizing people to the violence; being overexposed to violence with the news and television. Video games also DE-sensitize them. Engage and Teach people what to do in situations in real life, the virtual reality is made unreal, untouchable.

question 4.) Re inscribe real life situations.

Male figures rule the game world. “only a handful of games where the woman is the main subject” and even then she is greatly warped to satisfy what the man wants a woman to be and look like sexually. “big boobs, tiny waist”

Do people actually assign themselves to their real roles.

question 5.)

America’s army–back door draft. There is a physical difference between being out in the field and sitting in the comfort of your own home and playing a virtual game. How can a game prove the eligibility of a person in a real war world scenario. An intrigue to young men who have been drawn to the “cool tactics” of being in the army and leaving out all of the negative aspects of real life war–death, injury and harm.

Class Questions: what is it that is learned from an Army game? Reaction times and quickened reactions along with team work.

Killing people, naturally?

Humans don’t really want to kill each other naturally–there is an extreme guilt from people who have killed multiple people.