Yotsuyu's story is a masterful postcolonial feminist critique of female oppression

[TitanMenII]

I'm definitely not taking anything away from the women who helped pave the way for those who came after them. Credit is due where credit is earned without question. However, when you say women have had to work so much harder to progress up professional ladders is where I take issue. The reason for that is because in order for women to have those opportunities in the first place, men had to live, survive, and die in the most bloody and violent national conflicts that have been recorded in our history. It's an acknowledgment that continues to get erased as women break through their "glass ceilings".

The thing is, it's still happening now. Here, in western civilization. Men continue to be the backbone of society that everyone takes for granted, and nobody thinks about. They are building the roads and railways. Excavating the fuel resources used to power, cool, and heat our homes. Pilot transportation vehicles. Run the electric grids, and remove the crap left by your neighbors so you have clean water to drink and shower with. They do all the high risk, heavy lifting labor, and more of them have job related fatalities per year, per capita, per demographic. Yet, nowadays everyone takes a giant steaming dump on them telling them they're not worth anything, while still expecting them to do what they do best.

If the crap hits the fan, and another WW breaks out, what's left of the world's "toxic masculinity" will be on the front lines, and the first to die. Meanwhile these corporate boss babes will be complaining about a shortage of toilet paper in the stores.

I definitely don't want this to come out as man vs woman thing, but like I said earlier, credit is due where credit is earned. Politics and corporate top guns is the last place I'm going to look to find the world's most valuable men AND women. When you look here, you'll find the most vile, corrupt, money and power hungry evil that couldn't care less about the people they govern. I would instead look towards strong families with prominent male and female figures within them, working together and loving each other in order to endure the worst life has to throw at them.

Why do you side with the oppressors?

[CerusSerenade]

It's funny how so many people are complaining that this is either inaccurate somehow, or is just "leftist" or something to that effect.

Did none of you read the story going in Stormblood when you were playing it?

Yotsuyu was literally sold into sex slavery AS A CHILD.

[JohnLakeside]

I just started SB, but I found OP's post and the genuine replies to it interesting. Regardless of whether OP is a troll, it's strange seeing comments dismissing an attempt to discuss how a story about imperialism....portrays imperialism. I think most players can agree that the story, while character driven, is also thematically dense. It would be a waste to dismiss or hinder genuine discussion.

On that thought, am I totally off-base for feeling like this game is showing us a fantasy/idealized version neoliberalism? After all, neoliberalism, as an economic and ethical theory, is quite nice. Although in real world terms it's more of an ideology or strategy than mere theory, I'd still be 100% down for that type of story development if done right (somehow). I just got to the part in SB where we meet the East Aldenard Company (a reference to the irl East Indian Company and its storied involvements with various colonial projects) and I don't think it's a coincidence or just a convenient narrative tool that Lolorito (who in ARR and HW was an embodiment of radical liberal economics imo) is now the chairperson of the East Aldenard Trading Company.

Maybe the game goes in a completely different direction and I could be wrong, but I'd love to hear the thoughts of other players who had similar or differing reactions from mine.

In case anyone's interested, here's a quick rundown from Britannica of what the East Indian Company was: "It was an English company formed for the exploitation of trade with East and Southeast Asia and India. Although it started as a monopolistic trading body, it became involved in politics and acted as an agent of British imperialism in India from the early 18th century to the mid-19th century."

[sindriiisgaming]

It's not that deep bro

[rawker]

Divorce real life issues with gaming. Save this game from the garbage that's happening to modern gaming. I just want to enjoy the game and not preached on how terrible of a person i am just because I am a man.

[JohnLakeside]

It's not that deep bro

Maybe, but interviews with the writers, Oda and Ishikawa, more than suggest that there is deeper storytelling going on than popcorn entertainment for the average teenage gamer. Oda himself has said that he was inspired by all the history books he reads and wants to portray the realities of various irl geopolitical conflicts in the game. Oda even states that his university studies in Philosophy and Ideology played a role in how he wrote the story.

https://www.4gamer.net/games/199/G019924/20210810055/

https://www.rpgsite.net/interview/88...-and-banri-oda

"Oda: Final Fantasy XIV's approach to reflecting real-world issues is influenced by Tactics Ogre. There is an element of massacre there, and if I didn't play this game the approach to Final Fantasy XIV's story would have been different. Tactics Ogre has a story that includes ethnic cleansing that greatly influenced my desire to reflect real-life conflicts and issues to make Final Fantasy XIV more realistic."

Granted, in 2016 Oda did say he would like to make simpler stories, but that's in contradiction to his more recent statements.

Divorce real life issues with gaming. Save this game from the garbage that's happening to modern gaming. I just want to enjoy the game and not preached on how terrible of a person i am just because I am a man.

Fair enough, how people enjoy a game is their business and valid. But in view of Oda explicitly saying that he wanted to reflect real-life conflicts and issues, divorcing real life issues from FFXIV seems kinda contrary to the spirit of the game, or at least its writing.

[Valence]

I just started SB, but I found OP's post and the genuine replies to it interesting. Regardless of whether OP is a troll, it's strange seeing comments dismissing an attempt to discuss how a story about imperialism....portrays imperialism. I think most players can agree that the story, while character driven, is also thematically dense. It would be a waste to dismiss or hinder genuine discussion.

On that thought, am I totally off-base for feeling like this game is showing us a fantasy/ideal version neoliberalism? I just got to the part in SB where we meet the East Aldenard Trading Company (a reference to the irl East Indian Trading Company) and I don't think it's a coincidence or just a convenient narrative tool that Lolorito (who in ARR and HW was an embodiment of radical liberal economics imo) is now the chairperson of the East Aldenard Trading Company.

Maybe the game goes in a completely different direction and I could be wrong, but in case I'm not, I'd love to hear the thoughts of other players who had similar or differing reactions from mine.

The lack of historical and political education is pretty showing in a lot of replies.

[Dazren]

"Location: Half-white, half-PoC, 2SLGBTQIA+, he/they, gender-questioning, poly/ace and also homoromantic"

was all I needed to see to know this was a troll thread.

[Rekh]

I just started SB, but I found OP's post and the genuine replies to it interesting. Regardless of whether OP is a troll, it's strange seeing comments dismissing an attempt to discuss how a story about imperialism....portrays imperialism. I think most players can agree that the story, while character driven, is also thematically dense. It would be a waste to dismiss or hinder genuine discussion.

On that thought, am I totally off-base for feeling like this game is showing us a fantasy/idealized version neoliberalism? After all, neoliberalism, as an economic or ethical theory, is quite nice. Although in real world terms it's more of an ideology or strategy than mere theory, I'd still be 100% down for that type of story development if done right (somehow). I just got to the part in SB where we meet the East Aldenard Company (a reference to the irl East Indian Company and its storied involvements with various colonial projects) and I don't think it's a coincidence or just a convenient narrative tool that Lolorito (who in ARR and HW was an embodiment of radical liberal economics imo) is now the chairperson of the East Aldenard Trading Company.

Maybe the game goes in a completely different direction and I could be wrong, but I'd love to hear the thoughts of other players who had similar or differing reactions from mine.

In case anyone's interested, here's a quick rundown from Britannica of what the East Indian Company was: "It was an English company formed for the exploitation of trade with East and Southeast Asia and India. Although it started as a monopolistic trading body, it became involved in politics and acted as an agent of British imperialism in India from the early 18th century to the mid-19th century."

A lot of it is related. Yoship confessed a while ago that endwalker was influenced by the "planneddemic." So in concrete fact RL has some influence in the game's writing. Dawntrail is basically 1500s trip to north/south america.
Some, however, are afraid of history for interesting reasons.

[Araxes]

Titanman’s ears can’t hear right, no wonder with all that bullcrap between them.


“Westward lies bleed t'ward the east
Wayward daughter, step into the night
Restless eyes, blind to the beast
Barren waters yield unto the tide”

https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Wayward_Daughter

Titanmen always uses false info, lies and over exaggeration to lure in people to think he actually wants to move something. He just wants attention which he gets.

The Song lyrics and their meaning:

“Westward lies bleed t'ward the east" She is made to believe that power will get her what she wants
"Wayward daughter, step into the night" She becomes a Primal representing night and moonlight
"Restless eyes, blind to the beast" She is blind to the fact that the Primal power eats away at her consciousness, slowly erasing her personality.
"Barren waters yield unto the tide” No Tears left to cry, hate and violence are all she has to give now.

Also: this is a story in a video Game. Please see it as such and do not try to link EVERYTHING to Real life People.

There are no actual Cat or Lizard People when you look outside.