Our Fascination With Violence
Anji Liu
Many scholars have claimed that modern society is much less violent than in periods of the past. Warfare has become more seldom than what it used to be; it is more costly and morally challenged. However, even though we might not be practicing violence on a mass scale, it is still very much entrenched in our culture. Violence has been dictating our media for centuries, if not decades, and it is so ingrained in our culture. It has always been controversial and morally questioned, but yet it could still be self-justified. On the one hand, we as humans categorize it as the least ethically acceptable act; on the other hand, we are actively pursuing it. By analyzing popular forms of entertainment, it is easy to tell that we love to indulge and embrace this primitive urge.
As humans, we have collaborated and created a strong narrative where we all believe violence is the ultimate problem solver. One could not resist a superhero story defeating a villain with a superpower; one violent fight can bring the earth right back to peace. Many are fascinated by anti-heroes' narrative; we somehow found empathy with the super-violent criminal figures through the enticing storytellings. We might be turning our faces away when looking at a gory scene, but we never would completely shut it out of our society. Now we must understand the inevitable nature of this matter.
Supreme Violence
Supreme Violence is a 7-minute long supercut style video essay consisting of videos found on youtube. They were categorized into four different scales, the first being mass explosions and destruction. The second, being firearms, the third is the cold weapons, and the last is bare hands. The video challenges our fascination with violence through both real-life and simulated footage. It also challenges Youtube’s community guidelines for violence. Though every footage was found on youtube, since it was put together in a condensed fashion, the video essay was somehow still banned by the algorithm for being too violent. As a virtual community, Youtube controls what we watch every day; they also have the authority to define the limit of violent videos.Killing Spree
In this video, Killing Spree, I examine the limitations of using video games as a medium to do performance art. I uploaded my 3D scanned face model into Grand Theft Auto V, using myself as the avatar to perform violent killings. The plot reflects my emotions then; a total emotional collapse led to a downfall of myself or the character. I also argue that the avatars also act as an extension of our intentions, a prosthetic of our will. Psychologists would suggest the victims of virtual harm reduce their attachment to both the game and their avatar. They argue that they should “step back” psychologically from their online personas. The particular finding led to a new discourse about virtual violence. The expansion of the new mediums breaks every confinement possible to explore the virtual world much more freely—a sense of freedom that does not apply to us in reality.Capstone - We are built for this
The purpose of this project is to confront the next big step of interactive and immersive medium, virtual reality. The experience was divided into four chapters — a manifesto of how I perceived virtual violence from different periods of my life. Virtual violence has long been an easy target for your local politicians to blame the shootings on; meanwhile, the scientists argue otherwise. With the ease of clicking some buttons, we released our inner demon. We use the virtual world as an escape from reality, an emotional dumpster with absolutely zero real-life consequences. Things that are so condemned in real life are the most popular thing to do in the virtual world.We use the avatars to represent us in this fantasy land; we also use them as scapegoats to do the dirty works, the forbidden things in real life. No matter how taboo violence is, it has never stopped us from mixing it into our leisure life. With immersive technology, we can finally unleash ourselves and go at it shamelessly. But is it just clicking buttons?Can we not recognize the avatar’s behaviors as our own doing? Can we withdraw ourselves from all this violence? What if it is us doing it all along? Have you ever pictured yourself being this merciless violent maniac hunting down someone’s life?