New Materialism Lens of the OASIS from Ready Player One
New Materialism
New Materialism is a complicated concept that can most simply be boiled down to "matter matters." Objects, human or not, have agency, or the ability to perform acts that produce a result or impact (1) regardless of whether we are aware of them or not. Through this lens human, nature, and objects are all equal and constantly shifting tensions to create an "assemblage." In New Materialism, assemblages refer to "modalities of groupings of agencies...which generate different histories, states of affairs, and future possibilities." (2) Overall, this leads to "thing-power," the idea that objects cannot be reduced to human meanings or agendas, as they have their own (3).
New Materialism also collapses binaries and hierarchies between humankind and nature. This aspect is very clear in Ready Player One, as the real world and virtual world have become so intertwined the fine line between them has become very blurred.
New Materialism also collapses binaries and hierarchies between humankind and nature. This aspect is very clear in Ready Player One, as the real world and virtual world have become so intertwined the fine line between them has become very blurred.
Trailer for Ready Player One, showing the realistic qualities of the OASIS. (4)
The Assemblage of the OASIS
The OASIS is an advanced virtual reality online world that was become almost indistinguishable from the real world. Part of the reason for its popularity is due to the dystopian elements of the world. Climate change, energy crises, and war have created a world needing some form of escape. The virtual, almost utopian, world of the OASIS is usually the preferred option when compared to the harsh realities of the real world. Additionally the escape provided by the OASIS only encouraged the further collapse of the real world, as many people chose ignorance over finding solutions.
The mind map below shows various elements that lead to the creation of the OASIS, its rise in popularity and the impact of Halliday's Egg. Factors such as the climate and government collapse are fairly obvious but others such as the rise of school and work in the OASIS have larger impacts than initially thought. By creating an online education system which requires OASIS gear and access, and creating a viable economy within an online world, allows for the OASIS to become a larger part of people's lives. There are many more things that would have contributed to all of this, but with our limited world view from the narrator, many of those potential factors are not mentioned.
Further, this can be seen with the OASIS itself. It has created main cultures, counter cultures, and sub-cultures. Much of this was through human manipulation and programming, but it is such a complex world that it can be described as a living, continuously changing thing that has created results and impacts on people, their environment and the world.
The mind map below shows various elements that lead to the creation of the OASIS, its rise in popularity and the impact of Halliday's Egg. Factors such as the climate and government collapse are fairly obvious but others such as the rise of school and work in the OASIS have larger impacts than initially thought. By creating an online education system which requires OASIS gear and access, and creating a viable economy within an online world, allows for the OASIS to become a larger part of people's lives. There are many more things that would have contributed to all of this, but with our limited world view from the narrator, many of those potential factors are not mentioned.
Can a Video Game Have Agency?
Agency is a difficult thing to prescribe to a non-living thing. However, both the OASIS and Halliday's Easter Egg have created things, and have had lasting impacts. An example of this is the rise in nostalgia and knowledge for the 80's, as Halliday based the entire egg hunt around this time period. One of the challenges in this quest was inserting yourself into a movie and correctly playing it out. After this first challenge was discovered, it opened the door to a whole new type of video game. While this may or may not have been Halliday's intention, that game had the agency and ability to create.
Further, this can be seen with the OASIS itself. It has created main cultures, counter cultures, and sub-cultures. Much of this was through human manipulation and programming, but it is such a complex world that it can be described as a living, continuously changing thing that has created results and impacts on people, their environment and the world.
Sources:
- Bennett, Jane. Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things. Durhan: Duke University Press, 2010.
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