Love the ideas wrapped in with the statement that video games are mythology! One thing that line of thought makes me immediately curious about is how the fandoms that form around these games may serve as "looking glasses" that help us peer into the myth and what it is about these games that people are connecting with.
Yes! They are "looking glasses" for sure. When I do my research, these are the people I reach out to. Talking to developers or creators is definitely interesting, but what matters to me most are the people who love it and treasure it and find themselves in it.
I love this... My coworkers and I are a tight knit group, and we all love video games, so our workplace conversations are often centered around the plots and playing of different games. Watching this video made me think of how our conversations always feel like our personal mythos- what games is everyone playing? How are they playing them? We've learned so much about each other and our respective beliefs, identities, etc., thanks to our mythologizing. I love how this video put that into perspective. Great video!!!!
I am so happy the youtube algorithm decided to show this video to me. I love academic discussions of popular culture and the idea of games as myths really makes me want to dive into the research there. Last year I wrote a short paper for a university seminar about fanfiction of the fairy tale red riding hood and how fan authors use the familiar story to explore modern questions such as toxic relationships or the many problems of capitalism. Now I wonder how one could maybe analyse the relationship between certain games and their modding communities, or maybe how Let's Play content and livestreams could work as additional implicit myths.
I’ve thought for a while now about how comic books function as the most direct modern mythology, but I’d never considered video games and especially not pop culture as a whole as contributing to the larger mythology in modern day. I’ll have to watch the rest of these videos now
Great video! I think the idea of popular culture as modern mythology is not only correct, but a brilliant analysis and explanation for the modern world's infatuation with our culture's most celebrated and famous. As those are our 'Gods', it isn't surprising that people will display almost a religious-like loyalty to these figures. With video games, however, I wonder if you are stretching the definition. Video games, rather than being mythology, seem to me more like they have the potential to be mythology. Mythology, to me, exists as more than just the individual experiences of one or even a few people through the lens of storytelling through a medium. Instead, it's something baked into the fabric of culture through the preservation of said story through people and even generations. Without a doubt, there are video games that could fall under this definition but I feel like the argument you might be making could be that video games are art, rather than mythology. Art, being literature, music or even video games, has had the ability to inspire us for as long as we've existed. It has helped us explain and cope with the existential threats of the universe and even an individual experience through an individual art piece in isolation has been able to achieve this. But for something to land as mythology, it must sweep the entire culture, landing revelations for almost all who interact with it and becoming a reference in future for people in how to live life. Again, not saying that video games don't have the potential for this, but I would say it's rarer now as culture has become so universalised and ubiquitous through the internet that video games rarely have the reach that I would consider necessary to induct them in the halls of mythology. But this is obviously just my take and I would like to end by saying that I really appreciate the video as I would not have come to this idea if not for engaging with your video and opening my mind to this perspective. Please continue to make more analysis you've earned a subscriber
My definition of myth is definitely broad, but I prefer it that way because I think you get to see the wonderful world of what things can be when you open up your mindset. I get what you're saying about the time thing, it's definitely an argument people make about myths, and religion more generally. But I find it oddly limiting. There have been many examples throughout history of stories and beliefs and ideas that are new and fresh and yet people will die for them - literally. But that's just me. I think time is definitely a factor people bring in, and time can also give some ideas about where to look for interesting stories. My PhD for example was on the Slender Man, and it's long-lasting existence on the internet (a place with a notoriously short attention span) was definitely an argument I made for its importance. I just don't think it's everything, or even something to distinguish stuff by.
I cannot believe this only has 300 views! I loved the way you chose to discuss this topic. I'd love to hear any discussion on how media, like video games, portrays known mythological structures like the 'Hero's Journey' monomyth.
It’s cool you chose kratos as the thumbnail! My favorite part of that game’s narrative is kratos acknowledging his responsibility as God and its meta parallel to his reformation as a character and the changing landscape of gaming protagonists and culture.
"Don't be sorry. Be better." Is a meme that spread like gospel, so I can see how video games can act as mythology. I feel like Kratos' journey in the knew games have been like a myth teaching the importance of positive masculinity and the power of communication and redemption. FatBrett has some interesting videos breaking down those ideas, which I think tie very well into the idea of video games as mythology.
This isn’t my field of study by any means, but I can’t believe that a medium is mythology. Video games aren’t mythology, but certain games may be. Candy Crush is a video game, but it’s not mythology. Zelda may be mythology though.
