Digtigal games - But are they art?

The question "Are video games art" is related to some philosophy question. For example, what is art?

             According to Ernest W. Adams (2007, 256), Art is essentially hedonism that it exists to create aesthetic pleasure. To Adam, art always contain a message. Art has content that is expressing something. Art has an aesthetic determining beauty and ugliness. 

    

        According to Adam, what computer games mean is that "Computer games are personal computer games, home console video games, online games, and most forms of computerized play that involve a monitor and an input device."  That means the player would use the input device like keyboard or mouse, to input, for example, some commands. Then the monitor, as a output device, would shows the consequence of the inputted commands, usually in digital graphic. Therefore computer games always involves in digital graphic. Beautiful graphic also is a strategy to attract people to play the games.

              So is computer games would be art, or a art form? It depends. There is no answer by just talking about this. Video games can be art but not all the computer game is art. It is because according to Adam(2007), being a art should begin to act as a art. That means if the game industry just says that "Let's create a artistic game", then the game would be art since its purpose of creating the game is to make a art, just like painting or making a sculpture. But in the real life, most of the game are not art since the game industry creating games just in order to make "fun" and earn money. Due to the commercial face, computer would not be an art since they just selling something that makes the consumer feel relax and happy, in order to earn, earn and earn. This action is nothing about art.

                

Modern Times, Then and Now

Charlie Chaplin Tempos Modernos

This is a old movie published at 1936. In that time, automatic machine definitely was a new thing to people. Industry appeared and people started to work with the auto-machine. Like the character in the movie, Charlie Chaplin. The conveyor moves fast and Charlie Chaplin need do finish his work before the "object" gone. He is very busy that he even did not have time to argue with his inspector or drive out the fly. His work became a irresistible mission. In some sense, he was forced to the work before it run out.

Finally Charlie Chaplin got a rare rest time. He went to the toilet and have a cigarette. Before he smoked, the screen behind him light on suddenly, the graphic of his boss came out and shouted him to back to work. On that time, the thought of monitoring definitely a new idea!

After looking at the movie, don't you find that there are some similar experience between Charlie Chaplin and us? In our life, monitoring is very common. Almost every elevator get a monitor. The Sai Yeung Choi Street is supervised by police force. In mainland China, a fitting room of a boutique got a monitor in order to pretend someone to stead the clothes by putting them into their bags in fitting room, where a place that was hidden originally. Even what you did at home would be captured by others! The concept of privacy and human rights are violated seriously.

The way that how Charlie Chaplin do his work just like how we rely on the digital social media. Even people is on their way in public transports like bus and trains, 99% of them are looking at their smart phone and surfing on Facebook or chatting with friends on Whatsapp. While at home, people just turn on their computer, open a browser, and type www.facebook.com. After logging in, their would just keep clicking refresh button every 5 minutes and spend the whole afternoon like this. It is somehow like compulsive and become addicted. That is how technology changes the life of human.  

Digital media in my life

Hi all! I am studying the course Visual Culture and Digital Media. I want to  learn more about the digital media like history, the evolution and the impact of digital media. In my life, the social digital media are very important to me. For example, Facebook and Whatsapp. I think everyone will use the Facebook and Whatsapp everyday. While you are taking the bus, you will keep checking your mobile phone. And when you are at home, you will keep refreshing the Facebook page! Isn't it true?

Same with the other users of those digital media, I found that undoubtedly there are a lot of advantages by using them! for example, you can contact your friends anywhere, anytime, and anyone once your got their contact. The distribution of messages become faster and faster. Also, there is a huge pro when using Facebook. It would remind you the date of birthday of your friends! You may post a blessing message on their wall. Also, by surfing on Facebook, it is easy to know how is your friends. It is impossible for you to meet all of your friends time by time. There must someone that you usually do not meet each other so often. You can know more about them by looking at what they posted on Facebook without meet each other face by face.

Of cause, in some sense, the pro of online social media is definitely a con in the same time. Since you can understand the life of your friends by looking at Facebook or just chatting on Whatsapp. It would lower your interest to get out of your home, find your friend and talk to them! Furthermore, those digital media let people become more opinionated. Gradually, you will see what your friends posted on Facebook as a whole picture of the life of your friends. After your friend post a sadness status and seems break up with his partner, you would think that your friend is in a valley. You would never know how your friend spent a wonderful holiday with their family. You would never know the true story! Digital media is a good platform for people to communicate with friends, but not further than face-to-face communication.