What are they key components of Post Modernism?
Post Modernism challenges the commonplace way in which society operates. It doubts and dismisses “truths” as it aims to address that truths are too limiting to be definitive; everything should be governed by opinions that can offer the most rational explanation. This in turn opens the gateway to confronting traditional authority and politics, aspects of religion and weaken the once highly regarded importance of ideologies. It offers an avenue to subjective morality and how people’s views on what is and is not moral is personal to them. Post Modernism supports liberal ethics which allow social movements such as the LGBT community, pro-ethnic minorities, feminism and pro-environmentalism to thrive above the mainly white, elitist, male-dominated world. Everything can and should be challenged and this attitude/lifestyle can be seen within art, social groups, literature and education to name a few.
© Barbara Kruger
Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Your body is a battleground), 1989
Kruger created this piece for the Women’s March for reproductive freedom in Washington. She visualised Post Modernism in this image as it highlights the issue of women and external forces, such as law and politics, which disable women from making their own choices where it regards their own bodies and ultimately their lives. The following quote, I believe, sums up the image perfectly, “…the words “Your body is a battleground” represent how the fight for choice is different from other political battles. In the case of abortion, the campaign for a woman’s right to choose occurs outside of her body, yet directly affects her. The female body becomes a combat zone that women both struggle for and in.” (Thecrimson.com, 2017).
What games do you think exemplify/display this in there design decisions?
An example of Post Modernism could be interpreted in Davey Wreden’s “The Stanley Parable”, 2013. I found that this game questions the philosophical social controls of life and how we are told what to do and what not to do. Our lives are governed by power and greed and if you do not follow the rules, you are regarded as “wrong” and an “outcast.” In The Stanley Parable, you are challenged to do what you think is best in that specific scenario, giving you freedom of choice and renouncing your free will, something society tries to constraint.
Stanleyparable.com, 2017
Bioshock Infinite is another game in which explores near enough every aspect of life that Post Modernism challenges. The game visualises issues such as race, gender and class to induce an understanding into what is wrong with the world and hopefully inspire people to stand up for what they believe to be right. That is why one of the main components of the movement is that the idea of subjective morals need to be rationalised, therefore issues such as racism are irrational and do not count. Having choice and perception-focused game play interacts with the player in a more intimate way, through their mind and their emotions. It allows every choice and critique and opinion to be valid which is something Post Modernism preaches.
BioShock Wiki, 2017