What I'm Reading and Playing

This is a disturbing book.  Like many people, I’ve known of this experiment for years and I studied it a long time ago in college while earning my psychology degree.  I never understood precisely how awful and frightening those five days were for the “prisoners.”  Zimbardo draws obvious comparisons to the abuses at Abu Ghraib, and of course the lessons are immediate and visceral. 

I am struck by the ease with which we can internalize the roles we are given.  Both “guards” and “prisoners” began in a very short time to genuinely be the roles they were assigned.  This was particularly evident in the escalating abuse on the part of the guards and their justifications for it, as well as in the remarkable “parole” hearings held midway through the week.  At these hearings, the prisoners were asked if they would forfeit the money they were receiving in order to be let out now.  All but one answered yes.  Zimbardo points this out as an indicator that they had accepted the prison as reality, so much so that it did not occur to them that they could leave, right that moment, and take the money they had earned up to that point.  I find it even more striking that this was true even as a direct reference was made both to the voluntary character of the experience, and to the fact that it was an experiment for which they were being paid, not a prison in which they were incarcerated. 

It also makes me wonder: if we can be so easily mastered through situational forces, would the same apply to broader social situations?  Zimbardo thinks the answer is yes, and if so, it might reveal quite a bit about our current economic and political situation. 

If there were ever a case that videogames are art, Bioshock 1 and 2 might be powerful examples in support of the claim.  The atmosphere is flawless, the world of Rapture both beautiful and haunting, and the gameplay engaging enough to be interesting.  One of the nice gameplay additions over Bioshock 1 is the inventive way in which you can dispose of bad guys.  One of your plasmids allows you to put together elaborate traps, and I must confess I’m guilty of bouncing Splicers through series of traps like bouncy balls.  A little practice and a little time and a great deal of inventive killing can occur.  Plus you get a drill...and don’t be afraid to spend upgrades on it.  At its best, it’s a hugely powerful weapon, and easily one of the most powerful you will have in the game.    

The plot doesn’t really move me, and there’s no “would you kindly” revelation at the end to spin things in a new direction.  However, the emphasis on the father/daughter relationship is nice, and the man vs. machine conflict provides a subtle complexity to the rescue narrative of that drives the game.  Overall, it’s a wonderful way to spend a few hours in the evening and the range of weapons and plasmids allows for both tactical and operational creativity, which breaks up the standard button-mashing shooter element of the game.  The game still has its surprises, and as a Big Daddy you have more involvement with the Little Sisters, but really the main draw remains the environment of Rapture which seems almost to function as its own character in the unfolding game.  Returning to this underwater city was a joy.