Aesthetics

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Aesthetics

Introduction

Video gaming as a form of entertainment in the United States has been on the constant growth for a while. The projections on expenditures state that Americans spend more on this particular source of entertainment as compared to any other. Similarly, the number of hours input into the practice and utilization of the entertainment are high. An average of each American household is said to posses a gaming console, Smartphone or personal computer with the availabilities. Several business opportunities have been realized with the above trend, while the economic gains merited from video gaming has been on the increase. Majority of the consumers of video games believe that they offer more value for their finances as compared to any other entertainment form like music or movies. However, despite the upsurge and positive attributes of the video gaming, negative influences have been developed towards literature, performance, and mass culture while expectations and behaviors of individuals have been negatively affected.

Discussion

Video games have had a significant alteration to the manner in which, experiences of performance, literature and mass culture are enabled. All the above are representations of art that are products of human thought, imagination, execution, and delivery of the forms into reality. Beardsley states that (Goldblatt 221), “two sets of problems appear when we consider the connection between the aesthetic object and the artist’s intention. One set of problems concerns the role of intention in evaluating the object…. The other concerns the role of the intention in describing and interpreting the object: It is the simple thesis of this section that we must distinguish between the aesthetic object and the intention in mind of its creator.” The above quote seeks to distinguish between the artist’s intention in development of art through either literature or performance against the aesthetic value towards it.

            Distinction between the interpreted and intended form o art can be compared to the utilization of video games. In the original values, the artiste is able to imagine in a creative format of a delivery through his or her skill and enable its actualization into fruition. For example, the sculpting of a famous statue or delivery of a renowned literature performance is enabled with dedication, planning, execution, and enhancements. However, video games have taken the role of neutralizing this experience. A video game user will only consider the aesthetic value of an artwork, literature, or performance based on the experience in comparison to the game played. The characterization of the video games enables the user not to appreciate the difficulty or creativity required in delivery especially in reality. It becomes a heightened expectation for the artist to live up to the video games level.

              Video games have altered the expectations and behaviors of the people based on the representation and connotations involved in the themes. Violent imagery and depiction of gender is a common feature in them. Mulvey points out (Goldblatt 96), “sections have set out a tension between a mode of representation of woman in film and conventions surrounding the diegesis. Each is associated with a look: that of the spectator in direct scopophilic contact with the female form displayed for his enjoyment (connoting male fantasy) and that of the spectator fascinated with the image of his like set in an illusion.” The above quote is direct contrast to the connotation represented in narratives on the roles of different genders. The belief by the users of the video games therefore develop altered enhancements as concerns the role of different genders in the society.

            In development of aesthetic values through entertainment, the representation of the genders is able to mirror the society. The re-enactment of the characters in the different pieces provides for entertainment as well as an informative measure to the members. There has been public outcry and concern on the video game objectification of women roles as well as the promotion of violence. The woman icon in most of the video games is not prioritized as an important or equal developer of the theme. Instead, the character is used in most cases for promotion of fantasy-driven roles, display, and enjoyment of the male counterparts or sexualized to drive the motifs of the opposite. There is assertion of authority and control, thereby leading to the users in developing of similar mindsets in the society they live in, while emulating similar characteristics. 

            Conditioning in realizing the difference between virtual and reality has become a difficult task for the video game users in the present world. Such addictive measures do not enable a user determine the sense in the difference of the two. Partridge points out (Goldblatt 387), “In an attempt to avoid the over-moralizing problem, one might instead offer a threshold view: we can reasonably ignore some representation of wrong for the sake of enjoyment, but when the represented wrong becomes especially egregious, it reaches some moral threshold so that we should refuse to be entertained by it. On such a view, one might maintain that we should not enjoy Custer’s Revenge because the represented immorality is so bad that we cannot reasonably ignore it.” A differential ensemble toward the reality and fiction is required especially with the effect on saturation of behaviors.  

            The users of the video games are not able to distinguish between real and virtual entities and their effect towards behaviors, morals, and expectations. Different circumstances in the aesthetic entertainments pose questions on reality and values acquired from them. Nevertheless, the users avoid the confrontation basing it on the simple utility of a game as compared to the realistic view. Immorality, poor social values, and violent imagery crowd the games. In turn, these bear a significant impact on behavior. There is little regard for moral principles, in the manner, how other people are viewed and treated. It becomes worse especially when majority of the video game users are children or young adults in their formative years of growth and development. Without closer control, guidance or authorization, the acquired expectations and behaviors are carried through into adulthood and shaping of the society.

Conclusion

Video games offer numerous avenues for entertainment in majority of the Americans as of today. Increased innovation and use helps in gaining substantial effort in the economic sense. However, despite the upsurge and positive attributes of the video gaming, negative influences have been developed towards literature, performance, and mass culture while expectations and behaviors of individuals have been negatively affected. Several artistic forms of literature, performance and ass culture has been eroded while there is little distinction between virtual and reality. In turn, all the above translate to a society depicted by little regard towards morals, societal upbringing on values and behavior.

Works Cited:

Goldblatt, David. Aesthetics: A Reader in Philosophy of the Arts. Boston; Munich u.a.: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.