I couldn’t watch this whole video because the host’s arguments are just too completely insane. It’s probably too insane to even be worth commenting on, but I’m going to anyway. (I like how ratings and comments are conveniently not allowed on the video.)
The argument is that the “damsel in distress” trope in video games objectifies women by portraying them as objects to be won. If this were truly the case, any game involving a damsel in distress could replace the damsel with a bag of virtual money as the ultimate prize, and the story should still work. It doesn’t, because the bag of money can’t love the main character in return. The prize is not the woman’s body, it’s the woman’s love, the return of the mutual love between the two characters. These stories are founded on relationships.
Claiming that wanting to save a woman is objectifying her is like claiming that giving a gift to someone is a form a objectification, because someone is being acted upon. “Honey, I got you a new necklace!” “How dare you act upon me!” We might as well never do anything for anyone else, less we objectify them.
2 Comments
LanthonyS · March 12, 2013 at 12:50 AM
Besides, in reality, when people are in a situation where they need to be saved, they tend not to worry about whether it’s objectifying or not…
S P Hannifin · March 12, 2013 at 3:25 PM
True, though when the situation doesn’t seem life threatening, I suppose people could deny that they need to be saved at all, or feel insecure about needing to be saved, and so reject the savior.