Political Ideology and Storytelling Within FFXIV

[Cilia]

I'm fine with politics being a thing in entertainment (this game included), so long as they are contextually appropriate. Much of this game's world and cultures are derived from real-world history and culture; given I clock the approximate time period this game is set in to be 1800 - 1850, the pro-democratic and anti-imperialistic tones are fine with me given they parallel what happened in the real world.

I don't like it when a piece of work is used as an excuse to lecture audiences on contemporary hot-button political issues; not only does that make the work very dated, viewers will either agree or disagree with the message it's sending. They're either preaching to the choir or making people roll their eyes, in other words. While entertainment can be used for political posturing, I don't like it when that's the main point of the work; no matter how strongly held the beliefs of the author(s) / producer(s) may be a piece of entertainment still needs to be, you know, entertaining.

The only case I can see of socio-political commentary being a little too heavy-handed for my taste is Yotsuyu's character arc, which is a scathing critique of how orphans are treated in Japanese society (and to a lesser degree Japanese society in general). Well that and the Save the Queen questline ("You thought Bozja was a fairly-governed democracy, but gotcha! It was really a highly-stratified caste system run by ubiquitous Corrupt Bigoted Nobles™!"), but I don't hold that against the game's usual writers because... Matsuno, who is well-known for that.

(P.S. I don't have a problem with the anti-imperialist undertones and don't see why the writers wouldn't be "qualified" to use them, given Japan's own sordid history with imperialism.)

[Lauront]

I'm fine with politics being a thing in entertainment (this game included), so long as they are contextually appropriate. Much of this game's world and cultures are derived from real-world history and culture; given I clock the approximate time period this game is set in to be 1800 - 1850, the pro-democratic and anti-imperialistic tones are fine with me given they parallel what happened in the real world.

I don't like it when a piece of work is used as an excuse to lecture audiences on contemporary hot-button political issues; not only does that make the work very dated, viewers will either agree or disagree with the message it's sending. They're either preaching to the choir or making people roll their eyes, in other words. While entertainment can be used for political posturing, I don't like it when that's the main point of the work; no matter how strongly held the beliefs of the author(s) / producer(s) may be a piece of entertainment still needs to be, you know, entertaining.

Agreed with all that.

[vormela]

The entire idea of calamities is that they end civilizations in the way we imagine civilization development and "uncivilized peoples" AKA beastmen to be since like the Enlightenment era and going back to Greece and beyond.

I don't see how a story based on civilization-ending calamities and religiosity and factions can not be political. That someone can take a history class and come out of it not understanding historical lenses, paradigm shifts, etc...it says a lot about the state of education and critical thinking.

I do like the idea posited that the way the politics works is within a specific historical timeframe. That seems like the best way to approach it. That makes it so we can still escape our present situation and fantasize.

Video games are escapist, and this game definitely is written with the MMORPG medium considered and pivotal to the story, as best exemplified by the Warriors of Light archetype in 5.3...we are all warriors of light even IRL just like the dopes at the Crystarium because we have played the game/seen the meteor shower... but if we don't do anything IRL that is Azem-like then are we truly warriors of light? This is so meta but I just know they are cognizant of these things while writing and it is these things that make me love the story so much more, even if they remove some of the fantasy.

Does anyone else have these ideas or is it just me? I don't know, maybe I am going insane. Their message wasn't lost to me in that scene. It made me verrry self-aware and not feeling fantastical at all for a brief instant. Just chef's kiss mwah A++ would play again even with politics.

[Kesey]

In before Garlemald's citizens had to be tempered because they demanded better roads and more job growth beyond the military.

[Cleretic]

The entire idea of calamities is that they end civilizations in the way we imagine civilization development and "uncivilized peoples" AKA beastmen to be since like the Enlightenment era and going back to Greece and beyond.

I don't see how a story based on civilization-ending calamities and religiosity and factions can not be political. That someone can take a history class and come out of it not understanding historical lenses, paradigm shifts, etc...it says a lot about the state of education and critical thinking.

I do like the idea posited that the way the politics works is within a specific historical timeframe. That seems like the best way to approach it. That makes it so we can still escape our present situation and fantasize.

Video games are escapist, and this game definitely is written with the MMORPG medium considered and pivotal to the story, as best exemplified by the Warriors of Light archetype in 5.3...we are all warriors of light even IRL just like the dopes at the Crystarium because we have played the game/seen the meteor shower... but if we don't do anything IRL that is Azem-like then are we truly warriors of light? This is so meta but I just know they are cognizant of these things while writing and it is these things that make me love the story so much more, even if they remove some of the fantasy.

Does anyone else have these ideas or is it just me? I don't know, maybe I am going insane. Their message wasn't lost to me in that scene. It made me verrry self-aware and not feeling fantastical at all for a brief instant. Just chef's kiss mwah A++ would play again even with politics.

I mean, I agree but not quite on the train you're saying. I think every form of storytelling is inherently political because it's impossible to NOT have some form of the writer's own views leak in somewhere. Not always in terms of what happens, but in terms of what's considered important and values.

I like the Calamities as an example, because 'world got wrecked' appears to be a fairly apolitical situation; everyone can agree that's bad. But how it happens, what's valued afterwards, what's seen as the biggest losses, that's where the political side of things. The Seventh Umbral Calamity was caused by military imperialism (and to a lesser extent a previous imperialist subjugation). The worst of it was stopped, but there are still wounds, yet despite the more physical effects of disaster upon the landscape, what's mourned is more the people lost. So immediately we're looking at an anti-imperialist narrative that values human lives, both in terms of the tragedy of death and the pains of subjugation by an imperial force. None of that's necessarily controversial (unless you're a terrible person), but it's also by no means points that aren't required to be said anymore.

[ChocoPuni]

The entire idea of calamities is that they end civilizations in the way we imagine civilization development and "uncivilized peoples" AKA beastmen to be since like the Enlightenment era and going back to Greece and beyond.

I don't see how a story based on civilization-ending calamities and religiosity and factions can not be political. That someone can take a history class and come out of it not understanding historical lenses, paradigm shifts, etc...it says a lot about the state of education and critical thinking.

I do like the idea posited that the way the politics works is within a specific historical timeframe. That seems like the best way to approach it. That makes it so we can still escape our present situation and fantasize.

Video games are escapist, and this game definitely is written with the MMORPG medium considered and pivotal to the story, as best exemplified by the Warriors of Light archetype in 5.3...we are all warriors of light even IRL just like the dopes at the Crystarium because we have played the game/seen the meteor shower... but if we don't do anything IRL that is Azem-like then are we truly warriors of light? This is so meta but I just know they are cognizant of these things while writing and it is these things that make me love the story so much more, even if they remove some of the fantasy.

Does anyone else have these ideas or is it just me? I don't know, maybe I am going insane. Their message wasn't lost to me in that scene. It made me verrry self-aware and not feeling fantastical at all for a brief instant. Just chef's kiss mwah A++ would play again even with politics.

This reminds me when I was begging for help in FF XIV and all the "warriors of light" wouldn't even message me, lol. It's all a roleplay

[vormela]

I am glad someone else was affected IRL! We just have to share the good when it comes our way!

This game to me is amazing in its depth and its continued tone and focus on hope and goodwill (outside of religious fervor while still respecting people's connection to a higher power or stories that give their lives meaning). And that the message spans languages and cultures is a relief in this day and age.

I thought I was being stupid and obsessive until you posted that so thanks. I often get isolated in my mind and it is nice to know someone else is out there. XD Which is what an MMO has always been about IMHO. I am reminded not to take upvotes too seriously here.

[Cleretic]

This game to me is amazing in its depth and its continued tone and focus on hope and goodwill (outside of religious fervor while still respecting people's connection to a higher power or stories that give their lives meaning). And that the message spans languages and cultures is a relief in this day and age.

While not really related to the subject of political ideology, I think the game is really smart and really sensitive about how they handle religion. Specifically, it recognizes the dangers of religious extremism, but also recognizes that such a thing comes from real circumstances, often oppression, and that those who fall into that extremism are no less victims of the circumstances because of it.

...well, either that or you get a power-hungry charismatic leader who's got extremely awful plans. But that's also very realistic, as well as very sensitive to the people who fall into that for reasons of genuine belief (for example, the Heaven's Ward).

I think a lot of people get led astray on that concept because of that one line in Stormblood that's pretty seriously at odds with the rest of the game's writing; "Just know I'll kill your god if I have to. Maybe even if I don't." That makes a lot of people think the game's just blanket anti-religion and anti-gods, which it's... really not. And incidentally, I wonder if the line reads that poorly in other languages, or if it's just English.