Comment on How Pajama Sam Made Me A Leftist | Political Breakdown Of A 90s Videogame
ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 1 week agoIn another comment below, I briefly describe the sort of political content the game has in it. It’s not something a random leftist is projecting onto it, it’s explicitly political content in the game itself, which is what is being discussed.
It’s not really any different from discussing the themes or political content of Metal Gear Solid, Disco Elysium, or Planescape: Torment.
If that’s not something you’re interested, fair enough my friend! But surely it’s not an inconvenience for others to discuss it? The title makes it clear what this is, which makes it pretty easy to avoid and scroll on to the next post.
JakobFel@retrolemmy.com 1 week ago
Discussing a game’s themes isn’t the problem. The problem is the context. “How this game made me a leftist”. Instead of “let’s discuss the themes of this game”, it’s pushing identity politics. That’s the part I take issue with.
ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 1 week ago
Could you elaborate on that? If I’m understanding you correctly, you’re suggesting it’s identity politics to say publicly that a piece of media influenced your political views?
Are there cases where that doesn’t apply? for example: “There Will Be Blood made me Anti-oil” or “How Nausica Valley of the Winds made me an Environmentalist”, or “Grave of the Fireflys made me Anti-war”. Are all of those conceptual titles equally verboten?
JakobFel@retrolemmy.com 1 week ago
Yes, because there’s literally no reason to make it about political views. And yes, those titles would be just as ridiculous in my book.
Again, discussing themes in a game isn’t the issue. The issue is that the title was very specifically written that way to catch clicks. Clicks from similar culture warriors and from those who disagree. It’s disingenuous and completely unnecessary.
ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 1 week ago
Interesting, by your guidelines, there’s quite some limits on expressing oneself to appease people who can easily avoid and skip over a clearly labeled piece of content.
From my perspective, it’s as though someone came into a tavern and, fresh ale in hand, overheard a political discussion happening in a corner booth. Perhaps the subject was particularly distasteful to this theoretical tavern goer, and instead of ignoring it or moving to a seat where they can’t hear it, they instead march up to said booth and demand these booth talkers cease their discussion immediately, explaining that they come to the tavern to relax, not have these political ideas pop up everywhere they go.
I suspect the people in the booth would be quite bewildered as to why this theoretical person is going to such trouble to involve themselves in ceasing an activity they could so easily avoid.