Hello, dearest reader. Since this is the first post, allow me to give you a brief introduction on myself. My name is Diego Balce, and I’ll be your admin and content creator for this particular blog dedicated to the ASTU G03 class in the University of British Columbia.
Within the ASTU G03 offered at UBC, the current topic being discussed is a graphic memoir (comic book) called “Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood.” This memoir was illustrated and written by Marjane Satrapi, and she illustrates what it was like growing up in Iran during the late 1900’s. While she describes that this memoir is “far from the truth,” her work focuses on showing the west that Iran isn’t all full of radicals. That Iran, like the west, can also have decent, civilized, and patriotic individuals.
A theme within Satrapi’s graphic memoir which can be seen throughout the entire book is the theme of tradition with respect to social order. And this is shown by Satrapi’s protagonist “Marji” who always went against tradition and social norms, even though going against them could cost Marji her life.
This theme of tradition and social order is going to be the main focus of this post, because it seems like the 21st century is the time for change. There is a great influx of people who are slowly changing the flow of social norms, from controversial movements such as the gay rights movement, to more subtle but noticeable changes within photo sharing.
However, if there is something that is definitely going against the ebb and flow of tradition and social norms, it would definitely be the rise of professional gaming (more commonly known as “eSports“) within the west. Now a days, it isn’t “just a game” anymore.
The professional gaming scene begun over in Korea with a popular strategic game called “Starcraft” by Blizzard, where one needs to posses great micro and macro skills, and be able to perform at least 10 actions per second (apm). Currently, Riot Game’s League of Legends (as well as their 70 million player fan base) is leading the charge in the push for the global recognition of eSports, and professional gaming as a legitimate career.
If Marji challenges her societies social norm by buying jeaned jackets, Michael Jackson pins, and questioning her education system, then eSports challenges what it really means to be an athlete. Honestly, I can’t wait for the future of professional gaming, especially if MY kids want to pursue a professional career in gaming.
-Diego Balce
Hi Diego! I am a little confused by this post. You begin your post by identifying the theme of tradition in the graphic narrative Persepolis. You then go on to say “There is a great influx of people who are slowly changing the flow of social norms, from controversial movements such as the gay rights movement, to more subtle but noticeable changes within photo sharing”. At this point you seem to be drawing a parallel between members of your society, in the West, and Marjane Satrapi and members of her society. Then suddenly you propose that the emerging field of professional Internet gamming is a comparable act of social change, which should be recognized by us as readers. I am curious how this emerging field is an active movement against social orders in a comparable way to Satrapi’s active participation in social change through attending protests, acting in defiance throughout her personal life, and of course by writing this graphic narrative. If you could include some examples of individuals acting to change the social perception of athleticism or legitimate occupation, I could better see the connection you have tried to make in your post. Alternatively focusing and elaborating on the briefly mentioned Gay Rights Movement, may have been more appropriate for your argument and also more effective, because it is relevant, relatable, and extremely important in Western society today.
Hi Isabelle! First off, thank you for taking the time to read my blog post! I would also like to apologize for the confusion, but allow me to try to clarify a few things. After rereading the post, I understand that the point I was trying to get across didn’t seem to be as impactful as I had originally hoped, and I could have given more context to appeal to those unfamiliar with the medium.
In terms of “examples of individuals acting to change the social perception of athleticism or legitimate occupation,” it’s difficult to pin-point specific individuals aside from esports journalists who constantly report domestic and international gaming events, and journalist that write about the legitimacy of esports versus traditional sports. I guess we could also say that individuals that enjoy watching or participating in professional gaming are the individuals that also challenge the traditional idea of a “sport,” seeing as there isn’t really a difference between watching a team playing a sport at a professional level versus a team playing a video game at a professional level. The level of skill is there, the adrenaline is there, the mental fortitude is there, it’s just the rules are different.
In terms of legitimate occupation, if you refer to the website hyperinked under “athletes,” it is reported that “after a recent lobbying campaign from Riot Games, the U.S. government will now offer visas identifying foreign eSports professionals as professional athletes.” As a quick aside, UBC eSports Association won first place at the NACC playoffs for League of Legends.
Esports as a culture and as a social norm, though considered to be in its infancy, has definitely evolved from the stereotypical basement LAN parties to being represented in popular multipurpose stadiums such as Madison Square Garden. As long as there is a significant amount of interest in esports, there also consists a significant amount of people that will challenge the traditional idea of a “sport.”
I apologize for the lengthy reply, and I also recognize your recommendation of using the Gay Right Movement as a focus that is relatable and more tangible in today’s present society. I hope this has cleared up any confusion, and please feel free to continue the conversation if you have any more questions, suggestions, or concerns.