"The Cave"

I read Wark's "Agony" entry and I'm not sure what to think about the attempted parallel with Plato. In Wark's chapter, he wants us to think about getting beyond the dark game room, where there is nothing but playing the games. I think that a comment posted by Michael Hardt shows some of my concern. It is difficult to insert a chunk of Plato into a piece that also talks about a "map of the 'hood.'" It takes some skill, at any rate, and perhaps a more impeccable translation.

Some of the comments on this section also portray frustration that Wark seems to say that gamers are "loners apart from the reality of life." I've been reading some critical literature lately that wants to oppose this sort of view by showing that participation in games can be closely tied to "real life." Even by playing games with our friends, we retain some of the "real life" aspect. Also, perhaps some of the games represent many of the serious issues we face in the real world.

At any rate, as soon as, and if, one admits that gamers are not living away from reality, the whole Plato parallel fails. There is really no transcendence to a higher intellectual realization. We can understand the serious nature of troubles in the real world where "these games are no joke." We can also play video games without feeling that we are in the cave. It just doesn't seem like the all-or-nothing proposition that Wark seems to present.