goodandevil

The Good | The Science and Philosophy of Power-Ups

Right before I graduated I received a spectacular gift from my parents. Knowing I was expected to endure a barrage of interviews, they took me out to Men’s Warehouse and we picked out a series of suits, dress shirts, and ties so that I led with a good visual impression.

In animation you’re really only supposed to come in dress-casual, as they always will say “It’s really not that type of work environment,” but I’ve been one to dress up since I was a small child. I also have an unhealthy obsession with office supplies and anything to do with the postal service.

I digress.

With the job market, or rather employers, in such dire straits, getting the opportunity to actually use said interview clothes, you might think, would be arduous. Fortunately, I’ve had occasions to eat out, to volunteer work for relatives, and now to visit with a good friend whom I have not seen in quite some time and who I feel deserves the respect provided by how good I look in nicely tailored threads.

My acquisition has not met its intended purpose but it has a purpose nonetheless; I consider it a pleasure that it is versatile in the meantime while it waits to make good on its original intentions.

I perceive life as a graphic adventure of sorts, much like the Monkey Island games of old. You get the sense that there’s a general script to follow with goals and sightseeing, and there are several degrees of freedom through which to accomplish your quests, but mostly it’s about collecting and using stuff. The insightful, clever, creatively-inspired use of stuff is one of the great traditions of storytelling.

Think of how different your life is now from how it was ten years ago. Five years ago, even. Could you possibly convince your past self that this is what it would come to, for better or for worse? How did your life revolve around stuff to get you to where you’ve arrived?

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