Category Archive
The following is a list of all entries from the Uncategorized category.
Virtual Violence Article: “Extreme Sex, Death, and Computer Graphics Imaging Technology”
Virtual violence has always been a topic that garners a great deal of attention, and in 2002, Claudia Herbst wrote an article that critiqued technology that continues to display extreme sex, death and computer graphics. One of the most important ideas that Herbst focuses her article on is the idea that “the cornerstones of CGI are the sciences, mathematics, and the military, all disciplines in which women have had little presence”. With this in mind, she continues to say that since women have not been as involved with these fields as men have, that they are not being accurately represented in CGI.
Although a few main characters in videogames have been women (i.e. Lara Croft, Parasite Eve, Tekken 3), they have only recently been portrayed as self-reliant, strong, and confident, which is clearly better than being just a submissive sex object. However, Herbst points out that the women characters are still ridiculously violent and “images of sexy violence are no more desirable than the previously common images of sexy incompetence”. Violence is still a huge issue because many people believe that children who play videogames look up to the characters as role models. This is especially problematic for girls who may see huge-boobed, tiny-waisted, gun-toting Lara Croft as the ultimate woman. Unfortunately when they get older and most likely do not develop the same sexual features as Lara, the only way left to imitate her is with the violence.
One other way to look at the lack of progression in the CGI industry in regards to women is that it is largely due to the fact that the women in the games are “not a product of women’s vision of themselves but of the male-dominated CGI and film industries”. This is quite problematic when women are still attempting to find their place in the world that is yanking on them to be both mother and worker, care-giver and powerful, natural and beautiful, etc. Hopefully women will one day have a larger say in how CGI is presented and thus how women are being depicted to the masses.
Identity Article: Downloads and Upgrades- The Cyborg Future
Philippa Taylor discusses Professor Kevin Warwick’s technological advancements in the article “Downloads and Upgrades: The Cyborg Future”. Warwick is pioneering some very interesting/disturbing technology that could essentially “upgrade” humans, giving us capabilities such as being able to have a brain that is linked to a computer.
This technology is actually already being implemented, at least in Warwick himself. He “experiments on himself in order to see how the human brain can affect and alter basic behavior by purely electronic stimulation”. This could lead to advancements in treatments and therapeutic purposes to help people that have injuries and illnesses.
The real question behind the article, though, is a moral one. Although his technology could help people in need, it could also be the beginning of blurring the lines of what defines us as humans. Where does the computer end and the human begin? I think that Warwick may have had good intentions, but it is a step in the wrong direction (I’m getting a vision of some crazy movie where human-robots are taking over the world). The conclusion of Taylor’s article quotes C.S. Lewis saying that “Each new power won by man is a power over man as well. Each advance leaves him weaker as well as stronger. […] Human nature will be the last part of nature to surrender to man”. I think this speaks a great deal about what may happen if Warwick’s technology goes mainstream, and due to this he should be extremely cautious in the way he proceeds.
Article 4- “All Hope Abandon”
This piece by Eric Eve was a pretty neat article to read, particularly because he went so in depth with the interactive fiction game that he created. I think that the idea of interactive fiction is really neat, but perhaps a little dated. I got pretty frustrated with the game when I played the sample version, just because you get to points where you just don’t know what else you can do to move forward. When you are playing a videogame that you can see, your options are much more straightforward. I suppose that if someone who really enjoyed interactive fiction were playing that they might enjoy the challenge rather than be discouraged by it, but that wasn’t my reaction. Eve did make some good points that can be applicable to any game, such as when he is discussing detail in scenery (or any object) that is in a game. He mentions that “it is better if a discription of the wallpaper is provided in response to “X WALLPAPER” even if the “not important” message is used in response to any other command involving the wallpaper; this kind of detail can make the difference between immersion in the story world and the feeling that, after all, you are merely interacting with a computer program”. Little things such as that really do make a big difference, particularly in interactive fiction because you can only imagine what the game is trying to present. It would be like reading a book that doesn’t give you the description of the main character or the location; you would probably feel like it is harder to relate to the book.
The actual game that Eve created is a nice addition to the interactive religious game world. He actually incorporates a unique feature called “Think About” that allows the player to get more information on things unfamiliar to them, such as certain words or references. This feature builds in an enormous amount of extra religious information and really allows for a player to play a game while learning new facts. The way that Eve incorporates intertextuality is also impressive, particularly because of his reference to biblical texts while doing so. He mentions that “for the most part ‘All Hope Abandon’ uses biblical texts (and other texts) allusively, occasionally quoting them, sometimes representing aspects of them more or less closely. This is similar to the way in which many New Testament texts make use of the Old Testament”. That idea is neat because there is certainly an overlap of text in the bible, and for Eve to recognize and implement that into his game is compelling. Overall “All Hope Abandon” was a cool interactive fiction game to play and I really enjoyed Eve’s own analysis of the game and the way he incorporated religious information into the play.
Article 3- “Information Technology in Seminaries”
Raymond B. Williams published his article “Information Technologies in Seminaries” in The Christian Century in 2001. Writing from the perspective of a religion professor, he offers some interesting insights into new technology that can be incorporated into education. Over time education styles have radically changed; where students once populated libraries, read books from cover to cover to gather information and were educated mainly by teachers and professors, students now have the vast resources available on the internet. In order to keep up with society, Williams points out that schools can not simply ignore the “white elephant” that is technology. Instead, it is necessary to embrace it and enjoy the benefits it has to offer.
New technology can create a dilemma for theological education, though, because it diminishes key parts of a student’s educational experience. Some schools are expanding via the internet, allowing students to take classes without physically being in a classroom with a professor and other students. Williams wisely points out that “many schools want to emphasize close interpersonal relationships with faculty mentors and student peers as part of formation for ministry. It is difficult enough to find time for these relationships on a full-time, residential campus. How will students do this from a distance?”. Particularly for students pursuing ministry, being able to develop relationships with other people is a vital part of their education that seminaries can not let technology eliminate.
Even though technology can cause problems when it is embraced, it also can not be ignored because that will cause even more difficulties. Children are now growing up with the internet by their side. Mainstream teachers are adapting by using PowerPoint presentations to teach, assigning homework online, and teaching children how to use the internet for research. Due to children having this constant exposure, technology must be adapted by seminaries if they want to continue to resonate with young students.
There are currently many amazing religious resources available on the internet. For instance, religious literature is being digitalized and made available on CD-ROMs and the internet, religious guides for research are online, and seminaries are providing clergy the ability to engage in lifelong learning opportunities. Clearly the internet must be embraced by religious leaders because it has become an integral part of society and it has the ability to provide vast resources to millions of people.
Reading Response (2-4)
This week’s readings contained some interesting ideas from Bogost’s Persuasive Games text. A typical discussion topic around videogames is violence; however, I don’t know if I believe that virtual reality situations always impact those engaged in a negative way. Bogost writes on page 283:
“Jenkins has pointed to a general decrease in violent crime during the same period that videogames have become more popular. He adds that ‘people serving time for violent crimes typically consume less media before committing their crimes than the average person in the general population’.”
Perhaps virtual reality acts as a means for people to release their repressed needs and desires. For instance, playing violent video games could be a way to release real pent up aggression in a virtual world. This wouldn’t apply only to violent videogames; rather it can work with many examples. The game The Sims could be played by people who enjoy buying things, and in the virtual world, they have the ability to furnish as many homes as they want. Children often spend more time playing action videogames than running around outside. Maybe this is because they become so immersed in the game that they feel like they truly are the character that is jumping and running all around, and thus they feel active themselves. On a slightly different note, I was told by a friend of mine that the number of rapes has decreased since the introduction of pornography. Now, I can’t vouch for how accurate this little factoid is, but if it is true, it would make sense with my theory. Pornography can become a virtual world for someone, and it can allow them to release sexual tension without harming someone else.
Virtual reality is really a neat thing to think about, particularly because people can become so engaged that it becomes part of reality. What is done when using virtual reality possibly has enough of an impact on a person that their desires and needs can be satisfied by that realm.
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