Sifting World of Warcraft

Under the gun in my cultural criticism class I decided that my main focus for the study of modern pop culture would be the hugely successful MMO (Massively Multi-Player Online) franchise World of Warcraft. World of Warcraft - to those who don't play, or don't know of someone who plays - is an MMORPG wherein the player creates a character (a.k.a. avatar) and interacts with many other similar player characters in a large fantasy world. To no ones surprise this is not a novel idea. The game has over 11 million customers so its not a shock that the subject has already been a subject of study. My only hope is that previous analysts didn't delve deep enough into the strange new social space forming in World of Warcraft and other MMO games.

Despite the vast supply of other MMO games and the slew of MMO's that rose in ages past as the crude ancestors to the now ridiculously popular World of Warcraft (hereafter abbreviated simply as WoW), this game released by Blizzard Entertainment stands as the most popular and (arguably) influential of any other MMO. The game's massive success has started to give rise to an interesting cultural phenomenon in countries around the world. Video game addiction rehab clinics are becoming common, people meeting in the context of the game and later getting married (both in the game and out), and emerging studies into the psychology behind social interactions in a character driven online context are all evidence of an expanding social environment that people can now engage in.

Much like how movie theaters do fine during periods of economic downturn, WoW is showing no sign of decline in the modern economic environment. There seems to be a growing need to 'escape' to a digital universe while maintaining and building new social ties in an ever growing network of customers. All of this subject matter seems ripe for analysis and I can only hope to explore facets of WoW that were not discovered by previous students. How does the rising popularity of MMO games such as World of Warcraft affect human social interaction? Will there be lasting long term results from this new form of social interaction?

Post the First

Due to my incredibly fickle nature most of these are subject to change, sometimes on a daily basis.

Movie: V for Vendetta
Music (as of this moment): The Decemberists
TV Show: Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Ad: GEICO Money Ads
Comic: Batman
Satire: Colbert Report, Chuck Palahniuk, and Terry Pratchett novels

WHY are these items on my list? If I were to look at each item individually I could easily tell you, but I assume this is not the case. Trying to find some common theme linking this myriad of selections requires some generalization. Taking a stab at it, perhaps the subject matter for these sets them apart from their compatriots. Batman's classification as a superhero despite his complete lack of super human powers. Aqua Teen Hunger Force is a string of nonsensical ramblings and absurd situations with almost no continuity between episodes. Sadly this generalization for all the subjects listed doesn't quite encompass all the items listed. V for Vendetta seems quite typical compared to other movies, as do the GEICO money ads. In the end, I like these things because I thought at one point that they were unique and stood out from the rest of the herd.

It's difficult to clearly explain what about these things moves me. I mean, what truly motivates me to do or feel anything at all really? To guess, I'd say that they resonated with me on a personal level. They encapsulated something I either saw in myself, or they represented a quality or attitude that I wished I had.