WARTIME!

The article "Gametime" by Patrick Crogan (The Video Game Theory Reader) is an interesting and complicated article that flows back and forth between strong arguements. Though different, they share the common thread of their own purpose, why they are what they are. One point of interest would be the definition of "pure war", the act of retaining the interests of war by promoting and glorifing it even in times of peace. This is a very interesting subject to me, why would we need to excite the masses with the drums of war if they have no where to march to? Is it to keep them on the perpetual edge so that they are more willing to heed the call when the time comes?

What about the consequenceless act of killing the image a man in a virtual space. Does this act alone prepare to us to pull that heavy, metal trigger on the battlefield? Will the particle effects of a real time game engine desensitize us enough so that when we actually do have to wipe what's left of the enemy's grey matter off our faces, we'll take a certin delight in seeing a high definition, real time life extiguished before our very eyes. Will this become the ultimate thrill?

On the other hand, what kind of history can we learn by being entertained by simulated events from the past. Is it possible to consider what life as the enemy would be like? Will historical facts leak into the already determind status quo. Will the simulation allow us to think as individuals instead of gun totting, virtual soldiers of fortune?