Video Games as Art quick blog

In a recent column Roger Ebert again emphasized his claim that “games can never be art.” My point here is not to explore the topic in depth, but rather to introduce and begin a discussion and to address one of the final points that Mr. Ebert made. No opinion is right and no opinion is wrong, and no viewpoint on the matter can be fully supported or disproven.

In his closing paragraphs, he asks why gamers are so concerned that video games be regarded as art. “Bobby Fischer, Michael Jordan and Dick Butkus never said they thought their games were an art form,” Mr. Ebert points out. The difference is that video games are an original, creative work. I would even argue that the design of chess, and even sports games like basketball and football, is artistic. Game design is artistic implicitly, even if the creator has no artistic intention.

The bumper sticker might read: “If porn is art, why aren’t video games.”

Let’s hash this out. Are video games art? Are they not yet, but the could be one day? Is Roger Ebert right and they will never be an artistic medium?

American Healthcare and Capitalism

I have long been doubtful of capitalism. Keep in mind that I did not just say that I have long been anti-America. Based on my research, capitalism is not a core American value, it is merely an American tradition. I think innovation and an ability to disregard harmful anachronisms are key values. And I don’t feel less American for it.

I love this country. I think up until the last decade or two, it was easy for people to say America is the best country on Earth. I think America can get it back. We just need to shrug off the burdens of recent history and look to the future with hope.

Here are my sources for this video:
The Constitution
Frontline “Sick Around the World”