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We take a bit of a tangent away from game design issues with this Side Quest as Corwin asks, "Should we separate the creator from his creation?"
No, this is definitely not some religious discussion. Rather, I want to consider the issue in both general and perhaps specific terms of whether we should be able to separate the person who creates, or designs something, such as a game, from the actual end product.
Let me offer a simple example. Very few people actually admire Adolf Hitler. Do so and you will be called a Neo-Nazi or worse. However, he was also an artist. If I were asked to evaluate his artwork, his paintings, should I do it without regard for who Hitler really was, or should that be allowed to colour my perception?
A further example. There are many famous actors, directors, singers, whatever, who while being basically revolting people from all reports, are superb at their craft. Should I not go to see a particular movie because the star, or the director is a walking piece of filth? This is a difficult question with many implications.
I certainly, for example, know several people who won’t play music by Wagner because of his anti-semitism. There are probably many others who won’t read books by certain authors no matter how brilliant they may be due to perceived bias in the writer. Should this be the case, especially when it comes to playing computer games?
While it’s true to say that some people will buy anything from certain designers, it’s also equally true that the opposite is also the case. Shouldn’t we judge a game, like a good book, by its content, rather than by who wrote it? Does a designer so stamp his personality on something we can’t separate the two in any meaningful way?
Perhaps it’s simply a question of maturity; ours!! We know theoretically that this is what we should do, but find ourselves unable to rise to that standard. Still, is it fair to prejudge something solely on who has written or designed it, whether in a positive or negative way? Shouldn’t we be able to examine a created work in a totally objective manner and come to conclusions about it based totally on the work and not on the person behind the work? Difficult questions to be sure. What do you think? |
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Side Quest: Separating the Creator from the Creation
