The Perfect Apolitical/Politics Free Video.

CriticalGaming

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Unrealistic expectations of either gender can lead to extreme body dysmorphia and eating disorders. And no, I'm not referring only to women with bulemia and the like. Body dysmorphia in men manifests in several ways as well, including compulsive body building and steroid abuse in an attempt to appear strong enough to qualify as a man.

I've actually read a few op-eds over the last couple of years that question whether or not Marvel's fixation on the body beautiful in their movies might be having unintended negative side effects on some young men.

Sure, but that's isn't really what i meant by the use of the power fantasy. I just mean that fantasy is fine, if you enjoy it in whatever style in manifests for you, power, uh....erotic, whatever.

Everything should be taken in moderation, and someone who can't separate fantasy from reality should be carefully monitored. But in general, enjoying the fantasy of something is typically no harm no foul.
 

Dwarvenhobble

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If you say so. As someone attracted to both guys and girls, I find a lot more eye-candy of the female persuasion than the male, and it's not even close. Kratos, Rock and the ilk don't even register as something with attractiveness in mind.
Well that's because generally it's easier to define one sort of set of features for women to have that will generally be attractive to more guys while with guys there is more different archetypes as such.



Alright. But, to clarify, you wouldn't mind if Netherrealm Studios were developing the next Mortal Kombat, and then switched the default/marketing costumes for Kitana and Mileena to be much more modest after a fan backlash?
Assuming we're going back to some of the older models and we're not doing stiletto heels then I don't see a problem but it would also mean making a fair number of the guys no longer shirtless too in marketing.

But hey sex sells so if they want to go back to sexy I'm fine with that too lol


Right, but those male characters built like a block of flats aren't designed to be hot. Any more than that topless Warcraft dwarf is designed to be hot.
Except they generally as as Swords and Sandals aesthetic many are based on has been in culture for a long time and was basically porn for women


It's just been accepted and absorbed into culture so much no-one really cares as such about it.
 

Buyetyen

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Sure, but that's isn't really what i meant by the use of the power fantasy. I just mean that fantasy is fine, if you enjoy it in whatever style in manifests for you, power, uh....erotic, whatever.

Everything should be taken in moderation, and someone who can't separate fantasy from reality should be carefully monitored. But in general, enjoying the fantasy of something is typically no harm no foul.
No one is immune to the law of unintended consequences. It's not about separating fantasy from reality. That's missing the point. Social pressures are very real and media is part of them.

And if everything is to be taken in moderation, then you shouldn't get upset when people point out that a certain type of fantasy is really over-saturated.
 
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CriticalGaming

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No one is immune to the law of unintended consequences. It's not about separating fantasy from reality. That's missing the point. Social pressures are very real and media is part of them.

And if everything is to be taken in moderation, then you shouldn't get upset when people point out that a certain type of fantasy is really over-saturated.
Pointing it out is fine. I have a problem when people demonize it, try to cancel it, or try to shame people for liking it.
 

Silvanus

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Hotness is subjective though isn't it? I pointed out that Shirtless Ryu is called "Hot Ryu" by the community.
Sure, hotness is subjective. Of course, to a degree, I'm going to be speaking from personal experience. But I've never seen characters like Kratos or Rock considered attractive by people who are actually attracted to men; that only ever seems to come up as a counter-argument by people defending the battle-lingerie women wear.
 

Dwarvenhobble

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Sure, hotness is subjective. Of course, to a degree, I'm going to be speaking from personal experience. But I've never seen characters like Kratos or Rock considered attractive by people who are actually attracted to men; that only ever seems to come up as a counter-argument by people defending the battle-lingerie women wear.
I mean there will always be some



Rock came in joint 3rd in a community poll

 

Chimpzy

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Buyetyen

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Pointing it out is fine. I have a problem when people demonize it, try to cancel it, or try to shame people for liking it.
First off, I don't think cancel culture is this existential threat people make it out to be since nearly everyone who's been allegedly cancelled is still able to make a living doing their thing just fine. And unfortunately, demonizing, canceling and shaming are all synonyms for "talking about it at all" in my experience. Seriously bro, gamers are some of the whiniest assholes on the planet. This can't have escaped your notice.
 

BrawlMan

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First off, I don't think cancel culture is this existential threat people make it out to be since nearly everyone who's been allegedly cancelled is still able to make a living doing their thing just fine. And unfortunately, demonizing, canceling and shaming are all synonyms for "talking about it at all" in my experience. Seriously bro, gamers are some of the whiniest assholes on the planet. This can't have escaped your notice.
I agree with you, but it's more than just gamers with cancel culture. There are people old and young, but especially the young, that over react or offended by nearly everything. While some things make sense like the blackface with certain celebrates and senators, others are just ridiculous like with Dave Chapelle. You have people on left and right that want to cancel him, or are "offended", only because he made of someone or people that are off limits. When these people seem to forget or too full of themselves to realize that everyone is target when it comes to Dave and he's always had that style of humor. I am not worried for Dave as he is doing more than fine, and the dude still makes me laugh.
 

CriticalGaming

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The political history of Russia and even the circumstances around the game itself do not make the game itself political.

There is no theme or messaging in Tetris, outside of maybe some very very very very thin projections from people.

Good try though :)
 

BrawlMan

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The political history of Russia and even the circumstances around the game itself do not make the game itself political.

There is no theme or messaging in Tetris, outside of maybe some very very very very thin projections from people.

Good try though :)
What? I just love the video; it's so bad ass. Saw it all the way back in 2010.
 
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CriticalGaming

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And unfortunately, demonizing, canceling and shaming are all synonyms for "talking about it at all" in my experience.
Dude there is a very big difference from discussing something, and outright demanding it be changed or cancelled.

It's fine to not like a thing, and you can freely discuss why you don't like a thing, but when you try to demonize the thing you don't like simply because it is a thing that exists, then you no longer have an opinion. You have instead become a Karen.

I think the problem is people have a hard time discussing something they don't like without devolving into shit talking to the person who does like it. Then both sides collapse into anger which only breeds resentment on both sides.

Sadly most people who express opinions online, do not want a discussion, they want an echo chamber.
 

Dwarvenhobble

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Dude there is a very big difference from discussing something, and outright demanding it be changed or cancelled.

It's fine to not like a thing, and you can freely discuss why you don't like a thing, but when you try to demonize the thing you don't like simply because it is a thing that exists, then you no longer have an opinion. You have instead become a Karen.

I think the problem is people have a hard time discussing something they don't like without devolving into shit talking to the person who does like it. Then both sides collapse into anger which only breeds resentment on both sides.

Sadly most people who express opinions online, do not want a discussion, they want an echo chamber.
I know imagine if some-one were demanding Comic Code authority style Moral restrictions on an industry to get rid of content they don't like?
 

Houseman

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Some thoughts:

If you're making art for art's sake, that's art.
If you're making art to push a message, that's propaganda.

Wikipedia says "Propaganda is communication that is used primarily to influence an audience and further an agenda..."

Is Sonic the Hedgehog environmentalist propaganda? How do we distinguish the two?
Test it by this criteria:
- Did you feel that the gameplay took a backseat to the message?
- Is the message "crammed in" so that it comes off as out of place or poorly written?
- Do you get a "both sides" look at things or are otherwise encouraged to think critically, or is there only "one right answer"?

I'm sure this criteria can be improved upon by studying existing examples of unambiguous propaganda, but it's a start.
 

Phoenixmgs

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If you're making art to push a message, that's propaganda.

Wikipedia says "Propaganda is communication that is used primarily to influence an audience and further an agenda..."
Funny how you remove what most would call the most important part of what defines something as propaganda.

Just about all art has a message, nothing wrong with that. I guess X-Men and Spider-man are merely propaganda then...
 
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Houseman

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Just about all art has a message, nothing wrong with that.
Yes, I recognize that. Notice how I didn't say that "art with a message is propaganda"? I said "If you're making art to push a message, that's propaganda."
See the difference between those two statements?

I'm saying that if you're using art as a means to an end, where that end is not "to create good art", but "to push a message", then you're making propoganda.

Funny how you remove what most would call the most important part of what defines something as propaganda.
The full sentence is "Propaganda is communication that is used primarily to influence an audience and further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be presenting facts selectively to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded language to produce an emotional rather than a rational response to the information that is presented."

See all those "may"s in there? That word means "can include, but is not required to include".
Candy bars may have chocolate and nuts in them. They do not need to include chocolate and/or nuts in them in order to be considered candy bars, despite what "most" would call "the most important part" of a candy bar.
 

Phoenixmgs

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Yes, I recognize that. Notice how I didn't say that "art with a message is propaganda"? I said "If you're making art to push a message, that's propaganda."
See the difference between those two statements?

I'm saying that if you're using art as a means to an end, where that end is not "to create good art", but "to push a message", then you're making propoganda.



The full sentence is "Propaganda is communication that is used primarily to influence an audience and further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be presenting facts selectively to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded language to produce an emotional rather than a rational response to the information that is presented."

See all those "may"s in there? That word means "can include, but is not required to include".
Candy bars may have chocolate and nuts in them. They do not need to include chocolate and/or nuts in them in order to be considered candy bars, despite what "most" would call "the most important part" of a candy bar.
It's kinda hard for an author to make something with a message and not be pushing it. An author makes a piece of art revolving around a message because they think it's important to tell and share with lots of people. How does one accomplish that without "pushing" the message? If you want people to experience your art with a message, you're pushing a message. Or else you'd write a book and burn it after reading it yourself. Or a graffiti artist would find a spot that no one sees.

Pretty much everyone knows a major component of propaganda is the use of misinformation (in some kinda form). Over half the words in that definition are dedicated to that very fact. And there's definitions for the word without the "may"s in it.
 
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Houseman

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It's kinda hard for an author to make something with a message and not be pushing it.
It's like we're playing telephone. I say one thing, and then you reword what I said in a way that changes the meaning.

I didn't say "art that pushes a message". I said "art to push a message". There's an important subtle difference there.

An author makes a piece of art revolving around a message because they think it's important to tell and share with lots of people.
I also never said anything about "revolving around a message".

Look, if you want to discuss this with me, you're first going to have to prove to me that you understand what I'm saying, because this whole exchange has just been me correcting your misunderstandings over and over again.
 

TheMysteriousGX

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I know imagine if some-one were demanding Comic Code authority style Moral restrictions on an industry to get rid of content they don't like?
Of no, somebody pointed out that corporation exist solely to make money at all costs and that's maybe bad.
Where did she demand a Comic Code authority style restriction? I missed that. Maybe do a pull quote, because all I saw was this:
"“There’s no formula for building a ‘good’ female character. A female character that can only be described as ‘strong’ isn’t a good character, either. They should be honest, meaningful, multi-dimensional characters, not just placeholders for the sake of ‘diversity,’” she explained."
 
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