On Videogames And Inherent Political Bias

An anonymous reader writes "An article for Reason Magazine, recently posted to their site, argues that games, unlike traditional media, are inherently biased - in favor of individual freedom - and that games might influence real-world political preferences." The author starts by arguing: "Video games are evolving into a grand anti-authoritarian laboratory", and concludes: "Computer games, as a class, do appear to favor civil and economic liberty... because of the same human tendencies that free players from domineering storylines and inflexible rules. Games naturally turn players against contrived limits and inconsistencies."

Comments

But not so liberal as you'd think...

[stienman]

Games naturally turn players against contrived limits and inconsistencies.

But they reenforce the idea that some limits need to be set and must be enforced. Take the current cheat vs anti-cheat wars, and the limits placed on all MMOGs.

-Adam

Sims...

[thefirelane]

because of the same human tendencies that free players from domineering storylines and inflexible rules. Games naturally turn players against contrived limits and inconsistencies.


Of course the same argument could be made that games do not favor political/social liberty... Games like SimCity/warcraft show gamers how an extremely organized, well planned, and well led society can become greater than all others. Seeing how such societies flourish would naturally lead them to desire a similar intelligent overseer running the real world, with extreme authoritarian control to be able to 'do the right thing'.

Re:Gamers are nerds are libertarians

[syrinx]

I used to think that /.ers were on the whole pretty libertarian.. I think /. might have been the first place I'd heard of the Libertarian movement.. but recently it seems that everyone on /. (or at least the vocal ones) are just plain left-liberal.

Allergic reaction to Bush? Who knows.