BIOSHOCK INFINITE: VIDEO GAMES ENTER THE REALM OF PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL PROPAGANDA …
Most people understand that there is a political component of the visual arts, especially television and movies. Now, with BioShock Infinite, we are now encountering a political theme in a first-person shooting game.
Set in 1912 during the growth of American exceptionalism, the game's protagonist, former Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt, is sent to the floating air-city of Columbia to find a young woman, Elizabeth, who has been held captive there for the last twelve years. Though Booker rescues Elizabeth, the two are pursued by the city's warring factions; the nativist and elite Founders that strive to keep the city for pure Americans, and the Vox Populi, a rebel grouping representing the common people. Booker finds Elizabeth to be central to this conflict, and that she also holds strange powers to manipulate rifts in the time-space continuum that ravage Columbia. <Source>
The game’s lead author, Ken Levine, has said that among the game’s design influences were historical events in the early 19th century as well as more recent modern political relating to the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street phenomena.
“Originally, we conceived the game as a struggle between a technological movement and a Luddite movement, and it didn’t work out because, in reality, those Luddite movements never took hold in a powerful way, so we didn’t have such a rich well of inspiration.”
“What we have arrived at is a conflict between the Founders, an ultra-nationalist group that is the dominant power in Columbia, and the Vox-Populi, an international workers’ movement that is fighting against the Founders, kicking all of the rich people out of their part of town.” <Source: Ken Levine Interview: Taking BioShock From Rapture To Columbia>
There you go folks, international socialism subtlety institutionalized into a video game.
Bottom line …
Propaganda delivered in a subtle manner is often more dangerous than propaganda delivered in conventional media. Considering the number of youngsters and adult gamers immersed in a game for hours, it is easy to see where a message can be embedded on a subconscious level, and in some instances, the themes may be incorporated into conscious considerations of present day issues. Mind-training or brain-washing comes to mind.
Caveat Emptor – let the buyer beware.
-- steve
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS "The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius “A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell “Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar “Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS