Videogame Analysis: Ep.1 Bioshock and Objectivism, Part 3 of 10

An analysis of Bioshock and its critique of Objectivism, Ayn Rands philosophy. It is the final project for the independent studies course, Government and Culture, at Southwestern Adventist University under Dr. Steve Jones. The project deals with some elements of government but it takes a broader approach, addressing all major elements of Objectivism and Bioshocks critique. While I wish the audio was of better quality, and that I had more time to edit and tweak the script, I feel that it is a good, if long, analysis.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Bioshock
• Objectivism
• Ayn
• Rand
• AynRand
• Bioshock2
• Videogame
• Videogames
• Video
• Game
• Games
• Analysis
• Videogameanalysis
• Episode
• one
• Episode1
• episodeone
• Bioshockandobjectivism
• ayn
• rand
• System
• shock
• Edward
• Cheever
• Steve
• Jones
• Dr
• SWAU
• Southwestern
• Adventist
• University
• 2k
• games
• irational
• ken
• Levine
• irrational

[Insaneindabrain35]

What grade did you get on this?

[TheRealDruidan]

@Insaneindabrain35 - An A ^_^

[NetMoverSitan]

I think of Dr Steinman as Rapture's version of Victor Zsasz (both have a compulsion that drives them to murder, Zsasz for tally marks, Steinman for making others beatiful)

As for Sander Cohen, I think of him as Rapture's version of the Joker, both have a twisted perception of "performances".

[TheRealDruidan]

@NetMoverSitan Yeah, those do have interesting parallels :)

[PtAltmVansanTarr]

What does this have to do with objectivism?

[atheos93]

@Svperstarr No, Salvador Dali, how obvious is it?!

[redsoxman4life]

This has been a great reminder to catch me up to where i am now.

[Svperstarr]

Sander Cohen = Andy Warhol

[StarCreme]

@sethisawesome

i don't think i'd go quite that far. i still appreciate the depth of the narrative, which is well written and thoughtful. the sacrifice of the art of the story for gameplay purposes (people are going to want to be good guys, and they want to be powerful too) was lamentable, and weakens the magnitude of the PC's personal struggle with identity and right and wrong. so very nearly a masterpiece.

[sethisawesome]

@StarCreme I agree. As far as I'm concerned, this game lost any real critical power it may have had when Tennenbaum throws Jack the harvesting tool. The game shouldn't reward any Adam at all for saving little sisters.

[StarCreme]

I think one of the major weaknesses in this game is the fact that the game is not significantly harder if you save the little sisters. it should be harder to do the right thing.