The Eerie Predictions of MGS2 

Imagine being a straight white male metal gear fan in their early 30s Straight latino male metal gear fans in their early 20s rise up

Eerie, really eerie.

It's crazy to think how Deus Ex and MGS2 brought to the forefront these topics about misinformation, artificial intelligence, and societal control over 20 years ago, and their stories and themes are still relevant, perhaps even more so in the years to come! I really hope more games will dive deeper into these topics about artificial intelligence and digital information in the future. The only notable ones I can think of that really delved into these themes were Deus Ex (2000), MGS2, and the Talos Principle.

I really can't help but feel like this is unironically becoming one of the most important channels that I watch. The lens you put this information thru is both relevant to the overarching theme, and incredibly sourced to our current reality. Fantastic.

Wheb I was a teen, I played MGS2 in 2004 and I thought it was pure fiction. How could information be pollution? How can we have useless information? And how can it be harmful? This was before twitter or even Facebook. We had no idea how people's misinformation and ignorant opinions would be so easily accessible... And that people would even believe it...

You know, with such speed of making very good videos, I'm starting to think that you're an AI yourself

I feel like this guy can spend the next two decades just talking about MGS2

"And can you give me proof of your own existence? How can you, when neither modern science or philosophy can explain what life is." Ghost in the Shell, 1995

I've always felt MGS2 was the most thought-provoking game in the series. It's a real treasure. I can't believe some people still hate it because Raiden lol. Maybe they see a bit too much of themselves in Raiden, hmm? Anyway, excellent video yet again! PS: How amazing was the MGS2 soundtrack?

The people who are hitting dislike are part of the Patriot AI

Hideo would be proud of this channel. After all, we're all memes started by him, grouped together by the very algorithm he told us about.

*I hear it's amazing when the famous purple stuffed worm in flap-jaw space with the tuning fork does a raw blink on Hara-Kiri Rock. I need scissors! 61!*

I honestly feel that Kojima was really onto this back then. It's amazing to see these concepts in reality. Always gets me from the psychological and neurological perspective.

Why have predator drones , when you can have predator clones.

this game was WAAAAAAAAAY ahead of its time, insofar as the themes depicted inside this game. The nanotech, the AI and how it wants to censor everything (like Ytube and Facebook). Also, the fact that there is a type of illuminati reference, called "the patriots." Its actually pretty creepy.

This hits diff once again now two years later

Be careful not to lose sight of your self. The 'self' is a fluid, intangible thing that changes constantly, every day with every single piece of new information that can alter the fringe of old ideas. Consider the philosophical quandary of the scenario wherein a boat from the early colonial days of the Mayflower fleet sitting in the Smithsonian suspended for all to see in all its glory. As the years go by, routine maintenance dictates the replacement of floorboards being affected by the moisture in the air, the mast being switched out for a newer, stronger one to avoid an accident occurring, the ship's wheel taken away to be preserved elsewhere and in its place a replica identical to the naked eye. At what point does the ship cease to be the ship it originally was? Can it even be called the same ship? The human biology follows a similar routine. Our cells divide and replicate dutifully, but each one has a lifespan determined by the telomeres in our DNA, a built-in failsafe to keep a damaged DNA from replicating incorrectly which results in cancer. Some cells are born here, others die there. No cell within our bodies is the same exact one that was there merely one year ago, they are building themselves off of a memory of a memory of a memory, repeating the pattern until so much of the original signal is lost, resulting in the phenomenon we recognize as Aging. Are we the same person we were 10 years ago? How about 5? 1? Yesterday? Every single day that we wake up, we rebuild the image of our 'self' based off of the collective memory of who we think we are. But if memories are so fallible and unreliable, then who are we really? We are living Nature, granted legs and arms and a brain to influence the world we've found ourselves in, for the better or worse. Nature is destructive, calm, beautiful, horrifying, visceral and raw, yet simplistic and grand, we embody all of these traits and untold more in the decisions we make and the actions we perform. By following our nature, we form a 'self' to ascribe a semi-permanent vessel capable of carrying out our will manifest. Our nature, then, is the only true reflection of the individual hiding in our subconscious, the being pulling the strings on our thoughts and compartmentalizing the decisions we've made and will make into a neat pile for posterity. Change your thoughts, alter your actions, and the feedback will cause minute adjustments to your nature, until you soon realize that you are not the person you were when you started your journey. But tender care must be placed in remembering exactly who you were wholesale, for it is by that template that you mold who you want to be Tomorrow. To complete the thought, the idea that we try to mold nature with technology can be beneficial, it has been for a long time now, but we know that too much artificial adjustment always has some kind of consequence that must be faced later down the line. We use technology to supplement our own Nature, by connecting and educating us, even assisting our reproduction, to what consequence in our future? Perhaps we are experiencing the growing pains even now. But as we well know, the might of nature is fierce indeed, and the time will come when mankind as a wholly formed being will reject technology due to the unceremonious influences it has had on us.

Its very interesting how AI have evolved since this video have been uploaded. At 9:33 it is mentioned that an AI that can out performe humans is very far off, I would not argue the same this very date. I wonder if an "updated" video about this would be relevant? :D

I just love the fact that people are still actively talking about the themes of my favorite game of all time. This proves that video games are art, I bet that MGS2 and MGS4 will be at least 95% accurate in the next decade.

Futurasound, been here since 14k, can't wait till you blow up!

Whenever I need anything for university I just word search the mgs 1, 2, 3, 4 scripts and pull something up. Usually just one line or a quote but it's enough to start some interest.

Your memes... end here.

Keep them coming you have turned into my favorite!!

I'M LOVING THE RECENT SUCCESSION OF UPLOADS.. I LOVE YOUR CONSISTENCY, DUDE .. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, THANKS! 👍🏻

Im just so happy someone has put the level of attention MGS needed the way Jorin Lee does. I did a report years ago in high school based on this and it went over everyones heads. Guess its easier with 20 years of cold hard evidence stacking up

Kojima seems prophetic at times

You are the most exciting MGS scholar I’ve encountered , really appreciate you

Man, I just started up the load of MGS2 videos you have in your playlist, thinking that's all there was, and here you are uploading more for me to watch. Keep up the good work, I'm loving these essays on one of my all time favorite games.

Reminds me of this from Dr. Timothy Leary... "Think for yourself. Question authority. Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are going in this ocean of chaos, it has been the authorities -- the political, the religious, the educational authorities --- who attempted to comfort us by giving us order, rules, regulations, informing -- forming in our minds -- their view of reality. To think for yourself you must question authority and learn how to put yourself in a state of vulnerable open-mindedness, chaotic, confused vulnerability to inform yourself." Leary would be tared and feathered if he were alive today.

This hits harder today than it did 3 years ago.

One video a day. More than enough to kill anything that moves.

I remember that I saw this channel on my youtube feed once but for some reason I didn’t click that video. A few weeks later a friend of mine sends me a youtube link with your video “WTF Even Happens on MGS3 Part 1”. And now I’m suscribed to this channel. Damn...

That is a very self-aware jab at yourself. I just want to let you know, none of that is true. Everything you've produced has been incredibly interesting, Psychology is my field of study for over 6 years of my life and you've taught me a lot about my own field. Thank you.

MGS2 is an underrated masterpiece. Not only in its storytelling and themes, but the stealth mechanic, graphics and physics were great for the time.

In my early years when I was about 10-11, I played this game when it came out, I was more self-aware of these things as described in the video, and watched as it slowly unfolded over the years, saw the rise of the Internet becoming more popular and social media and algorithms beginning to take place. The birth of RU-vid in 2005 as video sharing became more common and popular, before being taken over by Google shortly after and becoming more over time changed as Google saw fit. Algorithms for how videos were shared or promoted was different. How videos were promoted were different, it was all dictated by whatever was most popular, and had the most ratings. Back then we didn't have the Like / Dislike buttons, we had Star Ratings for videos. If a video was rated 4.5 or higher with a good amount of views, thats what got promoted and shared the most. Then somewhere along the lines, Google changed it and it was no longer based on that and became Watch Time, what got the most watch time, and click rates.

Isn't it creepy asf that kojoma would give the Patriots the same goal as our media overlords in controlling all flow of information and this game came out in what like 2004?

I'm continually impressed by your preparation, writing and research involved in your thesises in your videos. They are great, in-depth works and I hope you continue doing more in the future! Fantastic work! 👍

still love these videos so much. amazing work that went into these. have to rewatch the entire collection.

me and my group of friends fangirl every time you upload. we appreciate your hard work. you’re pretty good.

Holy crap this is why you are the best boss So much stuff to watch!

Another profound video. Thank you, Boss!

another good video with amazing analysis of very complex issues and topics. I am so glad I found your channel.

This is a phenomenal video. You take the surface level synopsis of MGS2 and expand them in a coherent way to really delve deep into the major and minor themes, well done!

This was fantastic! Very well done, my man 😊

First video I’ve seen on this channel just stumbling on and I think I’m hooked!

You're videos really make me think and I appreciate it very much

Kojima really missed me with all this sick lore since I was 13 when I played it. Still a classic game

This is the Futurasound video I’ve been waiting for, MGS2 and V specifically are infinitely interesting to me.

I have no idea how yu pump so much quality metal gear content out jorin! love it!

Just seen the description. You're amazing haha

Wow I’ve been waiting on this one. I just didn’t know it. Thanks for the great content! 🔥

Kojima definitely saw the future and even I've questioned myself is Kojima a futurist or has he seen the future but he's used history events as a way to hide what he's trying to relay to us

Basically, if you watch Super Bunny Hop, you'll be recommended this episode

Another great video thanks bro. 👌🏾

Thank you for the video. Really well done.

I can't thank you enough for these magnificent, beautiful, deep, enlightening MGS analysis videos of yours. You have put a very hard work and it shows. These are the ultimate commentary of the game.

It's now 2022, AI just cracked human art, it's over

Has anyone pointed out how natural and smooth the codec sound volume level bar looks in MGS1 but in MGS2 it specifically looks like a gun pointed right at Snake’s/Raiden’s head?

If i hadn't known about mgs2 and it's my first game i played i would be scared shitless of the corrupted gw

Stunning conclusion, or how to reconsiderate metadata in our daily lives.

Brother just by watching your content I feel like I’m taking a college course on the Metal Gear series. I’ve been a Kojima fan since 1999, with my introduction to Metal Gear through the demo disc on the PS1. I haven’t missed a beat since. Kudos!

I cannot keep up with you intellectually, but I do enjoy the book recommendations. Every time you make a new documentary, I add a few more books to my Amazon wish list.

Top notch content, keep up the good work.

Kojima is either a genius, or he's in the know somehow. Mind blowing

Been looking forward to this one

this videos are masterpieces, thanks

Absolutely sublime video

Dang dude! Talk about quality and quantity!

Brilliant essay.

I remember when this guy had like 5k subs. Thank you for your hard work boss!

I see alot of people trying to write this game off by saying "the ideas arnt new" "this game just parrot older books with the same ideas".etc They essentially try to invalidate its accomplishments which I feel like they are missing the point on. The reason why people say MGS2 is prophetic is not because the ideas themselves are new. Its the sheer accuracy at which Kojima (maybe Fukoshima who knows) portrays their consequences and implmentation. They are scarilily accurate to how selective currated media feeds, and the internet in general actually operates in the real world today. There is no shadow government or organised conspiracy at the top. Its all of us participating at the user level, each contributing to the beast that is society in the digital age. In essence, we are all the conspiracy itself and this idea is ultimatley original in the way it weaves this message together into a coherant narrative while also raising unqiue questions of its own that are still relevant and applicable to this day.

Man you have got to do a video about ocelot, he's arguably the most complex character in the series. I like the idea that he's the main character of the metal gear series and we see his life through other characters eyes (eg solid snake and BB)

I enjoyed the video. The very endz I'm in all categories. First video I've seen of yours. Mind blown

Enjoyed the video, had a lot of things to think about and consider. To somewhat answer the question posed at the end, it wasn't an algorithm that got me here but someone posting the video in a Discord that I'm in. I did enjoy MGS2 so I decided to give it a go, but I do tend to avoid looking at what the algorithm likes to try to get me to watch. Will likely check out more content, if there's more like this I will definitely continue to watch.

Excellent work

Masterful as always

I feel too dumb to understand this. I'm humble enough to admit it.

It wasn’t predicted, we were just being conditioned into it.

Deep dude! Thank you!

Keep these up dude✌🔥⭐💓lovin these vids😎

Exactly the kind of content I'm looking for here

thankyou for your content, excelent video congratulations

my man is pumping them out.

Yes wonderful video

I studied about and now work work in AI and big data and yeah this was just amazing i think it's your best video so far

Fav channel on youtube

I'm a 35yr old African American dude from the hood, not that it matters but its for context, I played mgs1 n 2.. this vid explained so much that went over my head back in high school.. I def felt like mgs was saying something a lot of us missed. thanks for the vid, shouts to destiny for mentioning the vid

6 minutes into this video and I become certain that Kojima is under the CIA or KGB or maybe both watch lists.

MGS2 is playing out before our very eyes.

amazing vid

“You lack the qualifications to exercise free will” will forever remain the most scalding of burns

Well, this channel owns. Subbed.

Another amazing deep dive into MGS and our world! I always try to take notes while watching your essays. Here's some miscellaneous considerations : - MGS is no stranger to the overwhelming memetic legacy of english in the world of software. As the series progresses from one game to the next, the original japanese version of each game begins to sound more and more like a localization. Few of its characters are japanese (Kaz is only part japanese and walks away from his cultural heritage). They may have vague japanese ancestors (David), or consume japanese cultural products (Hal, Paramedic or Volgin), or utilize japanese technologies (Sony Walkman), but the series is curiously bereft of a direct, explicit japanese agency. Despite the game series being made by a japanese team, any japanese influence is felt like a lingering spirit through its themes and the guiding hand of its author, not through any hard presence. - There always was a gap in understanding between the capabilities of a machine and the level of knowledge required of its user for its operation. Interfaces have become more user-friendly, at least at the surface level. However, computing itself has become more complex by virtue of this layered machine-learning process. The gross effect is : algorithm-based computing as a process is becoming more and obscure to the end user, while growing in complexity and responsiveness. The size and scope of the machinery of the Industrial Revolution was visible in plain sight, whereas the size and scope of the machinery of the Digital Revolution is obfuscated away. The more we interact with learning software, the less confirmation it requires from us. Every piece of information returned by the system is no longer just a piece of data to be recontextualized, or a computer's hard-edged request for clarification (data not found, syntax error, bad command or file name), but a targeted, customized message with an increasingly human face. At the edge of this process, the "machine" knows who it is talking to, and automatically adapts to their intended recipient, but we are not allowed to get to know it. O'Brien on a silicon board. Sociologically, this creates frustrating blind spots that collectively form a massive breeding ground for speculation of all kinds. We can no longer fully trust the agencies that have the ability to leverage our own data footprint against us. However, we rely massively on these same agencies in order to interact with each other. The gap between human agency and digital agency is narrowing. - Because of its many integrated systems, MGSV is particularly effective at displaying this phenomenon at work through story and gameplay. One easy example is how opponents adapt to repeated uses of the same tactics. However, another example is much more telling, and may or may not have been intentionally designed to stand out : When in the field, Venom Snake's radio support team very rarely reacts to things Venom himself says, but rather to the same input he's receiving from his circumstances. As if Miller and Ocelot shared Venom's senses, seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling and tasting alongside him, and responding at the speed of a computer who was not yet taught not to speak out of turn. (Think of an AI chatbot who responds with a wall of text in less time than a human might have taken to type out.) - The scene in MGSV where Venom Snake smashes the mirror and walks away into the foggy background is of particular interest. It can of course be interpreted in many ways, but one possible interpretation which strikes me as the strongest is a strange sense of liberation. Having received Big Boss' memetic information (complete mission record) along with supplemental sense data from Miller, Ocelot and that data being cross-referenced with player input, Venom has now been freed by his handlers, and is allowed to become his own person. Like an AI passing a test. Then he is off to encounter Solid Snake, who is not to be made aware of his true nature. Intrude N313 is a final test of the Venom proof-of-concept. The question is not whether or not he can defeat his designated foe, but if Bis Boss' memetic copy can pass for the real thing to a human opponent. Venom Snake is neither fully human nor a synthetic recreation of one, rather, he is the successful integration of both man and machine. A cybernetically-enhanced, simulation-informed, drug-assisted post-human warrior prototype for the 21st century. Alongside Grey Fox and Raiden, he holds the dubious honour of having unwittingly served the Patriots as a test subject and agent. "See you on the other side"

THIS CHANNEL IS SOLID GOLD

Dude i love your stuff, im listening while riding bike

Thank you for the thumbnail being a smorgasbord of childhood discomfort.

You floored me today. Your breakdowns in every video are fantastic but, learning the patriots have a parallel in reality is mind blowing. Let alone the aspect of neural networks being used to create data sets from human emotions derived from memes. Patterns of behavior. Gotta say you supremely out did yourself with this one. Bravo.

it's why one of the things i hate hearing people say is "It's just a game" because by that logic you should go into an art museum and go "whats the big deal? its just a painting!"

Bravo Sir, well done.

Ok your outro at 30:58 just creeped me out. GET OUT OF MY MIND, LIQUID!