Suduiko, A. (2014, November 30). Interlude: why games matter, and what Jane Austen has to do with it. With A Terrible Fate. https://withaterriblefate.com/2014/11/30/interlude-why-games-matter-and-what-jane-austen-has-to-do-with-it/

Summary

The seventh entry in Suduiko's "A Comprehensive Theory of Majora's Mask" ([[Comprehensive Theory Majora's Mask]]).

Notes

Every form of media was once new, and we have a glimpse into what the cultureal landscape was like around the creation of novels by reading a quote from Jane Austen. Austen was a pioneer of the medium through the early 1800s, and she captures the feeling well.

Suduiko rephrases Austen's quote to make a similar point about video games, to great effect. Rather than try to summarize it, I'll copy it here:

"Although our productions [[ESRT Elements and Emotions|ie. games] have afforded more extensive and unaffected pleasure than those of any other aesthetic corporation in the world, no species of composition has been so much decried. From pride, ignorance, or fashion, our foes are almost as many as our gamers… there seems almost a general wish of decrying the capacity and undervaluing the labour of the game designer, and of slighting the performances which have only genius, wit, and taste to recommend them. “I am no gamer–I seldom look into video games–Do not imagine that I often play video games–It is really very well for a video game.” Such is the common cant.–“And what are you playing, Miss–?” “Oh! It is only a video game!” replies the young lady; while she lays down her controller with affected indifference, or momentary [shame]].–“It is only ‘Final Fantasy VII,’ or ‘Kingdom Hearts II,’ or ‘Majora’s Mask’;” or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour are conveyed to the world in the best chosen form."

While this quote focuses on the outward cultural norms, it's not just external forces that are at fault here. We, as gamers, refer to ourselves as gamers - something other or separated from the cultural norm. While this self identification makes sense as a sort of protection mechanism, it feels weird if we apply similar rationale to this as we did with the novel reading quote.

What if we were to refer to ourselves as "readers" whenever someone asked us about us holding a book in our hands. That makes it feel as if reading were a chosen or optional hobby as opposed to a pillar of serious discourse that it is.

We should be careful in how we view or understand our relationship with games. Certainly games are entertaining, just as novels or film are also entertaining. But they are much more than that, and to slide into "affected indifference, or momentary shame ([[TMJ Protocol]])" limits not just the world, but also ourselves, from unlocking the true potential they have as a unique media (Video Games and the Future of Education).

Citations