Video Games and Computer Holding Power 1984, Sherry Turkle

Sherry Turkle MIT Research on psychoanalysis and culture Research on the psychology of people’s relationship with technology and computer addiction

Time setting “ (…) about videogames from the days of SPACE INVADERS and ASTEROIDS.” They just recently made the shift from pinball to arcade games.

Videogames hold three promises: The promise of a game that never stops The promise of perfection The promise to reflect human competence

Holding Power The holding power of videogames, their almost hypnotic fascination, is computer holding power.

skills Game skills are complex and differentiated. Generalize strategies to other games. Figuring out the governing rules of the game. > The myth of “mindless” addiction

Conversation > Fusion In pinball you act on the ball. In Pac-Man you are the mouth.

SIM If there is a danger here, it is not the danger of mindless play but of infatuation with the challenge of simulated worlds.