[-empyre-] Why videogames are so special (questions about sub- and counter-culture)

[Georg Russegger]

dear -empyre-

quite a heterogeneous discussion so far...

On Dec 1, 2010, at 12:02 PM, Simon Biggs wrote:
»... or those who wish to critique or attack the economic hegemony we  
inhabit, a
route to this is to ensure one's play is unproductive or, even better,
anti-productive (eg: destructive).«

i cant see a future perspective in exchanging the economically branded  
term of "productivity" with the innovation based term of  
"destruction" (e.g. schumpeter).
I am concerned that the whole cultural analysis fragment of "cool  
cultures" (e.g. The Laws of Cool, Alan Liu, Chicago 2004) have been  
cut out -  not only marx, ford, keynes or schumpeter should be taken  
into account. in many ways the idea of necro-productivity has been  
introduced under the misleading discussion of post-modernism and cyber- 
marxism. Agreeing that we never have been modern,  we apply on this  
analysis a perspective shift from the »cult of information«  
»knowledgework« to the »cult of gameplay« and »playwork« (or as  
mentioned playbour - which is def. the better design term).
besides the exchange of termini the question transforms into a serious  
problem: "destructive play" or "playful destructivity".

also i would question if the »anti«-attidude is appropriate here. in  
my anderstanding the »counter-culture« is not per se sub-culture (e.g.  
Ken Goffman, Counter Cultures through the Ages).
this is why the punk-movent is more or less a nice but artificial  
implementation into this discussion. Some of this parameter have been  
observed in research on japanese cool culture, a.k.a.
"hikikomori", "otaku" or "fujoshi"-subculture appearing at tokyo game  
show or harajuku-youth culture. this would be an example on "style"  
not "attitude"-based

trying again to revisit the co-evolutionary moment of playful self  
empowerment of the humankind in a media anthropological sense Daniel  
Cook's question helps:

On Dec 4, 2010, at 9:36 AM, Daniel Cook wrote:
»The real questions for me become: What transformations occur when we  
shift from human executable multi-player rules to rich computer  
executable multi-player rules?
When that shift occurs in government?  In workplace management?«

in the following days (if there is spare time) i want to think about a  
model  which does not distinct between subject-object behavior (inter- 
re-action) systems
related to the question about sub- and counter-culture in   
(video-)gameplay. but i am still critical about the fact that  
"screenager"-like media dispositions are
a valid framing for the discussion. if we can find a scale free common  
ground of discussion which is solid as well in terms if "cross-media  
(reality) gaming"
this would be helpful.

is there an example for rich computer executable multi player rules  
around?

sorry for the defrag. post - its saturday and there is snow everywhere  
- i will go out.
cheers

GR



Dr. Georg Russegger
Ludic Interfaces
www.interface.ufg.ac.at
www.ludicinterfaces.com