Among the works of literature dealing with Fascism or authoritarianism, it is often the dystopias that take center stage; both classics like Brave New World, and newer works such as Ready Player One - not to mention the burgeoning genre of Young Adult Dystopian literature - have gripped the imagination in troubling times and been utilized as … Continue reading Literature and Social Reflection (or: Yet Another Essay on Thomas Mann)
Criticism
Critique of Swarm – Part 4
IV - DEMEDIATIZATION “Because of the demediatization of communication, journalists - elite ‘opinion makers,’indeed, the erstwhile priests of opinion - now seem increasingly anachronistic and superflous. The digital medium is in the course of abolishing an end to the era of representation. Instead, everyone wants to be present personally and directly - to present his … Continue reading Critique of Swarm – Part 4
Critique of Swarm – Part 3
III. IN THE SWARM Part 1; Part 2 "Hardt and Negri base their theory on historically antiquated categories such as class and class struggle. Accordingly, they define multitude as being capable of communal action […] It is meaningful to speak of class only when a plurality of classes exists. 'Multitude,' however, signifies the sole class. All … Continue reading Critique of Swarm – Part 3
Critique of Swarm – Part 2
"The outraged do not form a stable we who are displaying concern for society as a whole. Enraged citizens, even though they are citizens, do not demonstrate concern for the whole of social body so much as for themselves. For this reason, outrage quickly dissipates." (7) Is the essence of political structure in liberal society … Continue reading Critique of Swarm – Part 2
Blueprint Revisions
Following up on my original blueprint (which can be found here) I did some revisions and a new paper on the design of the piece in relation to my research on adaptation and the Faustian myth. Since I uploaded the originals I figured I should share the new designs and discussions here as well. Enjoy. … Continue reading Blueprint Revisions
A Look at a Book: The Vorrh
I was drawn into The Vorrh by the voices of other artists: Alan Moore, Iain Sinclair, Jeff Vandermeer, and even the elusive Tom Waits all hailed it as wondrous, dark, and engrossing. These were voices I respected, and they drew me into the jungle with their calls. In many ways, a summary of The Vorrh … Continue reading A Look at a Book: The Vorrh
Deconstruction, the Player, and the Played pt. 3: Comparisons
Having talked about The Beginner's Guide and The Magic Circle individually, I want to talk about them in conjunction. In many ways these games are synchronous, but also quite disparate. I don't really like being so harsh on The Beginner's Guide, partly because it did move me when I played it. I don't want to criticize games … Continue reading Deconstruction, the Player, and the Played pt. 3: Comparisons
Deconstruction, the Player, and the Played Pt. 2: “The Magic Circle”
[SPOILERS FOR THE MAGIC CIRCLE MAY BE FOUND BELOW!] Last time in this pseudo-series I talked about The Beginner's Guide and how I felt it's personal nature and sincerity worked against it on the whole; it's narration trapping the player into an ambiguity that robs them of a real connection to the game. After playing … Continue reading Deconstruction, the Player, and the Played Pt. 2: “The Magic Circle”
Control in “Black Ops”
I just replayed Call of Duty: Black Ops for the first time in years this week. Actually, it's technically my first time really playing it - I grew up in a home where I didn't have Call of Duty (or really any FPS games for a long time) so I had to eagerly await going … Continue reading Control in “Black Ops”
Confirmation by the Future: Dissecting a Fallacy
There's an argument, an argument that I've encountered numerous times on college campuses, and argument that bothers me very much. I was talking with one of my friends (a history major)about the nature of historical revisionism, specifically the way that individuals look at the past and then adjust certain cultural practices to be "good" or … Continue reading Confirmation by the Future: Dissecting a Fallacy
Pen and Screen 