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submitted 2 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

What is the politics of Pac-Man?

Not trying to pull a gotcha. I think this question is a legitimately fascinating test of the idea that all art is political (which I agree with).

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

What is the politics of Pac-Man?

Just as a surface read: something about strength through consumption or nourishment to overcome obstacles and enemies. Also: ghosts are bad.

I don't think it's a gotcha at all, but rather an important additional point that just because all art/media is inherently political does not also automatically mean all art/media is inherently deep or complex. The saying is less the idea that all art/media has secret political messaging and more an observation that because all art/media has human voices and creativity behind it it objectively means that it has their own views and biases baked into it.

[-] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago

Would Pac-Man be considered art? In its day it would have been a technological achievement, but was it created to be art or to extract money from players? If the latter, then that's its politics. If it was made with the intention of being art, then maybe it has to do with unlimited consumption? Not sure.

this post was submitted on 29 May 2025
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