#Leadership storytelling

[sunlight-shunlight]

thinking about veilguard and bioware in general, i think we are reaching a point where people need to grapple with the inherent limits of what stories can be told in our Current Society and in AAA gaming companies.

on a labour level: mass layoffs, tons of developers leaving despite previously talking about how passionate and happy they were to be involved, not even paying severance, and crunching employees to the point of burnout. this is unfortunately pretty standard for AAA game companies.

on a cultural level: it is SO white and SO centrist-ly Canadian. i wrote up these asks outlining how. it is a repeated pattern of writing in which they go into tortured racial oppression allegories at best, while constantly peppering in a "but BOTH SIDES were wrong and made mistakes :( :( :(", in between their fictional atrocities that are clearly mirroring irl genocides and enslavement. or at worst, it's "the qunari are radical islamic borg" which has even less nuance. i personally thought, since dai came out in 2014, and a lot has changed since then about the world and in public awareness, that this would have filtered into the narrative and resulted in more satisfying and historically grounded writing. unfortunately not the case. it's shocking if you compare it to how sharp and aware and unflinching something like disco elysium is.

so what does this mean?

under these conditions, it is unavoidable that we get development by people who are rapidly cycled out of the company or demoralized into burnout. we get digestible, easy little soundbites of lore without much substance, because any complexity needs more time and coordination rather than the process of "quick, we have these assets, a lot of people involved in making them just got laid off, we need to make Something by next quarter to show the CEO". we get very little cohesion between games, despite the clear intent from dai to have so many plot points set up to follow through in a sequel, because the team and development are so chaotic that they can't hold onto a vision and complete it.

we also get this inherent caution and "conservatism" from the narrative, because on an ideological level, they're largely white people who want cops to be included in pride. so any major change to even a fictional society is Bad and Scary, and shouldn't be done without making sure that every character finger-wags appropriately at non-state violence. there is clearly not much ideological or even ethnic diversity within the leadership; or at least not enough that anyone there felt comfortable even speaking up on minor issues like the Incredibly Orientalist Isabela Outfit, let alone anything larger.

i don't personally think there's too much value in trying to analyze veilguard's plot or lore at this point. the final product is chaotically developed and does not seem to reflect the goals of the creators as set up in prior games, it's basically a ship of theseus in terms of the people and ideas involved in making it. this is sad for all of us, who were interested in the story, and attached to the characters, and were creatively fulfilled by engaging in the fandom. it's probably worse for the developers who have lost their jobs, burnt out, or feel unhappy with the game that they spent years of their life working on. it's certainly miserable as an indictment of The Industry, as well as the general societal climate of white Canadian centrism.

the solution is to create a society where people can develop games in peace and prosperity and stay on projects for longer, rather than constantly getting turfed out without severance pay. and to get some genuine leftists, poc, and indigenous people on staff who can weigh in and provide significant input, rather than a Council Of Liberal White Edmontonians every time.

in the meantime, at the very least, let's please stop preordering AAA games and supporting companies who notably abuse their employees.

[mysterywriter2187]

Transformers: One - What's In A Kneel?

!!!!!MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!

With the responsibility of leadership and the dangers of pedestals and hero worship being such major themes, it only makes sense that all three of the film's leaders would show their true characters, and in doing so seal their fates, in moments where they have to kneel/bow.

Sentinel Prime essentially sets the entire second half of the film in motion when both the heroes and we as the viewer see him kneel to the Quintessons. It confirms everything that Alpha Trion was just telling them/us about him, and it's also the very thing that ends up getting broadcast to Iacon in order to finally expose Sentinel and turn the public against their False Prime.

For all his superficial charisma and his talk of looking out for the little guys, Sentinel himself is truly nothing more than a self-centred, spineless coward, who couldn't care less for the needs of the many and gladly bends to the will of bigger bullies/oppressors in order to keep himself in power.

After learning of Sentinel's betrayal and being subsequently captured with the High Guard, D-16 makes a point to stand while in custody and adamantly refuses to kneel. Even when Sentinel begins beating and torturing him, D-16 makes it abundantly clear that he has no intention of bowing to him or anyone else ever again.

In better circumstances this could be a heroic trait, a courageous defiance and the willingness to stand up in the face of injustice. But it just as becomes a negative one, and it's one of the last warning signs to the kind of leader that Megatron is going to be.

He may have started out with good and heroic intentions, but because of this Megatron sees himself as superior, and whether by choice or by force, he expects his fellow Cybetronians to rally behind him just as they did with Sentinel. While he sees himself as a revolutionary, in the end he's just going to become another tyrant.

And then we have Orion Pax. For much of the film, he's a far cry from the noble, legendary leader that we know and love from other iterations, but he starts to grow into it as he devises the rescue mission, and is tasked with rallying his fellow miners to help.

Having gotten a major upgrade since the last time he saw them, Orion now towers over his former peers and they're utterly awed by the sight of him. Rather than trying to take advantage of their admiration or even intimidate them with his new size and strength, Orion almost seems frustrated by the new height difference, and before beginning his speech he kneels down to literally speak to them on their level.

Orion doesn't make a point to do this, no one has to ask or prompt him to, in fact he himself doesn't even give that much thought to it, it's just his first instinct for how to best communicate. He may look larger and stronger now, but he still values the miners as his friends and his equals, and nothing is ever going to change that.

Gaining the Matrix later on may have gotten him the name, but it's this moment when Orion truly begins to embody the true core and heart of Optimus Prime. Powerful and inspiring, yet humble and caring. Or perhaps, as the legendary Peter Cullen himself has always said:

"Strong enough to be gentle."

[educationaldm]

"D&D is a game that has a ton of educational benefits. At its core, the game can teach you teamwork, math, physics, problem-solving and quick decision-making. I think the two strongest benefits are the roleplaying aspects and creativity. Players can learn communication skills and how to think as someone else or outside the box, while a Dungeon Master can learn how to weave a story and foster teamwork as a leader. I think aspects from this game could easily be used in a classroom to make learning fun and memorable."

[gwemmieee]

We're in a transitional period in community politics. The struggle between Conservatism and Liberalism is dying out worldwide. It's overwhelmingly obvious that Liberalism is the winner. The left has to continue uniting in a combined coalition against the right, but that's not going to solve most of our problems--it's just going to keep some of them from becoming any more catastrophic.

So what's next? As Conservatism dies out, what will continue to obstruct progress and alienate people? I think I know the answer. It's doomerism.

Doomerism to me has come to be a catch-all term for everybody who just wants to spread negativity. If you don't feel marginalized, it looks like giving up on the idea that we'll ever be able to help the downtrodden because they're just too mean or incompetent. If you do feel marginalized, it looks like giving up on the idea that we'll ever be able to cooperate with society because it's just too problematic. Either way, a doomer is antisocial and committed to negativity. A doomer is somebody who actively looks for excuses to shrink their tribes and lash out at anyone and everyone in the process. A doomer is somebody who punches down and shamelessly hurts people who didn't have any power over them and/or who were actively trying to mediate and negotiate, in good faith, with real commitment. A doomer is somebody who thinks humans are the virus. A doomer is somebody who doubles down on harmful behavior even when it's obvious that people they care about need them to do better.

I dunno what we're gonna call everyone else who doesn't fit this description, but for now, I'll say I'm a builder. A builder is somebody who is actively trying to grow the tribe. Does that mean I let people walk all over me? Placate assholes? Excuse abuses of power? Of course not. Does that mean I volunteer myself or anyone else into situations that don't feel safe? Fuck no. Does that mean I always think every system is salvageable? Nope. Does that mean I don't think it's cathartic to burn down something that can be salvaged? No, that shit really is cathartic. But even all the way down here at the fringes, what separates me from doomers and causes me to struggle to feel safe even in most leftist spaces (because even these spaces, like every political space these days, are dominated by doomers), is the simple fact that I do not tolerate unnecessary harm. I do not judge anyone who is actively trying to avoid harm and build bridges, and I do judge anyone who does. I do not look for excuses to assume the worst. I do not engage with anyone in bad faith whenever I instead have the option to just fucking leave the situation.

This, I think, is the new huge rift between people who show any passion towards changing the world. It's a lot like Liberals vs Conservatives in that one side is objectively correct (Liberals and builders), and one side is usually dangerous to engage with at all (Conservatives and doomers), and neither side will ever benefit from being unnecessarily aggro at the other side. Which is exactly why there is no fast or comprehensive way to evolve as a species.

[captaingimpy]

Thoughts on media: the Netflix documentary “Mr. McMahon“ Vince McMahon: A Legacy of Power, Controversy, and the Future of WWE

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[tanishacastellino]

I just finished reading "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie, and I couldn’t help but see parallels between the book’s life lessons and the challenges we navigate in our professional lives. Here are some simple takeaways that struck a chord: 🌟 1. Embracing Discomfort to Grow Junior’s courageous decision to leave his comfort zone for a better education at Reardan reminds me of the leaps we must take in our careers. Growth often comes from tackling unfamiliar challenges, whether it’s exploring an emerging platform or trying unconventional marketing strategies. 🌐 2. Managing Dual Identities Being a “part-time Indian” navigating two worlds resonates with how we have to constantly be adopting, adapting and referencing from global aspects for personal growth while also maintaining our authenticity. 🔄 3. Turning Setbacks into Strategies Junior’s resilience in adversity inspires us to see failures not as defeats but as lessons. Failed targets and setbacks aren’t dead ends—they’re data points that guide us toward stronger strategies and deeper connections. 🖌️ 4. Authentic Storytelling and Creative Outlook Junior’s cartoons and heartfelt narration show his approach towards handling tough times despite all odds. His drawings transcend words and the visual content creates emotional connections that words alone often can’t achieve. 💪 7. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome Junior’s journey of doubting himself yet succeeding through persistence deeply resonates so deeply. We always face self-doubt while initiating any new journey or experience. But just like Junior, we often discover our potential by pushing forward. 📚 Key Takeaway: Success isn’t just about hitting targets—it’s about staying true to your values, understanding your audience, and forging genuine connections. ✨ This was truly a beautiful read. Do let me know if you have read the book yet and I’d love to hear what lessons resonates with your personal or professional journey? Do let me know below! 👇

[kakief]

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[notquitesuperhuman]

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[mtstorrs]

The best leaders don't want to be ob

[dal23journal-blog]

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[krafty-page-chronicles]

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[otongo-social]

Get motivated to create content with www.OTONGO.social -> waitlist open.

[beingjellybeans]

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[josephkravis]

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[jadeannbyrne]

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