Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Death is not real

In video games death does not seem to be real. It is always present, always a threat as to whether one can complete the task at hand, but it is never final. Every video game that I have played I have died in many times or sometimes only once. The death just means that I must move back a few spaces however, start over, or just try and complete the task at hand again, and again.

In society it is interesting to think of this, since the video game tells you that you are dying. If you take on an avatar, in a sense that becomes you, you are the avatar going through these adventures. I take on the role of Harry Potter, making decisions, casting spells and dying as harry potter. And let me tell you I have died many times in this game, because I was discovered by Voldemort of death eaters or pixies that took me over. It is interesting to think that in this sense where I become my avatar I have died many times.

Death even though it is not a great outcome in this sense is not a terribly bad thing either. I am using an avatar so I have not really died, even though my character has. I am not in any real danger I am still sitting in my townhouse using a game controller, but my alternate reality has died. I have killed my avatar many times, not on purpose, but death is always in my thoughts, and I have not necessarily been able to conquer it, but I have not been able to fully die either.

I find that it is interesting to see a society that can live in violence, and does create these games that ensure so much danger and violence, but there is no consequence. our society does not like to talk about death, it is hard for us to talk about pain and loss and it can be very upsetting. So maybe video games are a good way to see death, and see that it is not that scary and that it is natural. Although death does not seem to be natural in my video game since I have died so many times, but I seem to always come back to life. 

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