Critical Response 1

In his article Warcraft and Utopia, Alexander R. Galloway describes two popular concepts of a utopian reality. The better known of the two comes up quite often in Marxist literature, and is often conceptualized as a far away but eventually attainable society free of the limitations of capitalism. For skeptics, this society seems like an unrealistic end because the means of achieving it are rather vague. As Galloway states, “there are promises made but forever deferred.” Naturally, the second utopia is also a society that functions without capitalism, although in contrast this “nostalgia utopia” is characterized by the minimalism associated with pre-Twentieth Century life. Galloway points out an interesting relationship between the shift toward classicism and conservatism and those who were challenging the rise of our consumer-driven spectacle society.

In order to understand Galloway’s argument I found it helpful to do some additional research on the theories of Friedrich Schiller, with particular attention to the play/drive concept he discusses in his text, On the Aesthetic Education of Man, in a Series of Letters. Schiller believed that a utopian state could best be achieved through the balance of the “Stofftrieb” (sensuous drive) and the “Formtrieb” (formal drive) in the individual. Galloway points to the game World of Warcraft as a possible embodiment of what Schiller might have viewed as a minimalist utopia.

The game is essentially set in a variation of medieval society, where quests are doled out and completed to gain status and material wealth. Galloway focuses on two aspects of the game in his essay: the emphasis on teamwork within the game, and the role that signs play in this virtual world. Indeed the game does encourage players to work together towards a common goal. Having played the game for two years myself I can attest to this. There are certain quests and ‘raids’ that can only be achieved with a group of players. These goals and their rewards are, naturally, facilitated by the creation of guilds: groups of players with common interests. Galloway argues that this aspect of the game bears resemblance to Marxist ideals of cooperative and collaborative labour practices. I would not disagree with this statement, however I think that this group work would not exist within the game were the players not benefitting on an individual level.

In my experience, WoW players use guilds and other players to obtain material goods and skills that will boost their status within the realm. Contrary to Galloway’s impression of the game, I find it mimics capitalist society in many ways. Players not only complete objectives to gain material goods, but go on to exchange these goods for other products and services. There is an in-game auction house that functions similarly to eBay, and players are also able to advertise and sell their belongings outside of the auctions. Although ‘play’ and, in this case, playing WoW, fosters social interaction, it is not usually the focus of the players but rather a means towards a more self-centered end.

A screen shot of the "Auction House" listings in WoW.

Photo: "That Warcraft Blog"

I find Galloway’s ‘third utopia’ to be the most intriguing. He argues that capitalist rhetoric perpetuates the belief that the present state of society is the optimal state; that capitalism is the end towards which humanity has been working throughout history. Proponents of capitalist society must discourage citizens from idealizing either past or possible future. Marxist theorists, aware of the potential danger in a content and comfortable population, place emphasis on history in order to both learn from past mistakes and to reaffirm the notion that social and political evolution is an important aspect of human development. 

One question I might pose to students reading this blog would be what are the ways in which supporters of capitalist culture attempt to reinforce the present as a utopian state? As a consumer bombarded daily with images and advertisements, I would argue that these 'distractions' satiate the general population and all but eliminate critical thought. The more we become enveloped by these unfortunate traits of our societies the more difficult it becomes to process events of history as they pertain to our current situation. Are there more direct ways we are being discouraged from discontent with our present 'utopia'?

Galloway, Alexander R., Ed. Arthur Kroker and Marilouise Kroker. Warcraft and Utopia, 1000 Days of Theory, February 16, 2006.