So, I've started trying to expand my horizons, if one could call it that, and found through the grape vine that the UK isn't too cool on freedom of speech, or something. I'm not sure I fully understand it, but it seems noteworthy, especially considering I like speaking freely because my mouth is big. With that in mind, it's also inherently possible journos overseas have free reign and that one media mogul is mad he isn't raking in the big cash monies. I don't know, and have no opinion; I'd rather keep my mouth shut, here, than shoot it off.
In other news, I'm going to try and get a larger chunk of writing done; I haven't been keeping a good quota lately, and every day is a small uphill battle. I've also been thinking over an article for Dispunctual that seems like a good idea, regarding the link between the SNES, nostalgia, and the recent upswing in Japanophiles and Otakudom.
Extra-tiny news: It's a well thought out article, but videogames has a long, long way to go before they even resemble mature.
Panic in Detroit!
So apparently my interests are shallow, indeed, because now I'm going to rail about more nerdery.
Videogames.
Sort of.
But more specifically, videogames and their censorship is what's gonna start us out, because something that I had predicted way back is finally dropping. For the link-impaired, the FCC wants some of that Fat Pie and is conducting some inquiries regarding the feasability of a medium-spanning ratings system, not unlike movie ratings, but for everything from videogames to mobile phone games.
Now, my opinions on the fact seem pretty obvious: Blah blah censorship, blah blah cumbersome, etc. They're aside from the point.
The blogosphere, of which I am however-reluctantly a part of now, are a knee-jerk community of babbling 20-somethings. This is not an indictment. Censorship is an important issue, and for a lot of people the medium is their pasttime. No one wants to see some people infringe on their ease of acquisition to their favourite title.
But that said, it seems pointless to suddenly sour their shorts just because the government is making an attempt to address issues certain groups raise regarding the wellfare and mental care of children. After all, a government's job is the wellbeing of its people. While opinions may be mixed regarding it, there's a lot of conversation even less than a day after this announcement to the effect of "Big Brother Is Watching" and other hyperbole nonsense. It seems prudent to at least hear any proposals out; the only thing announced is inquiry, not a sudden crackdown at retail shelves. We are not a stone's throw away from an armed guard at every checkout counter.
So, why do we, in the blogosphere and outside it, freak out to news; railing against or salivating wildly? I'm sure part of it is pack mentality, and this isn't something to be ashamed of, within reason. An analogy: You're on a streetcorner, when suddenly you hear a bunch of people running, and sure enough they're barrelling straight for you, screaming in terror. Obviously there's a reason they're running, so you follow suit. That's logical pack mentality, and helpful.
Unfortunately, it's so ingrained in us that it applies to opinion, which is where it becomes dangerous. Just because a bunch of people agree doesn't mean shit when it comes to opinion. Everyone is unique, different, and special, and no amount of cynicism is going to change my opinion of that. Our likes and dislikes will and should be as different, naturally. So to take others opinions, especially on the internet, as a good basis for a logical discourse thereafter is intellectual suicide.
The other part is twofold. One, this is the internet. As I mentioned before, everyone's got an opinion, much like another unsavory piece of anatomy we all posess. So with that freedom to suddenly sound off, not everyone's going to sit down with Descartes and consider the nature of perception just to make up their mind on the ES-Goddamn-A. Nor should they.
Two, videogame opinion and journalism are often interchangeable.
A simple experiment: Type into The Great Sage and Imminent Search Engine Google two things. Type them in seperately, seperate tabs if it's easier. First, try "videogame blogs." Next, try "video game news."
I don't want to get too deep into how TERRIBLE RARRRGH! game journos are, because a lot of them aren't (Randy Nelson comes to mind, now with Joystiq and formerly of long-running PSM, and Leigh Alexander of Sexy Videogameland both spring to mind as bastions of good journalism and dialogue) and because I want to visit the topic at a later date, in its own post. But blogs and real news publications should not, now or ever, be synonymous. If a news story has bias of any kind, and most assuredly a lot of N4G, Kotaku, and IGN articles reek of it, the people reading it will take some of that as a kernal to which they form an opinion. It's bad form from a journalistic-integrity point of view, and it gives the reader a slight level of misinformation thanks to seemingly-harmless weasel words.
The blogosphere is an excellent resource, and can be both entertaining and informative, but to react so strongly so consistently isn't conducive to being insightful or mature as readers or authors.
Also, blog and blogosphere are both words I am so sick of saying by now.
---
Notes:
MAVAV is a joke site.
I went to Wendy's, and got a frosty earlier, hey? Pretty awesome.
Oh, and my opinion on the above diatribe is that books have been getting fine without ratings for hundreds of years, so fuck it.
Videogames.
Sort of.
But more specifically, videogames and their censorship is what's gonna start us out, because something that I had predicted way back is finally dropping. For the link-impaired, the FCC wants some of that Fat Pie and is conducting some inquiries regarding the feasability of a medium-spanning ratings system, not unlike movie ratings, but for everything from videogames to mobile phone games.
Now, my opinions on the fact seem pretty obvious: Blah blah censorship, blah blah cumbersome, etc. They're aside from the point.
The blogosphere, of which I am however-reluctantly a part of now, are a knee-jerk community of babbling 20-somethings. This is not an indictment. Censorship is an important issue, and for a lot of people the medium is their pasttime. No one wants to see some people infringe on their ease of acquisition to their favourite title.
But that said, it seems pointless to suddenly sour their shorts just because the government is making an attempt to address issues certain groups raise regarding the wellfare and mental care of children. After all, a government's job is the wellbeing of its people. While opinions may be mixed regarding it, there's a lot of conversation even less than a day after this announcement to the effect of "Big Brother Is Watching" and other hyperbole nonsense. It seems prudent to at least hear any proposals out; the only thing announced is inquiry, not a sudden crackdown at retail shelves. We are not a stone's throw away from an armed guard at every checkout counter.
So, why do we, in the blogosphere and outside it, freak out to news; railing against or salivating wildly? I'm sure part of it is pack mentality, and this isn't something to be ashamed of, within reason. An analogy: You're on a streetcorner, when suddenly you hear a bunch of people running, and sure enough they're barrelling straight for you, screaming in terror. Obviously there's a reason they're running, so you follow suit. That's logical pack mentality, and helpful.
Unfortunately, it's so ingrained in us that it applies to opinion, which is where it becomes dangerous. Just because a bunch of people agree doesn't mean shit when it comes to opinion. Everyone is unique, different, and special, and no amount of cynicism is going to change my opinion of that. Our likes and dislikes will and should be as different, naturally. So to take others opinions, especially on the internet, as a good basis for a logical discourse thereafter is intellectual suicide.
The other part is twofold. One, this is the internet. As I mentioned before, everyone's got an opinion, much like another unsavory piece of anatomy we all posess. So with that freedom to suddenly sound off, not everyone's going to sit down with Descartes and consider the nature of perception just to make up their mind on the ES-Goddamn-A. Nor should they.
Two, videogame opinion and journalism are often interchangeable.
A simple experiment: Type into The Great Sage and Imminent Search Engine Google two things. Type them in seperately, seperate tabs if it's easier. First, try "videogame blogs." Next, try "video game news."
I don't want to get too deep into how TERRIBLE RARRRGH! game journos are, because a lot of them aren't (Randy Nelson comes to mind, now with Joystiq and formerly of long-running PSM, and Leigh Alexander of Sexy Videogameland both spring to mind as bastions of good journalism and dialogue) and because I want to visit the topic at a later date, in its own post. But blogs and real news publications should not, now or ever, be synonymous. If a news story has bias of any kind, and most assuredly a lot of N4G, Kotaku, and IGN articles reek of it, the people reading it will take some of that as a kernal to which they form an opinion. It's bad form from a journalistic-integrity point of view, and it gives the reader a slight level of misinformation thanks to seemingly-harmless weasel words.
The blogosphere is an excellent resource, and can be both entertaining and informative, but to react so strongly so consistently isn't conducive to being insightful or mature as readers or authors.
Also, blog and blogosphere are both words I am so sick of saying by now.
---
Notes:
MAVAV is a joke site.
I went to Wendy's, and got a frosty earlier, hey? Pretty awesome.
Oh, and my opinion on the above diatribe is that books have been getting fine without ratings for hundreds of years, so fuck it.
Absolute Beginners
Well, two things, now.
I can't seem to get my fucking "About" button up top to work.
Second, I'm gonna give this place two years of vapid, mindless promotion and if I don't have readers by the end of it, I'mma shut 'er down. This might seem like a ploy to get more people, or something, but I know these opinions of mine, and I order them somewhat partially for my benefit, and partially so (maybe!) someone else will give thought to something like (cough cough) comic books, or the state of videogame journalism, or so on.
I can't seem to get my fucking "About" button up top to work.
Second, I'm gonna give this place two years of vapid, mindless promotion and if I don't have readers by the end of it, I'mma shut 'er down. This might seem like a ploy to get more people, or something, but I know these opinions of mine, and I order them somewhat partially for my benefit, and partially so (maybe!) someone else will give thought to something like (cough cough) comic books, or the state of videogame journalism, or so on.
Cha-cha-changes
Starting a blog has me realizing something. After a while, I've changed. I am most assuredly not a better person than I was on the last journal I created; I would say my faults have been moved around, and my interests with them.
I didn't use to like acoustic guitar. I felt a little better about myself. I used to watch a lot of foreign film.
In changing, I have made hard and fast, life-altering decisions. Decisions a weaker person might never come to.
At some point, I decided that comics were stupid.
Please, the sword isn't needed. I don't need a shield, because this isn't a flame war. I'm not trolling, and there's more to the preceeding blanket statement than I'm letting on. If possible, remove the Marvel and/or DC buttons from your lapel, and end the trace program's machinations regarding ascertating my broadcasting position.
To clarify, something close to the ninety percent mark of comics are stupid. For the most part, I'm going to try and not focus on single artists or authors. There are better posts about who sins the most in the medium. There are entire diatribes dedicated to that sort of thing, and much of it merits the rage. I'm not talking about individual authors; To hold one accountable for all would be misguided and a poor indicator of my knowledge in the medium.
Comics, by and large, have a rich and storied history, but their timing couldn't have come at a worse time. Even as Hollywood was learning how to monetize each property into a series of powerful merchandising gimmicry, thanks largely to Lucas and Spielberg, comics had always been patroned by kids, and it shows. They started out as a youth market, and a youth remark they remain in many respects.
Consider: Film took the better part of a quarter century to progress technologically enough to be taken advantage of, and comics have had more than their fair share of that time.
Still, this isn't the reason I feel comics are a sub-par turnout, but I'm trying to make some sense of it. The example, at best, seems like an unfair assumption again: Comics have a root in penny dreadfuls and comic strips, the latter being a definitive spiritual predecessor if not outright parent. A technological leap forward wasn't required of them beyond printing press, either, which can't be said of videogames or film.
Maybe I feel like for all the possibilities the medium offers, a middleground between moving images and literature, they remain so dully fantastic. I want a boring, every-day story. I want a Falling Down of comics, or some vision of intense sadness that doesn't need powers, or philosophy, or magic, or the supernatural. I'm sick of ultraviolence and overwrought dialogue. To tell fantasy stories, you have to be able to tell any story or shit doesn't work. It's a similar problem videogames face, and that's a medium still struggling with its infancy.
But why do I feel like this? Not sure, realistically. I didn't grow up with comics the same way a lot of people did, but I've read more than I care to count. I remain an avid consumer of Batman bullshit day in and day out, a lot of times, and I sat down with Spider-Man six months ago for eight hours until my eyes burned and my head swam.
The male power fantasy bullshit just doesn't do it for me anymore, if it ever did. There's too many stories (good ones, bad ones, but a fairer balance) in other mediums to waste time reading McFarlane and hoping for Moore.
This Is Because I'm Verbose
I used to have a terrible journal.
At the time, it felt right, and the concept I had was an ongoing memoir that I could look back on many years later with some degree of insight into how cool or terrible or funny or boring I was. I wanted to feel vaguely acomplished.
As it turned out, I was only the last one.
It was summer of 06/7/something, and I was working a job I was growing increasingly less enchanted with (and quit shortly thereafter for a job I loved and have since left.) I wanted some way to flex creative muscle, to entertain, and also to put something on my mind to words, when it ocurred to me I really didn't like what I was writing in the least. I got really bored, and now I want somewhere to rant at again that doesn't mean subjecting other human beings to mass diatribes when they don't care or don't want to hear it. Ranting isn't conversation, it's getting something off your chest.
So I'm going to stop reinventing the wheel for now and just put things down.
But first: Shopping!
At the time, it felt right, and the concept I had was an ongoing memoir that I could look back on many years later with some degree of insight into how cool or terrible or funny or boring I was. I wanted to feel vaguely acomplished.
As it turned out, I was only the last one.
It was summer of 06/7/something, and I was working a job I was growing increasingly less enchanted with (and quit shortly thereafter for a job I loved and have since left.) I wanted some way to flex creative muscle, to entertain, and also to put something on my mind to words, when it ocurred to me I really didn't like what I was writing in the least. I got really bored, and now I want somewhere to rant at again that doesn't mean subjecting other human beings to mass diatribes when they don't care or don't want to hear it. Ranting isn't conversation, it's getting something off your chest.
So I'm going to stop reinventing the wheel for now and just put things down.
But first: Shopping!