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September 8 · Issue #6 · View online
Martin Walfisz distracted by games, technology and politics.
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Good morning! I hope you’re having a nice, lazy Sunday. Today I’m focusing a bit on politics, partially with a games industry perspective. Tons of interesting stuff to read, but if you want some particularly good food-for-thought, don’t miss Yuval Noah Harari in the TED video below.
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Free stock photo from https://www.pexels.com/
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Boris Johnson could go to prison if he refuses to delay Brexit, Lord MacDonald says | Daily Mail Online
It was certainly an intense week for all things Brexit. It seems like the Prime Minster in the UK can actually be prosecuted and jailed, as opposed to the occupant of the Oval Office. Bring out the popcorn. |
Opinion | The Great Tax Break Heist - The New York Times
I’m a big fan of Paul Krugman, and his educated opinion pieces are always a good read. No surprise, but the Trump tax decreases did not result in trickle down economics. |
We hired the author of 'Black Hawk Down' and an illustrator from 'Archer' to adapt the Mueller report so you'll actually read it
This is a great and digestible overview of the Mueller report (remember that one?). It’s a long read, but well worth it. There is no question that Russia dramatically interfered with the election in 2016, and that Trump intentionally obstructed justice. Unfortunately we quickly forget, and the ever-present Trump antics always fill up the news cycle. Sigh. “Trump was livid. He was finding that public servants did not always respond to him the way business subordinates did. One after another, either because of personal or professional ethics, or a simple instinct for self-preservation, public servants declined to act on the president’s ‘requests.’”
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Why fascism is so tempting -- and how your data could power it | Yuval Noah Harari
A highly important and insightful 20-minute talk by Yuval Noah Harari. “The greatest danger that now faces liberal democracy, is that the revolution in information technology will make dictatorships more efficient that democracies.” “The number one question facing us, is how not to allow ourselves to be manipulated by those who control the data.” (If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading his books Sapiens and Homo Deus.) |
America’s top CEOs say they are no longer putting shareholders before everyone else
Here’s an interesting bit of news. But it should have been obvious to everyone (including top CEOs), a long time ago, that long ter, shareholder value can only be built by keeping all other stakeholders engaged. There would be no company - and thus no shares to hold - without workers, customers and society.
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Yves Guillemot on the thin line between politics and entertainment | GamesIndustry.biz
Ubisoft is maybe the only one of the big publishers that at least sometimes tries to touch on political issues in their games. Kudos for that. Although, as an industry we normally stay clear of anything that is too disturbing for our audience. (With some exceptions.) “We have to be careful to remain entertaining,” Guillemot explains. “When we go too serious into something… There are other mediums that can tell you more about different subjects. The goal each time is to make it believable, but still fun and interesting.”
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Industry needs to sit up and take notice following abuse allegations | Opinion | GamesIndustry.biz
Any organisation (also in the games industry!) should take the six recommendations in this article to heart. Is your company actively working on these issues? “… a recent survey revealing that more than half (51%) of women and a quarter (28%) of men have experienced or witnessed bullying, harassment or unwanted behaviour on grounds of sex.”
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GamesIndustry.biz to host non-violent games panel at EGX | GamesIndustry.biz
Continuing with the political lens on games. I have no problem with violence in games ( “Explosions Must Look Amazing” - Walfisz 1998), but I also think it’s important that we notice and encourage games that are great fun, even without guns and gore. Don’t miss the link in the article. ( “Of the 239 games we have counted as being featured at E3, only 41 can be considered non-violent – 17% of all titles on show this week.”)
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Hitler Reacts to the Porsche Taycan
If you follow the news on electric cars at all, you’ve certainly seen the recent Porsche Taycan vs Tesla Model S drama. I promise that you’ll find this absolutely hilarious. :D
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