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03 Ban These Evil Games. Recommended Viewing four DVDs available in the library useful to module (but not required). - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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03 Ban These Evil Games
Recommended Viewing
four DVDs available in the library useful to module (but not required)
Ban These Evil Games
digital games get a bad press focus: games’ reputation and representation the values they are believed to demonstrate won’t be looking at the ‘media violence’ debate three examples…
Mr Spock Dr Spock
Dr Spock on Digital Games
“The best that can be said of them is that they may help promote eye-hand co-ordination in children. The worst that can be said is that they sanction, and even promote aggression and violent responses to conflict. But what can be said with much greater certainty is this: most computer games are a colossal waste of time.” (1998, p. 625)
Daily Mail on Digital Games
“…such ‘entertainment’ undermines any moral precepts parents or educators may try to establish in the young … The computer game works directly against any domestic rules or discipline which may have taken years to construct.” (30 July 2004, p. 8)
Moral Kombat
forthcoming documentary trailer: Moral Kombat
Moral Kombat on Digital Games
ominous music, serious experts games promote violence games to blame for 911 (!)
Wasteful, Immoral, Violent
Dr Spock: games are a waste of time Daily Mail: games undermine morals and discipline Moral Kombat: games promote violent behaviour Any Questions?
Why Ban These Games?
so what prompted that Daily Mail headline?
Manhunt
2003 Rockstar Games (GTA) third-person action James Earl Cash death row > snuff movie very violent: banned in Germany, Australia, NZ 18 certificate in UK Manhunt clip (watch carefully)
Why Manhunt?
The Manhunt Controversy
what prompted the two Daily Mail front pages? February 2004: Warren Leblanc (17) kills his friend Stefan Pakeerah (14) in a park in Leicester July 2004: Pakeerah’s parents and Jack Thompson blame Manhunt Daily Mail and others report this claim Dixons and Game stores withdraw Manhunt
The Manhunt Controversy
August 2004: Manhunt up to £100 on Ebay #14 in game charts police reveal that Manhunt was owned by Pakeerah (deceased) not Leblanc (murderer) Leblanc killed Pakeerah for drug money September 2004: Leblanc sentenced to life
The Manhunt Controversy
September 2004: Keith Vaz (MP for Leicester) asks Tony Blair to investigate any connection between Manhunt-style games and violence Tony Blair replies that Manhunt is “wholly unsuitable for children”
Moral Panics
the Manhunt controversy is a classic ‘moral panic’ what is a moral panic? Stanley Cohen, Folk Devils and Moral Panics (1972) media fixates on some group or behaviour usually a minority or subculture seen as a menace to society and dangerously deviant widespread and exaggerated reporting leads to… a mass movement of ‘moral panic’: campaign groups, concerned parents, letters to MPs, statements in parliament, etc.
Deviancy Amplification Spiral
widespread reporting helps define the group/behaviour actually attracts additional ‘deviant’ individuals enhances a sense of identity reporting thus fuels further ‘deviant’ behaviour a spiral of deviance and moral indignation: Deviancy Amplification Spiral
Manhunt: A Moral Panic
just what happened with Manhunt:
exaggerated media reporting: Leblanc generates outrage and opposition: banned fuels the behaviour: gamers desperate to obtain a copy playing of Manhunt massively increased even bought by Media Studies lecturers, and publicised in classrooms (£5 or less on Amazon or £5 Ebay) more potential deviants Any Questions?
Exercise: Panic!
In your groups make a list of as many moral panics as you can think of. (They don’t have to concern games.)
Rhetoric
so how are moral panics generated? by means of rhetoric
what is rhetoric?
Rhetoric: Persuasive Language
Brian Sutton-Smith: rhetoric is: “a persuasive discourse, or an implicit narrative, wittingly or unwittingly adopted by members of a particular affiliation to persuade others of the veracity and worthwhileness of their beliefs.” (S&Z, 2004, p. 9) rhetoric is persuasive language rhetoric attempts to convince audience/reader rhetoric can be crude or very subtle…
Rhetoric: An Example
crude rhetoric: “Studying the media is useful.” subtle rhetoric: “Of course, no-one seriously doubts the huge importance of studying the media in today’s technologically advanced, global society.” both statements are trying to persuade and convince us
Rhetoric: Cultural Values
speakers/writers hold certain values and beliefs rhetoric attempts to persuade the audience of the truth or importance of these values and beliefs rhetoric thus expresses the speaker’s values and beliefs e.g. the belief that studying the media is important
Rhetoric: More Than Language
expression of values and beliefs can take other forms: clothing: e.g. goth clothing expresses that the wearer belongs to this subculture and holds goth values behaviour: e.g. protesting against animal experiments, or donating to certain charities, expresses particular values and beliefs rhetoric can be verbal, written, visual, & behavioural
Rhetoric: Summary
rhetoric is persuasive language (or other forms of communication) rhetoric attempts to persuade an audience of the truth or importance of your values and beliefs rhetoric thus expresses or reveals those values and beliefs Any Questions?
Rhetoric and Games
two uses of rhetoric in the study of digital games:(1) we can examine rhetoric of representations of games(2) we can examine rhetoric within games themselves
1. Representations of Games
Dr Spock, Daily Mail, Moral Kombat represent games rhetoric: consider both what is said and how it is said e.g. Moral Kombat trailer: ominous music, serious experts, violent footage (no cheesy jingles, smiles, Samorost) trailer is rhetorical: tries to persuade us
2. Rhetoric within Games
like language, clothing and behaviour, games reflect or express values and beliefs, e.g. (1) DOOM 2 (2) Civilization II (3) Samorost 2
DOOM II
objective: shoot everything emphasises combat, aggression, killing value: if something attacks you, fight back value: the solution to all obstacles is a weapon rhetoric: shooting stuff is okay (not forgiveness!) (doesn’t mean playing DOOM II will make you violent)
Civilization II
objective: conquer the world emphasises empire-building, colonization, building huge cities and armies value: important to develop new technology value: amassing a fortune is good value: conquering others is good rhetoric: expansion and acquisition are okay (not environmentalism or self-sacrifice) (doesn’t mean playing Civilization II turns you into a tyrant)
Samorost 2
objective: rescue your dog emphasises puzzle-solving value: thinking about problems is good rhetoric: use your brain to help others (not blasting aliens with guns) (doesn’t mean playing Samorost 2 will make you a cleverer)
Rhetoric and Violence
games are often associated with violence e.g. Dr Spock, Daily Mail, Mortal Kombat some games certainly express violent values might this persuade players to condone violence? might this persuade players to become violent? it is important to be aware of the rhetoric within the games we play Any Questions?
Exercise: Don’t Panic!
In your groups:(1) Analyse the rhetoric of the Daily Mail article. Read through the article and highlight examples of persuasive language which demonstrates the values and beliefs of the authors of the article.(2) Analyse the rhetoric of the game Manhunt. What are the beliefs and values reflected in the game, which it seeks to persuade players are true?
Gaming Journal
Module Handbook, p. 10 four entries (not five) 1500 words
This Week’s Gaming Journal
play: one or more games read: background reading on rhetoric describe: rhetoric apply: rhetoric to one of the games you have played: how has the game been marketed/represented? what are the game’s own values and rhetoric
Further Reading Dr Spock: Spock (1998, p. 625); Johnson (2005a, pp. 17-25) Moral Panics: Cohen (1980); Thompson (1998); Poole (2000, pp. 205-211); Critcher (2003); Critcher (2006) Games and Violence: Jenkins (1999); Provenzo (1991, Ch6) Rhetoric: Salen and Zimmerman (2004, Ch30); Sutton-Smith (2001); Williams (2003b)
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