Dangerous Gamers: The Commentariat and its war against video games, imagination, and fun

By Xavier Lastra

"Reinforces the notion of cultural and maybe racial supremacy," "it amplifies sexist and misogynist ideas about women," "impacts perceptions and beliefs," "reinforces harmful patriarchal ideas," "they and people around them will one day suffer the consequences of that risky behavior," and "increases aggressive behavior as much as lead exposure decreases children's IQ scores."What is this dangerous thing that can cause such extreme and pernicious effects, and in such lofty realm as that of ideas and beliefs? Is it perhaps a new dangerous cult or extremist political group? No, it is video games.And wait until you hear what some of the critics say about the players: "Dater demographic," "obtuse shitslingers," and "reactionaries" who refuse to grow up, and who wish to return to a gaming "utopia largely exempt from critical analysis."Video games being the target of "media effects" controversies is not new, but not until recently have their players, the "gamers," become fuel for moral panics.In this book, you are going to read about a new class of pop culture exegetes and their manufactured controversies about the allegedly violent, sexist, and racist content of video games and entertainment.This process, which first started in the domain of highbrow Criticism, has trickled down and stifled creativity and imagination, pathologized games, fun, and normalcy, and transformed "politics" and "cultural analysis" into a self-aggrandizing and endogamous game of one-upmanship.The ranks of these commentators had swollen, and without more worlds to conquer, they set their eyes on entertainment and video games. They are the Commentariat.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1521419957
• ISBN13: 9781521419953
• Release Date: July 2017
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 356 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.9" x 6.0"