tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67245546739294492142024-02-19T17:43:25.722-08:00Assassin's Creed: InspirationsLoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-52169771122709425072018-03-05T09:25:00.000-08:002018-03-05T09:51:02.469-08:00The Creed and the Sanctity of Consciousness<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a scene in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag in which the pirate Charles Vane is trying to enlist the aid of Edward Thatch (Blackbeard) in his crusade against Governor Woodes Rogers. Thatch declines preferring to retire from the life. Later, Edward Kenway shares his thoughts on the matter saying, “I'm not of the same mind, mate. But I won't begrudge you the state of yours”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It seems a throwaway line, but it made an impact on me. In fact, I would put it among in my favourite lines from the series. So why is this statement so important? While researching my previous essay outlining the theory of the Zoroastrian origins of the Assassin, I stumbled upon a concept that I call the sanctity of consciousness and immediately remembered that line from Kenway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The word sanctity means holy or “set apart”. In other words, it is something special and worthy of unique consideration. For example, a holy mountain is considered special by those who see it as significant among mountains. To say that consciousness is holy is to recognise that human consciousness is something unique and special to be treated with consideration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is not to say that every point of view is valid, or right, or not bat-shit crazy. A person may say things or behave in a manner that seem totally insane to us. However, to them, it is perfectly reasonable. Their consciousness is just as rational to them as yours is to you. Observing the sanctity of consciousness is to recognise that this is someone’s personal subjective universe, formed from a lifetime of thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and we have no access to that universe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When Edward Kenway says to Blackbeard, “I'm not of the same mind, mate. But I won't begrudge you the state of yours”, Edward is recognising the sanctity of consciousness. He is saying that even though our subjective universes do not align, I respect your right to agency. To deny a person their agency is say to them, “You are an object to be exploited for my purposes.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An object possesses three aspects: purpose, form, and function. What it lacks is agency. The purpose of a hammer is to hammer, and it has the form necessary to perform this function without any choice in the matter. It hammers only when a user exploits it for its purpose. When we objectify a person we wilfully choose to perceive them as a thing devoid of agency to be exploited for our purposes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These two terms, objectification and exploitation, are used quite a bit in modern socio-political discourse. The word exploitation has some dark connotations, but the word itself simply means “to use”. I exploit objects everyday: chairs, table, and coffee cups. In this context, the words object and exploit work hand-in-hand. Objects exists to be exploited. When we objectify a person, we impose a purpose and function on them, thus denying their agency which we then replace with our own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Given this revelation, it would be easy for the would-be Assassin to declare objectification to be a sin, but it is not as clear cut as that. Objectification is a normal and natural part of being human. The recognition of the sanctity of consciousness serves as more of a gentle reminder that every stranger on the street, every Facebook poster and commentator, and every famous person is a unique consciousness existing in their own subjective reality as the star of their film just as you exist and star in yours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Meta-Subjective</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Creed shows us the distinction between Objective Truth and the Subjective perception of that truth. From here it is a small step to what I call the meta-subjective. The meta-subjective recognizes that beyond the individual perception of Objective reality and the construction of an individual’s unique Subjective reality, there are literally billions of other Subjective realities. Here is another way to compare these concepts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the Objective perspective, your existence is a meaningless spec amid the billions of years and light years that constitute reality. From the Subjective view, you are the centre of everything. Nothing occurs in your existence where you are not involved directly as either actor or observer. You are the hero of the story that is your life, from birth to inevitable decay and death when your universe ends. The Meta-subjective recognises the consciousness in others. Your special and unique Subjective reality is just one of about 7 billion such realities existing simultaneously within the context of one objective reality. You are nothing but an extra, or at best a side character, in someone else's story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jean Paul Sartre illustrated the meta-subjective in what he called “The Look”. Imagine spying on two people when you suddenly notice someone is observing you. In a moment you have moved from being an observer judging another to the one being observed and judged. Notice that Objective reality has not changed, the Universe is indifferent, however your Subjective reality has changed. It was one way when you were the secret observer but became something else when you realised you were discovered. In becoming aware of another consciousness, you were reduced from a state where you were the centre of the universe to one where you are a subject in someone else’s universe. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is one more step in this thought experiment. Suppose the people that you were spying on suddenly become aware of your presence. Now there are three separate subjective universes all focusing on you. How does that feel? Now, not only are you dethroned from your divine status as the centre of your universe, the affect is multiplied by three. Now multiply these “Others” by ten, a hundred, a thousand or a billion-fold. Then you realise the scope of your tiny universe in a sea of other subjective realities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This realisation can easily lead to a form of Existential anxiety not covered by the common Existential angst or crisis. You think you are special until someone in the shop makes you realise that to them you are just some random, annoying customer in their universe. To the number cruncher you are a statistic. To the stranger you are some random, they/them, a thing – an object. As with any object they encounter, you will be either positive, negative, or neutral according to their judgements.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A solitary person existing within his own consciousness enjoys absolute freedom. Once another consciousness is introduced the dynamic changes. In the Garden of Eden story, eating the forbidden fruit granted Adam and Eve consciousness and with that came self-consciousness. They became aware of their nakedness through the awareness and judgement of the Other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A person in this state of hyper-awareness of the Others becomes self-conscious to a degree where they cannot function. The psyche copes with this through the natural process of objectifying others. We perceive people and groups of people as things and not as unique Subjective universes competing with our own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Objectification and Exploitation</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine that you are walking alone upon a paved road cutting through a vast park. It is early morning and the sun it just making itself known but not yet fully manifested casting a blue hue over the scene. Along the road empty benches punctuate the edges where the manicured grass touched the road. Although your senses absorb the environment, your mind is other places. Your focus shifts in seconds through time and space in the universe of your consciousness. You think of an event from childhood; then a scene from the film you saw last night, then the face of someone you once loved, and over it all there is the incessant chattering gibbons in your head. In literature this is call stream of consciousness, the eternal flow of the contents of your psycho-emotional make-up. This is your world. It is your unique universe. It is this thing that you call you, and you are the master of this realm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Suddenly, your thoughts are disturbed. Ahead of you along the road on a bench sits an old man staring into the distance at some unknown thing. At first you are startled by the unexpected presence of another, then you wonder what he sees. Is he looking at something physical or at an idea in his universe over which he is the master. A universe to which you have no access and can never know. It is at this point that he notices you. You are no longer the silent and unseen observer but the object of another’s gaze -- another’s judgement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The old man on the bench is a thing to us. He is “an old man”. However, in his universe he is Bob Jones with a lifetime of experiences, loves, hopes, fears, and dreams. Where we see an old man, from his perspective he is the same person looking through his eyes now who did so forty years ago. There is a part of him that cannot understand why the beautiful young women who once adored him now see him as invisible. Inside he is twenty but outside he is sixty. He looks at the person walking towards him along the road and wonders what this person thinks of him. Would it disturb him to know that to us he is just, “an old man”?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We choose to perceive him as an object no different from the bench on which he sits. Should the man suddenly stand-up, we can deny his agency still and choose to perceive this as part of the function of the object. This can be extended to include a scenario where the man speaks directly to us. He speaks to us because that is what these objects do sometimes and not because he is an equal other consciousness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is referred to as solipsism, the belief that ours is the only consciousness and other people are like zombies responding to stimuli thus creating the illusion of consciousness where none exists. Of course, if pressed, the solipsistic person would admit that other people have a consciousness too, but in practice they live their lives as if they do not. Solipsism is closely linked to narcissism meaning a person believes that everything is about them. I once heard a story illustrating this where a woman became frantic because a bird was aggressive pecking at her window. She feared that for some reason it was after her. In truth, the bird had found a seed and was using the window to crack it open. The world exists without her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have just presented three approaches to dealing with what Sartre called “The Other”. One in which we acknowledge another’s consciousness through projection, one where we objectify another, and one where we deny their consciousness altogether. The natural state is to objectify; however, it is important to occasionally take a step back and remind yourself that others have their own unique consciousness too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is handy in situations where someone says something cruel or stupid. It is very easy to write them off by identifying this behaviour as being the nature of the object in question, however when we enter our universe and think of the time we said something cruel or stupid and we reexperience the shame or embarrassment of that incident, then we can better make allowances for those behaviours in others. Perhaps this person is thinking, “God, I can’t believe I just said that. This person probably thinks that I’m an idiot.” Through this process we can start to develop things like compassion, respect, forgiveness, and consideration. All these are part of recognising the sanctity of consciousness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The negative is when we completely deny the consciousness of the Other. We see this in narrative fiction where someone is abducted, and another character seeks to humanise the victim to the victimizer. This is done in the hope that if the criminal will acknowledge the consciousness in the victim, then he may let the victim go free and unharmed. We see this everyday on a smaller and less dramatic scale. How often does a cruel comment get posted on Facebook or Twitter with no regard for the consciousness that will be hurt by this cruelty? This is played for laughs on a TV show where celebrities are asked to read aloud mean tweets about them. In a sense it humanises the celebrity as a real person with real feelings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Despite objectification being a normal part of our perception and our experience of reality, we can choose to remind ourselves of the sanctity of consciousness or we can choose to deny it. Likewise, exploitation of objects is also normal. Objects exist to be used and this sometimes includes people we objectify.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Part of the human experience is that we choose to objectify ourselves in exchange for money to be exploited by others. This is commonly referred to as “a job”. The man who drives the city bus is a unique consciousness living in his own subjective universe within which he is the centre, the main character in his story, but to the passengers on the bus he is objectified as simply “the driver” to be exploited for the purpose of reaching their destination. At any point the driver can exert his agency, pull the bus to the side of the road, get out, and walk away, however he chooses to play the role of the driver and be exploited by others for the sake of money that he will use to better his universe when he is not playing the driver. We expect taxi drivers to behave like taxi drivers, salespeople to be salespeople, and waiters to be waiters. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At any point the individuals playing these roles can exert their agency and behave like people rather than an object. That is the difference between normal objects with no agency, like a hammer, and objectified people who ultimately have agency whether this is acknowledged or not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In our mass media age there is a type of objectification that largely goes unnoticed. As an example, let’s look at the difference between Harrison Ford and Indiana Jones. Harrison Ford, a unique consciousness, surrendered his agency to become the object Harrison Ford the actor in exchange for money. He was exploited by directors and photographers for the purpose of creating a character known as Indiana Jones. While Harrison Ford has agency, Indiana Jones does not. He is a fictional character like any other object with purpose, form, and function but without agency. Indiana Jones does not choose what to say or how to act. He cannot choose not to find the Ark of the Covenant in the way our bus driver can choose not to drive his bus. This is decided for him by writers exploiting the character like they would any other object. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Likewise, a model takes part in the creation of a photograph. The model is a person and the photograph is an object, in the same way that Harrison Ford is not Indiana Jones. One is an objectified person and the other is an object. Harrison Ford does not own the copyright to Indiana Jones in the same way that the copyright of the photograph belongs to the photographer and not the model. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It may seem silly to have to point this out because it is so self-evident. No one confuses a picture of a Pamela Anderson with the actual person Pamela Anderson, and yet in practice they might look at the picture and say, “That’s Pamela Anderson”. So here is a question. If someone is being naughty to a picture of Pamela Anderson, then who or what is being exploited? Pamela Anderson or the picture of Pamela Anderson? The answer is the object, the picture, and not the person. This picture may be twenty years old and the model no longer looks like picture. Perhaps the picture has been photoshopped in which case the picture is fictional, and the model is merely the starting point in its creation, like the model who posed for the Mona Lisa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet it is common to hear that the media and advertising objectifies and exploits women. The irony is that this statement is itself objectifying and exploitative to women. The essential argument is that the creation of objects derived from certain women leads to the objectification and exploitation of all women. Some women may not like the fact that other women choose to participate in the creation of an object, a sexy photograph, that other women might find intimidating. However, this does not constitute exploitation beyond the exploitation inherent in having any other job. However, perceiving the world in terms of group identity denies individual agency, and therefore consciousness, which then leads to objectification and exploitation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the third type of objectification and exploitation. The first is self-objectification; the job we chose. The second is the creation of media objects, like fictional film characters or pictures. The third is group objectification. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is natural for people to form groups and it is again natural for people to objectify and judge these groups. The important points to consider are which groups are formed through agency and which are not. I may choose an ideology to believe in or a political movement to be a part, however I did not choose my race, gender, social status at birth, or nationality. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Suppose someone says that not enough women are enrolled in the sciences in university and they want to address this imbalance. Okay, first look at how many women requested to be enrolled in the sciences, how many were denied, and why. If it turns out that only a few women as compared with men chose the sciences, then the problem is that women were exercising their agency in a manner that did not suit someone else’s purposes. At this point is becomes clear that individual women are being objectified as a universal idea of womanhood to be used for someone’s socio-political purpose, in other words, exploited.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a cognitive fallacy known as “No true Scotsman”. It goes like this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Person A: "No Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Person B: "But my uncle Angus is a Scotsman and he puts sugar on his porridge."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Person A: "Ah yes, but no true Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this illustration, Person A is making a statement of fact which Person B refutes with an example. Person A then modifies the original statement in a way that will refute the example. This also applies to group objectification when the illustration can be taken more literally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, someone might say that all Black Americans are Democrats. Someone else might respond saying that there is an entire group of Black Republicans. Yes, but they are Uncle Tom’s, in other words, “they are kissing up to the white man at the expense of their own people”. This is like saying that they are not true African-Americans because they do not conform to my idea of reality or to my expectations. This becomes another example of objectification based on group association and then exploiting the very group that they propose to be protecting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is no such thing as a group consciousness. There are individuals who choose to be part of a group, other groups we are born into, but either way humans are not a hive mind like the Borg in Star Trek. Every person possesses their own special and unique consciousness. Honouring the sanctity of consciousness means reminding ourselves of this fact particularly in this era of identity politics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The sanctity of conscious is not a great discovery by any stretch. People recognise it every day, but not by name. I have always thought that being inconsiderate is the worse bad behaviour. Not because it causes more harm than something like anger or envy, but because it is insidious. An inconsiderate person does not know that they are inconsiderate because they do not consider the consciousness of others. Acknowledging the sanctity of consciousness simply underlines the point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Therefore, it is important to remember the words of Edward Kenway when dealing with the Subjective universes of The Others. “I'm not of the same mind, mate. But I won't begrudge you the state of yours”.</span></div>
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Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-63034651825798782562018-03-04T03:50:00.000-08:002018-03-04T04:21:55.627-08:00Whose Assassin's Creed? -- Looking at AC Origins<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Having completed the main story in the new Assassin’s Creed Origins, I
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The latest instalment of the Assassin’s Creed video game franchise has
hit market and the consensus has been a positive one. I confess that I
approached this game with some reservations. I have written my own theory
regarding the origins of the Assassins based on both the real-life history of
the Assassin’s Creed and clues in the game, both of which consistently point to
an origin in ancient Persia, not Egypt. If I was expecting
disappointment, then I was not let down. From a gameplay standpoint the
game was a very good game, but from a narrative and philosophical perspective
the it failed.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">One of the first essays written for this blog page looked at the idea of
ritualising philosophy. The Assassin’s Creed video game franchise was
able to take an existing philosophy and create ritual, history, mythology, and
symbolism around it. For example, the phrase, “Nothing is true,
Everything is permitted” first entered the English language in the 1960’s, French
in the 1930’s, and German in 1818 where it was referred to as “the secret
doctrine” of the Assassins. The video game series gave this phrase a
proper name, the Assassin’s Creed. It is extremely likely that any future
proper academic study of this phrase will refer to it as the Assassin’s Creed.
That is quite a contribution for a video game series.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I believe that Assassin’s Creed Origins in an attempt to provide an
origin story undermined all that the series has accomplished thus far in
creating this Existentialist lore. The most obvious sins are the break
from canon, the origin of the symbol, the devaluation of the Creed, and even a
misrepresentation of the Templars.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Storytelling has been a means of illustrating philosophy since the
beginning of both disciplines, but video games are not a storyteller’s medium.
A video game is first and foremost a game. As I understand the
process of video game production, the game is pretty much complete before the
writers start and the writing must accommodate the game play. This is in
stark contrast with traditional storytelling where there is no film or play
without a script. These writers begin with a blank page, whereas video
game writers have to work within an obstacle course to tell their story.
This is even more difficult with historical fiction where the story has
to weave through established historical events.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Another obstacle for the writer is canon. Remember the children’s
game where everyone in a circle tells part of a story? Now imagine the
same game except this time the players are writers each telling their piece of
the greater story over many years. On the one hand they want to tell
their own story, but on the other they are bound by the parameters established
by previous writers. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Maintaining a consistent canon has become important to fans in our age
of franchise storytelling. The Star Trek, Star Wars, and Marvel comics
(not cinema) have all rubbed fans the wrong way this past year by releasing
materials that contradict either canon or an individual's idea of how fictional
characters and worlds should be portrayed.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I for one do not envy these creators. Their work is judged by fans
with strong feeling for these stories. The feelings fans have for
fictional characters, and to degree fictional realities, stem from what are
known as parasocial relationships, where the relationship is one sided.
The fan knows all about Han Solo, but Han Solo does not know the fan
exists. Or, to make it a bit more grounded, the person writing Han Solo does
not know the individual fan exists. The stories unfold independent of the
fan and he has no power as to where it will go. Captain America can be
written to say, “Hail Hydra” and fans are powerless to stop it because they do
not own these franchises, the corporations do. As a result, fans feel
betrayed. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The Assassin’s Creed franchise has a very poor track record when it
comes to maintaining a consistent canon, and fans are often forced to do all
sorts of mental gymnastics to keep the greater story consistent.
Assassin’s Creed Origins is no different.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Here’s an example of these gymnastics in action. In Assassin's Creed II
there are seven statues of previous Assassins in the Sanctuary beneath
Monteriggioni. For those who pre-date the setting for Origins, the
Assassin’s Creed Wiki has updated their status from Assassins to
“proto-Assassins” to keep the canon consistent. One might point out that
these statues bear the Assassin symbol on their clothing thus making them true
Assassins. To fix this we now must call this artistic license on the part
of the sculptor because according to the new story the symbol was not created
until 44 BCE. Fans should not have to work this hard to keep a story
straight.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Before AC Origins, the oldest known Assassin in the canon (to my
knowledge) was Darius, who killed King Xerxes I in 465 BCE in Persia.
According to the established lore, he was the first to use the hidden
blade. It has been speculated that this is the blade given to Aya by Cleopatra
who in turn gives it to Bayek in AC Origins. The path of the blade is
easily speculated. Alexander the Great found it in Persia and gave it to
his general Ptolemy where it remained in his family until the last Ptolemaic
ruler of Egypt, Cleopatra, passed it on. So, we can say that some effort
was made to maintain canon. Another connection to canon is the revelation
that the assassin Amunet, depicted among the statues in Monteriggioni, is a
pseudonym used by Aya. Despite these attempts, I still believe that AC
Origins should have been set in 6th century BCE Persia, perhaps with Darius as
the protagonist, but this is not the story the game makers wanted to tell.
They wanted the Egyptian setting and the story was forced into the
existing mould even if it broke the mould in the process.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Assassin’s Creed Black Flag was accused of being a pirate game
masquerading as an Assassin’s Creed game. I found this not to be the case
and consider it to be one of the best in terms of mythology. Origins
however really is just an Egyptian setting posing as an Assassin’s Creed game.
We see no progress of the ideological underpinnings of the Assassins
Brotherhood. There is no great change of character or discovery of
purpose like we see in Edward Kenway. The game is played as Bayek the medjay
until the very end when Aya, his wife, basically lays out the Assassin’s
Brotherhood in full. It has been pointed out by fans that it is Aya who
acquires the hidden blade, creates the Assassin’s symbol, and establishes the
brotherhood, and yet she is not the central protagonist. Bayak
essentially just follows her lead.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Regarding the Assassin’s symbol, I have argued that it is likely a
negative space image of a flame rising from an oil lamp called a diwali.
The flame representing enlightenment and the pursuit of wisdom, a common
theme among the Assassins throughout the series. While researching this I
came upon another theory suggesting that the symbol is a representation of the
palate bone of an eagle. I dismissed this as nonsense and never added it
to my essay on the subject, but lo and behold this is now the canonical
meaning. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In AC Origins, Bayek wears an eagle skull around his neck. When he
rejects his position as medjay he throws it onto a beach. To this point in the
story we are not told why he wears this skull. It is certainly not shown
to be the symbol of his position as medjay. Then Aya, for some unknown
reason, lifts the skull to find the Assassin’s symbol imprinted on the sand and
adopts this imprint as the symbol for “the Hidden Ones”. We the audience
are being told that this is its origin. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">When people unfamiliar with Assassin’s Creed see this “logo”, some
assume it to be the Masonic compass. Other’s simply ask me what it means.
People expect symbols to have meaning. I was comfortable to tell
them it represented the flame of enlightenment rather than something so trivial
as a video game logo. With the first interpretation I was identifying
myself as someone committed to the idea of enlightenment, but the second
meaning trivialises it saying that I am a fan of a corporate product. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">According to the new official meaning the symbol does not mean
enlightenment. It is not symbolic of a flame or even an eagle. It
is the representation of an eagle’s skull. Now it is simply a mark that
refers to the Brotherhood of Assassins. It is effectively now just a logo
that means nothing.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">There is another scene that bothered me where a member of the Order of
Ancients says that Julius Caesar is the Father of Understanding. Before
Origins, the Templars would refer to the Father of Understanding as a sort of
vague higher power. This is in keeping with the conspiracy theory stating
that the Masons are the modern Knights Templar. To be a Mason, the only
religious requirement is a belief in a higher power no matter how vague.
This being is sometimes referred to as the Supreme Architect, or creator.
Ultimately, the Father of Understanding is a god of order. It is right
that the Templars refer to themselves as an order with the word’s double
meaning as both a group of individuals and the concept of order itself, as
opposition to the chaos bred by freedom. Now Origins would have us
believe that their “god” is Julius Caesar, a great general but not a great
philosopher and hardly a father of understanding.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">This trivialisation continues with the Creed itself. For a series
that calls itself Assassin’s Creed, it is amazing how inconsistent the series
is regarding the Creed. As mentioned in previous posts of mine, the
series presents us with two versions and again the fans have to bend over
backwards to make it consistent. One version I call the Assassin’s Code
for clarification. A code is a standard of behaviour whereas a creed is a
belief. The Assassin’s Code is described in the three tenets: hide in
plain sight, do not harm the innocent, and do not betray the brotherhood.
What I see as the Creed is, “Nothing is true, everything is permitted.” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">As with many games before, the characters in AC Origin refer to the
Creed, but never actually speak it, so it is never clear whether they are
referring to the Code or the Creed. The games seem to indicate that the
original Creed was the Code, but after the reformation of the Brotherhood by
Altair it was changed to the Creed, but this is never confirmed in the games.
This leaves us wondering because some games say the one, some games say
the other, and some say nothing at all. In AC Origins we have a scene with
Bayek declaring his commitment to his new creed, but he never actually says
what this new creed is. In another scene, Bayek and Aya speak of
protecting the people and remaining hidden, so it seems their new creed is the
Assassin’s Code. This seems to be consistent with the canon, but we are never
told what this creed is.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">As for the Assassin’s Creed, this is mentioned in two side missions. In
one, Bayek helps a stutterer who later has no stutter. When Bayek asks
about this he is told that the speaker only stutters when he is nervous.
Bayek responds by saying, “I suppose nothing is true”. The other
scene involves a storyteller who tells a highly embellished story which he
claimed to be true. When Bayek questions this he is told that when
telling a story “everything is permitted”. These two scenes felt like
being struck in face by a contrived Easter egg that trivialised the
philosophical importance of the Creed.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">With what I have written thus far it may seem that I did not like the
game. I did like it, but only as video game. I felt that not only
did it fail to contribute any meaning to the lore, it completed disregarded or
trivialised it. It highlighted the divide between the Assassin’s Creed
franchise and the philosophy that once supported it. Ubisoft owns the
rights to Assassin’s Creed and they are the ones to decide the story and the
meanings. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The human soul is essentially made of story. Stories are the
language of consciousness. Our past and future are nothing more than
stories we tell ourselves. The same holds true for our hopes, dreams, and
fears. Therefore, we form an affinity for the stories that resonate with
us, but sometimes that we forget that they are not our stories and we are left
disappointed when the storytellers remind us of that fact.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The stories of King Arthur, Robin Hood, and Sherlock Holmes are part of
our collective culture. Sure, King Arthur and Robin Hood are from
legends, but a character like Sherlock Holmes only entered the public domain in
2014. If not for countless court cases, characters like Superman, Batman,
Mickey Mouse, and Bugs Bunny would all be public domain characters by now.
Star Trek just turned 50 and traditionally copyrights expired after 35-70
years, but I doubt very much that the Enterprise crew will become public domain
after 2037.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">So, we find ourselves in an interesting position. On the one hand
we psychologically bond with these stories, but on the other, they are not our
stories with which to bond. It is kind of like renting your home instead
of buying it. You have an emotional attachment to the place, but
ultimately it is not yours. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Ubisoft is a games company and they are in the business of making
entertaining video games. If the trend means having the Assassins wear
pink tutus they will do it. It just so happens that at present they are
aligning their stories to existent history and philosophy that forms a core
belief system that transcends into the real world, and yet I feel Origins took
a major step backward in that regard. In other words, it was a great game
but not a great story from the lore perspective. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I was reminded that Assassin’s Creed may be owned by Ubisoft and as the
owners and caretakers of that lore they decide its origins, however, before
there was Assassin’s Creed, there was the Assassin’s Creed and that belongs to
us all.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-74026919606278547142017-08-12T06:10:00.001-07:002017-08-12T06:12:01.892-07:00Ezio's Creed<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The year is 1511 and the place the winding streets of Constantinople. The Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze, age 52, is escorting his future wife, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sofia Sartor, to their destination when she asks him about the Assassin’s Creed. Ezio speaks the words, “Nothing is True; Everything is Permitted.” The phrase strikes her as being rather cynical, but then Ezio goes on to explain: </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-a2ff94d7-d68f-efa7-3af4-524618b9e297" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It would be if it were doctrine. But it is merely an observation of the nature of reality. To say that nothing is true, is to realize that the foundations of society are fragile, and that we must be the shepherds of our own civilization. To say that everything is permitted, is to understand that we are the architects of our actions, and that we must live with their consequences, whether glorious or tragic.”</span></blockquote>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we speak of secret societies, like the Assassins, we associate them with manipulating events from the shadows to further their mysterious goals. I see it a bit differently. I believe that such societies may also safeguard dangerous ideas and control how these ideas are interpreted.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Creed may once been such a secret, but it has entered the public sphere over the last hundred years. As such it has been used by people like the beat poet William S. Burroughs to justify nihilism and hedonism. I believe the writers of Assassin’s Creed have been successful in reclaiming the original prescribed meaning of the Creed as something more and this is illustrated by Ezio’s description of the Creed found in Assassin’s Creed Revelation.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ezio’s first point is that the Creed is not doctrine. We see this repeatedly in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Edward Kenway observes, "It might be that this idea is only the beginning of Wisdom, and not its final form." Minerva also addresses this when outlining Desmond Miles’ potential post-apocalyptic future by describing how good ideas become transformed into doctrines and then twisted into messages contrary their their original meaning, like the Creed.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Creed is not hard, fast doctrine and is not to be taken literally otherwise it does become cynical, nihilistic, and hedonistic. Instead it must be treated as a mere observation on the nature of reality that we must learn to accept.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the statement, “Nothing is true” Ezio extrapolates the lesson that the foundations of society are fragile and that we must be the shepherds of our own civilization. How did he get from point A to B? A good place to start is understanding the difference between objective and subjective reality. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Objective Reality is the world that is. This is the reality governed by the laws of science, reason, and logic. The Creed does not deny this truth. Gravity is, whether you believe it or not. Subjective Reality is the world as each individual perceives it with their beliefs, biases, value judgements and imposed meanings. This is the truth the Creed rejects. Far too often people present their subjective beliefs as objective truths. This is a dangerous confounding of reality. Objective truths exists regardless of human consciousness, but the products of human consciousness, like society and its institutions, do not. Societies, nation-states, and civilizations are ostensibly real, but ultimately they are all the products of human consciousness that will cease to exist without human belief. This makes them fragile.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the heart of the Creed is the Existentialist belief that nothing has inherent meaning and that all meaning is imposed upon things by individuals, therefore we must find the “best” meanings to bestow. Ezio extends this process to include human civilization placing the followers of the Creed in the role of shepherds helping to protect and guide individuals toward assigning the “best” meaning to support this fragile idea.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You may have notice that I placed the word best in quotes. Whenever someone makes a value judgement by saying something is good, bad, or the best, we need to determine their criteria. Ezio places the Assassins in the role of shepherd, but does not say to what end or purpose. Throughout the Assassin’s Creed franchise is is made clear that the goal of the Assassins is wisdom. The good is the wise and the moral is the rational. As Mary Read said, “We're Assassins and we follow a creed, aye. But it does not command us to act or submit - only to be wise.” We also have the appearance of Minerva, the Roman goddess of Wisdom, as a member of the precursor race, and this conversation Ezio is having with Sofia, whose name means wisdom.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What then is wisdom? There are countless answers to that question. My answer is that wisdom is simply knowing how the world works and learning to apply that knowledge effectively according to the rules of Objective Reality. Of course no one can know everything, so we must take a scientific attitude towards life by which we can change course in the light of new information backed by objective facts and reason. This is part of another interpretation of the Creed in which nothing is true is also applied to scientific truths. Our scientific knowledge is based on the information at hand but can change with new information. So we must be psychologically prepared to change our beliefs at a moment’s notice.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From this apparently cynical statement that nothing is true, Ezio positions the Assassins as the shepherds of civilization guiding them to wisdom. This is in keeping with a statement from Ezio in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, where he says, “One must choose to search for truth. Forcing it on others accomplishes little”. Assassins are not in the business of imposing their ideas on others through the use of social institutions but rather acting as guides from the shadows working in the dark to serve the light.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ezio’s analysis of the second half of the Creed is more straight-forward. Everything is permitted seems like a call to hedonism. In the 1960’s this translated into the phrase, “If it feels good, do it” which drove the hippie culture of the time and the sexual revolution that followed. But if you take a moment to consider this half of the Creed you find that this is not an accurate interpretation.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ezio says, “To say that everything is permitted, is to understand that we are the architects of our actions, and that we must live with their consequences, whether glorious or tragic.” There are a few points being made here. The first is that we are the architects of our actions. Notice the use of the word architect. This implies a creative force and decision making process within the confines of Objective Reality. An architect’s designs must take the forces of nature into account or the building will collapse, likewise we must make our choices according to the limitations of Objective Reality to avoid negative outcomes. You may choose to leap from a tall building, there is nothing stopping you, but the forces of nature will pull you to the ground and you have no say it that.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Actions have consequences. This is the nature of reality and the power to act as you choose does not negate this. Reality as we understand it is the product of a complex chain of action and consequence reaching back to the beginning of existence with every individual choice ever made by every person who ever was comprising each link. The Sanskrit language has a single word to describe this -- karma.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This recognition of consequence makes the Creed both an affirmation and a warning. The affirmation encourages us to liberate ourselves from the limitations born from fear, doubt, law, or moral restraints to rise above and achieve glory. The warning is twofold. Our choices may bring tragic consequences to ourselves or others. The second reminds us that other people have the same freedom to act as we do and their actions may have dire consequences for ourselves or others, so we must drive defensively through life. </span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So how do you choose the right actions to gain glory and avoid tragedy? This concept of right action is covered by the branch of philosophy called Ethics. In this context, Ezio does not provide any instruction. He does not tell us how we should act. This is expected given his speech at the Bonfire of the Vanities in Assassin's Creed II where he declared,</span></div>
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"We don't need anyone to tell us what to do...We are free to follow our own path. There are those who will take that freedom from us, and too many of you gladly give it...Choose your own way. Do not follow me or anyone else."</span></blockquote>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This brings us back to the only admonition to action that the Assassins provide. Be wise. The Creed is a starting point. To be wise you must first empty your mind of certainty of everything you think you know and the ego attached to it. Nothing is true. Only then can you critically develop new ways of thinking divorced from cognitive biases, preconceived notions, and prejudices. This is like the famous Buddhist analogy of emptying the cup before it can be filled. In the spirit of opening new mental attitudes, we find new opportunities for action by breaking unproductive habits and not succumbing to the comfort found in following the common wisdom of the herd. </span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Far from being cynical, as Sofia first observed, the Creed is an observation, a guide, and a gateway to a new way of thinking and acting. Once we recognise that the world as we know it is built upon something as fragile as thought, we can then use those ideas as shepherds and architects to guide the world to something truly enlightening. This is Ezio’s Creed.</span></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-47149826860913600352017-01-13T08:03:00.000-08:002017-04-08T13:16:37.188-07:00Assassin's Creed -- The Movie<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Assassin’s Creed film has finally arrived to the sounds of boos from critics and fans alike. It currently sits with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 17% as the latest in a long line of video game to movie flops. A few reviewers whom I watch on a regular basis placed it in their top ten worst film lists. I decided to avoid the film and wait for the Netflix premier, but a few impassioned Youtube fans encouraged me to make-up my own mind and see it. As someone who has been writing about the philosophy behind the Assassin’s Creed games for over six years now, for me – personally – this was one of the best films of 2016. So, what did I see that the critics and fans missed? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First -- a quick disclaimer. What I’m writing here is not a review of the film, but really the same sort of analysis that I apply to the Assassin’s Creed games in my other articles. So, yes…spoilers.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The critics all praised the acting, the directing, and the action sequences in the film, but collectively criticised the unlikable, boring characters and the baffling storyline. It could be argued that the critics simply did not understand the film as it was told in the language of the game with concepts like the Assassins, Templars, artefacts of Eden, and the animus being alien to them and not fully elaborated on in the film, however fans turned their backs on it as well. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As for the fan reaction, I have noticed three types of Assassin’s Creed fans. The ones who are into gameplay and enjoy jumping off rooftops and stabbing people in the face, those who are into the story and the lore, and finally those who are into the philosophical messages and themes behind it all. Of course you can enjoy more than one element, so there is overlap, but most people would fall primarily into one category or another. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For those fans of the gameplay, the film delivers through the historical sequences, but they complained that this is only a small fraction of the film. They were given a taste of the film they wanted but never got. Fans primarily of the story and lore got their service too in the form of Easter eggs scattered throughout the film. What no one expected from Assassin’s Creed was a film made for that minority third type of fan in the form of a psychological drama with socio-political overtones.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fans expected Assassin’s Creed to be an action-based historical romance, the same genre as the games, where the modern story serves as a frame for the real historical story that the game-makers wanted to tell. The “protagonist” of the first five games is Desmond Miles, but he just sits in the animus the whole time with all of the action happening in the past. That said, we do see Desmond grow throughout these games with the expectation that the series would eventually shift gears to give us a modern Assassin’s tale with Desmond as the hero, but this promise was never fulfilled and ended with Desmond’s shoehorned death. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The film takes a different approach by telling the modern story the games never delivered. The relationship between past and present is reversed with the past serving to inform and move the present day story. Many fans were disappointed with this change in perspective, especially since it reduced the Assassins of the Spanish Inquisition to action sequences and did not fully developed characters. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why did the filmmakers shift the genre from historical romance to a modern psychological drama? It was a risky decision that did not pay off for them. I see two reasons. The first is that it is easy to view history as fiction simply because it is the past. By setting the game primarily in the modern, that wall is broken down and strengthens the Templar and Assassins metaphor in terms of the films socio-political message and call to action. The second reason has to do with how the filmmakers re-thought the animus.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the games Sean, Rebecca, and Lucy all speak of the dangers of the animus and the harmful toll it can take on the psyche, but we never really see it. We see that Clay Kaczmarek, Subject 16, drew crazy shit on the walls and we are told that he lost his mind, but that is about it. Lucy speaks of the dangers of the bleeding effect, but this plot line is completely dropped. I had thought while playing the game that eventually Desmond would learn to use the bleeding effect to his advantage and summon the power of his ancestors when outside the animus, but this never happened. However, it does happen in the film.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">The film explores how experiencing the animus would affect a person’s mind. Imagine if such a device existed. The subject would experience the thoughts and feelings of another person. No big deal right? Fact is that a person’s entire psycho-emotional grasps on reality would be broken down. This pairs with John Locke’s memory theory of identity. He wrote that identity exists within the context of consciousness and consciousness is connected to memory. </span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is a common trope in science fiction where a person’s (or android’s) identity is called into question when it is discovered that their memories are false. What the animus does by visceral exposure to another’s memories is create a psychological blending that undermines an individual’s sense of identity. Basically, the person no longer knows where their identity stops and the other person’s starts. There is a scene where one of the animus subjects introduces himself to Calum by the name of his ancestor as if he could not distinguish the two identities. Other subjects were not so fortunate as the experience caused a complete psychological breakdown rendering them psychotic. </span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is compounded by the bleeding effect, which became a key concept in the film. Adding to the problem of merging memories, and therefore identity, there is a manifestation of these memories as real time visions. The result is that exposure to the animus causes both an identity breakdown and a collapse in the perception of reality.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What we have here is a forced Existential Crisis where the character realizes that everything that he believed to be true, himself and the reality in which he operates, to be a construct that can collapse. We have two choices in these situations. We can either fight that realisation and become psychotic or accept it to become empowered, which is what Calum Lynch does when he successfully achieves the leap of faith with full synchronisation with his ancestor Aguilar.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the main character’s psychological journey. A story is a person with a problem and how that problem is resolved. Once the problem is no longer a problem, the story ends. The person with a problem in Assassin’s Creed is Calum Lynch. As a young boy, he entered his home to find his mother’s throat cut. In his shocked state, his father suddenly appears wearing the trademark Assassin’s hood. He tells Calum, “your blood is not your own” and orders him to flee just as several police vehicles arrive on the scene. Calum’s problem is that he does not understanding what happened. His world suddenly fell apart -- again an existential crisis. Why did his father suddenly murder his mother? The problem is resolved not when he learns why, but when he truly understands why on a psycho-emotional level. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Both of Calum’s parents were secretly Assassins. We see this quite often in the games, such as with Ezio Auditore and Haytham Kenway who were both ignorant of their parent’s hidden life. The police vehicles that arrived were actually Templars, the ancient enemies of the Assassins, and Calum’s father killed his mother at her requests to spare her being captured and experimented on at the Abstergo labs. So for Calum to reach resolution, he must first come to understand the Assassin’s, their devotion to the Creed, and why they were willing to sacrifice everything they loved for it. Every event in the film works to this end. The conclusion comes when Calum finally reaches that state of acceptance.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This brings us to the central theme of the film. The Templars and the Assassins represent two groups in society which can be conveniently split politically between right and left, or the establishment and the anti-establishment. The establishment believes that the wise should rule. Today, the establishment takes two opposing forms. One that defines wisdom primarily by success and the other primarily by intelligence. In both cases, they believe that the populations needs to be controlled and they do so with the consent of the people who want to be ruled by “the good king” who will make everything better. The games and the film both depict these good and bad Templars. The bad Templars who simply want power over others and the good Templars do the exact same thing, but sincerely believe that they do so to help others.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The anti-establishment rejects both positions. They believe that every individual person is free to make their own choices without force or coercion. A person cannot be made to be good. Goodness is a choice. They also believe that every person is accountable for their actions. Traditionally, this would have been the position of the Left. However, since the turn of the 20</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Century the “good Templars” have moved themselves into that position in the minds of the people. What most people think of as the Right or the Left today are just the two forms of the establishment – the two types of Templars. The true anti-establishment is more like the libertarians politically.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the film, the Templars want to end violence by destroying free will. There is a critical scene where the Templar Master and the head of Abstergo are discussing tactics. The Master wants to abandon the search for the means of destroying free will because they have already accomplished their goal. First they tried religion, then politics, and now consumerism and this has worked. People care more about preserving their lifestyle than they do about civil liberties. This is the core message of the film. The Templars have won because you – the viewer – have chosen not to make sacrifices to fight for freedom.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I noticed a few critics missed the importance of this scene. They approached the film as a traditional macguffin plot seeing who will get the Apple of Eden, but the chief baddie says straight-out that they do not need it. All the Apple is to the Templar leadership is a vanity project that is costing too much money.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Creed is mentioned a few times in the film, but there is no scene going into its deeper meaning. I first thought this was an omission that created confusion for the first-time viewers, then I realised that the film is not preaching the Creed. It is preaching the concept of freedom and is using the Creed as a metaphor. When the Assassins say things like, the Creed comes first or the Creed is more important than love, what is really being said here is that freedom comes first and is more important than love. To be more specific, it is more important than the things we love. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This addresses the control by consumerism mentioned before. We love our things: our cars, homes, electronics, etc. We love the things that comprise our lifestyles. The film is telling us that our freedom is more important than these things that we love and we must be willing to sacrifice them if we want to be free as they are the instrument of our slavery.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seeing as this is the core message of the film, we are presented with two different layers. Calum through his ancestor Aguilar learns the lesson of sacrifice for the Creed. In this he understands why his father sacrificed his mother and points him to the sacrifices he must make going forward. We the audience learn through Calum’s journey the lesson of sacrifice for freedom and the sacrifices we must make going forward.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a scene where a guard tells Calum the origin of the word Assassin. He tells him that the word is derived from the Hashashin meaning outcasts. This is generally accepted. The word hashashin literally means hash user, but the connotation of the word was outcast or low-life. The more modern and academically accepted theory is that the word is derived from Assasyun, meaning “those faithful to the foundation”. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Consider then that the Templars have created a means of controlling people through consumerism. There is the basic human need for food, shelter, and clothing, security, and entertainment (mental, emotional, and physical stimulation), but once those needs are fulfilled, then what comes next? Abraham Mazlow suggests in his hierarchy of values that we then move on to higher values like self-actualisation, but the real world shows us that people who have all they need want more and better of the same. Better food, nicer shelter, fashionable clothing, safe spaces, and more entertainment. We become consumers. By rejecting this the individual has no hope of being one of the cool kids. His values are completely at odds with the social norm. He could not care less about the latest Kardassian. He becomes an outcast -- a hashashin.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Templar plan comes crashing down in regards to the Apple of Eden in the form of the greatest threat to all central planners. The spectre of unintended consequences. Central planners think that they know best so their plan is perfect, but the unintended consequences reveal themselves showing that the “wise ones” are not all that wise. One classic example of unintended consequences comes from the days of British India when the government placed a bounty on cobras in an effort to decrease the snake population. The enterprising Indians took advantages of this and started cobra farms. When the government learned of this the bounty was discontinued and the Indians released their worthless cobras into the wild. The unintended consequence of the policy was more cobras than when they had started. In their arrogance they forget that the best laid plans of mice and men most oft go awry. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Templars in their quest to learn the secrets of the Assassins force normal average men and women into the animus, but in the process actually creates (or more precisely re-creates) the Assassins. As one guard warns the villain, “you are feeding the beast”. By the end of the film, those individuals who survived their experience in the animus relatively intact psychologically have fully integrated their ancestor. Abstergo has unleashed some of the greatest Assassins in history onto the modern world as the unintended consequence of their desire to control that which should not, or cannot, be controlled.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is one final criticism that I have yet to address and that is characterisation. Critics found the characters to be boring and unrelatable. What Calum Lynch suffers from is the lack of a sidekick. Batman has his Robin, Sherlock his Watson, and the Castaway his Wilson. These sidekicks exist to give us, the audience, a glimpse into the character’s psyche through the interactions of the two characters. The only alternative is a voice over narration from the character as an inner monologue or a character who talks to himself. Either way, the audience needs this kind of access in order to care about the character.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calum has no sidekick, no inner monologue, and does not talk to himself. He is completely alone in a crazy place, thus robbing the audience of any true insight into his thoughts, feelings, and motivations. What we see are his interactions with his captors and his fellow inmates, both of whom he holds in contempt and distrust for understandable reasons. Is it any wonder that he comes across as unlikable? We are left to interpret his actions as outsiders. In a sense, this is consistent with the Creed in that we the audience are left to come to our own conclusion without being told how to feel about him. Likewise, we do not get into the minds of the historic Assassins because their purpose in the story is simply to drive Calum to his resolution.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also noticed that the portrayal of the Assassins seemed a bit more intense than in the games. The Assassin’s Creed games, to their credit, do not shy from insinuating that the Assassins are not always “the good guys”. Fact is that evil companies provide desired products and services. Evil Empires provide economic and political stability. These desired things come at the cost of freedom. The vast majority of people are willing to pay this price. As the punk band, The Dead Kennedys put it, “Give me convenience or give me death”. The Assassins reject this sacrifice. They subscribe to a Nietzschean form of radical freedom demonstrated by a willingness to let the world burn for the sake of freedom. The film shows this through the Assassin’s intense devotion the Creed, thus making them appear far more radical than their game counterparts. This is possibly due to the film’s central theme of advocating personal sacrifice for the sake of the Creed (aka freedom). </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ultimately, the film Assassin’s Creed is an origin story. it is about how Calum Lynch through the machinations of the Templars, became an Assassin. The film ends when Calum reaches this state and the scenes after are only there to wrap things-up. This confused critics who thought that the film was about stopping the Templars and getting the Apple of Eden, but the film already established that this was irrelevant as they did not need the apple anyways.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When people ask me what I thought of of the Assassin’s Creed movie, I always give them a disclaimer. For me it was one of the best films of 2016, but as the author Anais Nin said, “We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.” What I have shared here is the film that I saw. You will see the same film differently and your film may not be as good as mine.</span></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-90936092211851815082017-01-13T07:15:00.001-08:002017-01-13T11:07:28.668-08:00Beyond Assassin’s Creed<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This post is an experiment and I am eager to see the responses. There are three distinct facets to the Assassin’s Creed game series. There is the gameplay. People enjoy the game -- or not -- and then move on to the next game. The goal of Ubisoft is to sell as many games as possible today to get their share of that market. The second is the story or lore aspect. This is fun and goes beyond just gameplay, but one day the story grows old and we move on to a new lore. The third is the philosophical element. What many do not know or understand is the the Assassin’s Creed pre-dates the game series and the philosophy transcends it. In five, ten, or twenty years time when the gameplay and stories have been forgotten, or are just pleasant memories, the Assassin’s Creed as a concept and its philosophies will remain in some form. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In light of this, I wanted to share from time to time videos that I have discovered that illustrate the principles of the Assassin’s Creed from people who probably know nothing of the games. They demonstrate that there is a belief system here in which its adherent can rightly say that they are in real life followers of the Creed. No, they are not committing murder from the rooftops, but they are embracing the ideology of the Assassins through the Creed.</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-3b98cb96-984e-f318-9388-8307db879683" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first video is on the concept of sonder. To say that Nothing is True is to recognise that each person has their own unique subjective reality. Sonder drives home that fact by reminding us that from our singular perspective we are the star of out movie, then reminds us that we are an extra in someone else’s. Everything is permitted not only speaks to our own freedom to act, but also the freedom of others to play the lead role that they choose to play.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AkoML0_FiV4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AkoML0_FiV4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following text is from philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti in which he discusses the notion of social conditioning, the process by which from infancy we are molded to fit into society, first by parents, than peers, then the social institutions like education. He posits that we must question this conditioning and discover for yourself. In this context, Nothing is true, Everything is permitted is a challenge to question accepted truths and the imposed behaviours derived from these false truths. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ctMFr1YJ1yM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ctMFr1YJ1yM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally there is Nietzsche. He referred to the motto of the Assassins in his book The Genealogy of Morals, this was over a century before it came to be known as “the Assassin’s Creed”. In the text he implies that he contemplated the Creed and the more that I understand of his philosophy, the more I see either the influence of the Creed on his philosophy, or maybe it simply confirmed the ideas he already had. Watch this video with the Creed in mind -- Nothing is true, Everything is permitted.</span></div>
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Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-69656611921264575452016-07-13T00:29:00.000-07:002016-07-13T01:24:35.958-07:00Serving the Enlightenment<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins”</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoQuote">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When I first encountered the
above phrase in <i>Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood</i>, during the Assassin initiation
ceremony, I took it at face value. “We
work in secret to do good.” Then I
noticed throughout the game the number of people who perceived the Assassins as
the bad guys. After all, you the player
know that you are killing bad guys, but to the NPC townsfolk, these are the pillars
of society. At one point Ezio says to
the jeering crowd something like, “you speak of things you know nothing about”.
This got me thinking that the Assassins
may serve the light, but they are perceived as being dark. Recently, I began to see this phrase in a new
way. I remembered that light can mean
both goodness and enlightenment. What if
serving the light is the serve enlightenment?
What if it’s about serving The Enlightment?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">WHAT IS ENLIGHTENMENT?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Five hundred years ago, Western
Civilization was pretty rubbish.
Compared with the Chinese and Islam, Europeans were definitely in last
place. Then something changed. Economic historian Professor Niall Ferguson
set-out to discover how and why the West came to dominate the world in such a
short span of time. He concluded that a
combination of six key factors tipped the scales for the West: competition,
science, property rights, modern medicine, consumerism, and the work
ethic. All but one of these were born of
the Scientific Revolution and The Enlightenment, the exception being competition
which was endemic to a continent born of warring tribes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Scientific Revolution, from
roughly 1543 to 1687, established in the common mind that the universe operated
according to fixed principles rather than the whims of the gods. Upon this foundation was built The
Enlightenment which sought to apply reason and the scientific method to society
and politics. The result were concepts
like human rights, the freedom to think, act, and believe as we choose, and the
right to own property. The ultimate
expression of Enlightenment values is the United States Declaration of
Independence and the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today, we take these concepts for
granted, however when we look at the big picture of the human experience across
the globe for the past 50,000 years we find only an insignificant percentage of
the human who have ever existed could even conceive of these notions. Nonetheless, we want to see these values
expressed in the historical fiction we produce. The Assassin’s Creed series is no
exception. Here we have a secret society
fighting to promote Enlightenment values millennia before the everyday person
could accept them as being normal. However,
there is an ancient source for these particular values and it is possible to
draw a straight line from it to the fictional Assassins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">MAN VS SOCIETY</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Humans are small group animals.
This is an inescapable fact of nature and far too often ignored. According to the <a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html" target="_blank">Monkeysphere</a> theory, our
brains are only capable of recognising from 100-150 people as being unique
people. Everyone else is just “them”,
NPCs, moving scenery who we de-humanise with labels and stereotypes. If someone says that they are concerned about
the poor, they are really saying that they are concerned about the poor as a
general concept and may not really know any actual impoverished people as unique
individuals. This is not to
criticise. It’s just important to
understand how things are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This basic tribal mentality
hardwired into our brains is further reinforced by 50,000 year of
tribalism. Even today, our caveman
brains seek to fit in, be part of the crowd, identify with our idea of us as a
people, race, or nation. This is manifested
in the current trend of identity politics, not to mention the multi-billion
dollar industries built around the basic impulse to be fashionable among our
peers in our tastes in entertainment and appearance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The tribe can be a good place to
be. It provides security, safety, identity,
purpose, and emotional support. The
ideal tribe is like the ideal family where the wise and caring father takes
care of everyone. For millennia, this
ideal image has been translated from father, to chief, to king, to
president. We want a government of wise
and caring leaders who will take care of us, the people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Being part of a tribe requires
each individual to put their selfish desires aside and to put the needs of the
tribe first. You need to join the group
if you want the benefits. As a result,
tribal societies have no concept of individual identity to the same high degree
that we in the modern West possess.
Considering this in the context of the 50,000-year history of human
consciousness, our modern notions are a blip on the radar – a freakish
abnormality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Templars in Assassin’s Creed
recognise this fact. They understand
that humankind is hardwired to submit to the will of the tribe, to society, and
that the ideal situation is for wise leaders to take control of society and
shepherd it into a better world. The Templars see themselves as the wise
leaders who will lead a populace yearning to be led. But it’s not that
simple. Humans are small group animals, <b>but</b> every person is possessed of a
unique consciousness. We are all
individuals. This is where the Assassins
come into the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Assassins ascribe the ideas
of the Enlightenment. That each person is
an individual with his own mind with which to think and to make the life
choices that he thinks will benefit himself.
With this choice comes the responsibility of consequence, be the results
beneficial or negative. “Nothing is
true” reminds us to be critical thinkers and to challenge the accepted “truths”
enforced by the tribal authorities of state, religion, and society. “Everything is permitted” is both a
liberation and a warning. We are free to
act, but our actions, and the actions of others, may or may not lead to a
positive outcome – life has no safety rails.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Human are small groups animals
with individual consciousness. At one
extreme, the individual receives all the benefits of being in the tribe, but at
the cost of freedom. At the other
extreme, the individual is free, but alone and responsible. The struggle is to maintain the balance of
the two, but this is not possible when the degree of social participation
ceases to be voluntary but is forced upon us.
The ideal society for the Assassins is one where the power of tribal
authorities is held in check to allow people to have that balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">FINDING THE SOURCE</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the real world, the Assassins
were a Muslim sect operating in Iran and Syria during the Crusades. The leap of faith from the games comes from
stories where Hassan i Sabbah, the founder and leader of the order, would
command followers to leap to their deaths to demonstrate their unquestioned
obedience. That sounds nothing like the anti-authoritarian
Assassins from the game the series. The fictional
Assassins have a more fanciful origin story dating back to the dawn of time and
the actual historical Assassins were re-interpreted to fit this fictional
narrative. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is true that the Assassin’s Creed
is historically attributed to Hassan i Sabbah, but it does not seem consistent
with the beliefs of a devout Muslim. So
what is the origin of the Creed, or at least the philosophy behind it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In <i>Assassin’s Creed Black Flag</i>,
the Assassin Mary Read asserts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Cultures and religions and
languages keep folks divided, but there's something in the Assassins Creed that
crosses all boundaries. A fondness for
life and liberty.
</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This reflects the Enlightenment
idea that the values of the Enlightenment are based on rational principles and
are therefore universal. As Thomas
Jefferson wrote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident…”. Any rational being can discover these ideas
if they choose. Yet, in the course of
human history they are rare finds with most folk falling back on the default tribal
model. However, there is a historic
precedent dating back 3500 years which provides an interesting alternative
theory for the origins of the Assassin’s enlightenment ideology.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This story begins with a man
named Zarathustra. No one really knows
when Zarathustra lived, but the best guess in around 1000 BC, give or take a
few centuries. This is roughly the same
period given for the Biblical kings, Saul, David, and Solomon. No one really knows where he was from
either. Modern scholars tentatively
place him in eastern Iran. What is
important is the influence he had on human history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Zarathustra is more commonly
known by the Greek version of his name Zoroaster and the religion he founded,
Zoroastrianism. To put the religion
into context, it is basically the father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as
the first monotheistic religion.
Concepts like the war between good and evil, the existence of angels,
demons, and Satan himself, a day of judgement, and heaven and hell all come
from Zoroastrianism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Zarathustra taught that human
consciousness was a unique gift from the one god, Ahura Mazda, the “wise
lord”. With this gift comes the individual
responsibility to choose between good or evil.
This consciousness was bestowed upon all humans, regardless of race or
gender. In a time when women were
property and marriage was a financial arrangement, Zoroastrians saw women as
equals to men with equal responsibility to choose good. The Zoroastrian Creed
is “Good thoughts, Good words, and Good deeds” implying that we must constantly
be exercising our free will to choose good.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Professor Kaikhosrov D. Irani, a retired
Professor Emeritus of Philosophy from City College of New York, explains it
like this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"In the Zoroastrian doctrine,
there are no specific prescriptions which state, "do this" or
"don't do that." The individual is left to think it through. The responsibility for what should be done
rests with each individual. The
acceptance of this responsibility becomes a way of life. The world is a moral reality and your way of
life is good thoughts, good words, and good deeds." </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This passage reminded me of Mary
Read’s interpretation of the Creed in <i>Black Flag</i>, “it does not command us to
act or submit - only to be wise.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is incredibly difficult for
the modern mind to comprehend how revolutionary Zarathustra’s teachings were in
1000 BC. It is like finding an iPhone
buried under the pyramids. Up until this
point you were the tribe. There was no
I. Now here comes a religion that places
free will in the centre of its belief system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Zoroastrianism would go on to
become the dominate religion in Persia for the next 1700 years until the
conquering armies of Islam gave their usual convert or die option. Well, there was a third option. Those refusing to convert could pay a special
tax and be allowed to live without converting to Islam. Over time the number of Zoroastrians dwindled
and today only an estimated 200,000 remain.
Possibly the most famous modern Zoroastrian was Freddy Mercury, the lead
singer of the band Queen. For the
Christians, the Persian word for a follower of Zarathustra was Magi. The three wise men from the East who brought
gifts to the baby Jesus were Zoroastrians, so thank Zarathustra for your
Christmas presents. And if you drive a
Mazda, your car was named after Ahura Mazda. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Possibly the most important historical
Zoroastrian was the Persian king Cyrus the Great (576 – 530 BC). Cyrus has always been held in high regard
throughout history. In the Bible, he was
the Persian king who allowed the captive Jews to return to Palestine and paid
to have their temple rebuilt after the Babylonian captivity. His cupbearer had been the Jewish scribe
Ezra, who many scholars believe to have been the chief editor of what we have
today as the Old Testament of the Bible.
The prophet Isaiah referred to Cyrus as “the anointed one”, or as the
phrase is more commonly known, the messiah.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Greek historian Xenophon is
most famous for his book, <i>Cyropaedia</i>, a mixture of fact and political theory
centred around the life of Cyrus and a key resource for the American Founding
Fathers, particularly Thomas Jefferson who owned many copies in several
languages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today, Cyrus is most regarded for
the Cyrus Cylinder. After Cyrus
conquered the Babylonian Empire he issued a decree to his newly conquered
subjects in which he guarantees their right to worship as they please. Among human right advocates, this is widely
viewed as being the first great human rights documents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Professor Irani refers to this
period of Persian history as, “The First Enlightenment” with Zoroastrian
philosophy as the centrepiece. Both this
First Enlightenment and The Enlightenment as we know it were based on the same principles. As beings of individual consciousness we must
be free to exercise and cultivate that consciousness regardless of social
authorities. This is the battle line
between the Assassins and Templars, the individual and the tribe, Man and
Society, and Classical Liberalism and Authoritarianism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The role of Zoroastrianism in the ancient world is
comparable to that of Christianity in 19th century Britain or 20th century
United States as the primary religion of the greatest power of the day. With
the coming of Islam, we see the enlightenment-oriented culture that the
Zoroastrians had cultivated in Persia continue under the new religion to create
the so-called Golden Age of Islam in science and learning. This would
eventually spread through the Moors in Spain and Venetian traders returning
from Istanbul to spark the Renaissance in Europe, followed by the Scientific
Revolution, and then The Enlightenment.
These are the dots connecting the first and second Enlightenment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However,
there is a fundamental difference.
Although both Enlightenments reached the same destination, they did so
from different routes. For the
Zoroastrians, the path was a religious one using reason, yes, but within the
context of the supernatural. This first
form of enlightenment worked, but not as efficiently as version 2.0 which
arrived through reason with any irrational justification. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So there is an actual ancient precedent for the
Enlightenment values expressed by the Assassins of the game. Making the connection requires a bit of
conjecture, as the game series never mentions Zarathustra, but there are some
interesting parallels. Whether by
accident or design much of the symbolism of Assassin’s Creed reflects this
First Enlightenment. The following is
not intended to be anything more than observations of interesting parallels
between Zoroastrianism and the fictional Assassins found in the Ubisoft game
series. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Persian Connection</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Zoroastrianism was founded in
Persia where it was practiced as the primary religion for over a millennium
until the Islamic conquest of Iran, but even then it took centuries for the
full Islamification of Iran. In 1056,
four hundred years after the Muslim invasion, Hassan-i Sabbah was born in the
scholarly Persian city of Qom. He would
go on to inhabit the mountain fortress of Alamut in Iran as the founder of the
historic Assassins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile back in the 21<sup>st</sup>
Century, the games company Ubisoft was running their successful game series,
The Prince of Persia. They had intended
to feature the Assassins in a sequel to <i>Prince of Persia – The Sands of Time</i>,
however during development the Assassins took on a life of their own and it was
decided to launch a new game completely separate from the Prince of Persia
series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The original Assassin’s Creed game
was inspired by the book, <i>Alamut</i> by Vladimir Bartol. He was a self-proclaimed Existentialist and
may have been inspired by Friederich Nietzsche who made mention of the
Assassin’s Creed in his book, <i>On the Genealogy of Morals</i>, and was himself a
student of Persian history and culture.
Among Nietzsche’s most important works is <i>Thus Spoke Zarathustra</i> in
which he creates a second Zarathustra who brings atheism where the real
Zarathustra brought monotheism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Within the Assassin’s Creed
Universe, there once existed a highly advanced species called the Isu who
genetically designed humans to serve as ignorant slaves. Due to interbreeding with the Isu, some
humans were born with individual consciousness.
These special humans led a revolt against their creators and were the
first Assassins. The centre of the
conflict was the city of Eden, the source of our Garden of Eden myth. In the garden, humanity achieves individual
consciousness by rebelling against God by eating the forbidden fruit. There are of course those who believe the Eden
story was real, and one of the prime contenders for the location of Eden is an
area outside the city of Tabriz in Iran.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I find it interesting that
ideologically through Zoroastrianism, historically through Hassan i Sabbah, and
fictionally through the game development, it’s literary inspiration, and in the
story itself, we can trace the Assassin’s origin to Persia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Why White?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The original model designs for
the Assassins depicted them wearing all white and concealing themselves with a
hood. Why white? It’s not the best colour choice for sneaking
about in dark or concealing blood spatter.
This white design remained with various characters in the series until
Arno Dorian in AC Unity in 1789 and the Frye twins also abandoned the white
garb in 1868. This change may have more
to do with decisions at Ubisoft since characters created earlier but inhabiting
a later period in history, such as Nikolai Orelov in 1918, are still wearing
white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many religions feature white
clothes for special occasions or rituals, but not necessarily as standard
dress. Two religions stand-out. The religious leaders of the Zoroastrians
wear all white and in Islam men are encouraged to wear white regularly as their
principle colour choice. In both
instances, white is symbolic of purity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the game series, the use of
white may be intended to harken back to the historical Islamic inspiration for
the game Assassins. However, the first
Assassins Creed game depicts the Assassins as being apart from the Islamic
sects of the time which is contrary to the true history. One might argue that the decision was to
dress the Assassins so that they might disappear in a crowd of Muslims clothed
in white, but why continue the convention into the 20<sup>th</sup> century? Perhaps the designers felt that they had
established a theme in the first game and wanted to continue. Who knows?
Personally, I like the Zoroastrian theory. Here’s why.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Fire of Enlightenment</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Back in September 2013, I
received a comment on one of my posts stating that the Assassin’s Creed symbol
is derived from an earthen lamp called a diya.
I found it interesting and asked for evidence but received no reply. I looked into it a bit deeper. The diya is used in the festival of Diwali,
the most important festival in the Hindu calendar. I discovered that these earthen lamps are
also used in the practice of Zoroastrianism, particularly among the Parsis of
India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fire and light play a very
important role in the practice of Zoroastrianism to such a degree that those
ignorant of the religion assume them to be fire worshipers. Without going into too much detail, suffice
to say that the fire represents the force of creation, science, and
wisdom. In short, it means
enlightenment. Their places of worship
are referred to as fire temples with prayers, hymns, and meditations being
directed towards the flame. The same is
done in home worship through the use of oil lamps such as the diya.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The commenter directed me to a
link illustrating the diya drawn from the front where a protruding lip is
evident. The oil fills the basin and a
large wick rests on the lip. Whether
this theory is true or not, the resemblance is uncanny as illustrated below and
seems to explain the separated lower portion of the symbol as the rim and lip
of the lamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNX-PXQV511v6WztwwtQ-85fOhMnYyU2E8hsU4l1UZGgfDkiSRxasbrFZuOqxrxR_1fZuveO4KJRnmCZgW3rCbjA95bvOuuB_KAys0Oklc4nLSBNgneWEoWtECj2Si1v7QVi2hZInOyc/s1600/AC+Flame.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNX-PXQV511v6WztwwtQ-85fOhMnYyU2E8hsU4l1UZGgfDkiSRxasbrFZuOqxrxR_1fZuveO4KJRnmCZgW3rCbjA95bvOuuB_KAys0Oklc4nLSBNgneWEoWtECj2Si1v7QVi2hZInOyc/s640/AC+Flame.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As I have written before, the
word creed means both a belief and the symbolic representation of the
belief. So when asked, “what does that
symbol you wear mean?” I can answer that it means “Nothing is true, everything
is permitted.” However, more and more I
am content to say that it means enlightenment, particularly the Enlightenment
values of wisdom and freedom demonstrated by the Assassins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Autodidact</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It has been said that the only
people who know the meaning of the word autodidact are autodidacts. The word simply means self-taught and is used
to describe people who became experts in a subject or field through their own
pursuit of knowledge rather than through a formal education system. As Mark Twain famously said “I have never let
my schooling interfere with my education.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This relates to the first half of
the Creed as an invitation to critical thinking. Nothing is true, so don’t believe everything
you are told. Think and discover for
yourself. This principle is behind
calling the leaders of the Assassins “mentor”.
The role of the mentor is to aid in discovery and not to impose
answers. Ultimately, it is the
responsibility of each individual to choose wisdom. The Zoroastrians also employ the concept of
“the mentor”. Among the many titles
given to Zarathustra, one is interpreted as “thought provoker” or mentor. This has carried on into the modern day where
the various degrees of religious leaders among the Zoroastrians act more as
mentors rather than authoritarian priests or ministers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Every person is a potential
autodidact by virtue of having a mind.
Whether they choose to be one or merely accept the “truths” that they
are given is also their choice. The role
of the mentor is to provoke thinking, to guide but not control the process, to
inspire but not to impose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Paradox of Tolerance</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Assassins differ from the Zoroastrians in their
chosen battlefield against the forces of evil.
Zarathustra taught that the two opposing forces of Asha (truth, order,
justice) and Druj (falsehood, deceit) exist within each person and each person
has a responsibility to choose truth over lies. In a larger sense, it is the
choice between wisdom and enlightenment over ignorance and darkness. For the Zoroastrians, there is no external
evil to be fought but an internal conflict that all people must wage on a
personal level. This is very different from those religions that seek to fight and punish others whom they perceive as being evil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An Assassin would not deny this internal field of
battle, but they go further by taking a proactive approach against those
conditions that promote or encourage ignorance, such as slavery and bigotry. Their
justification is expressed in a concept laid out by the philosopher Karl Popper
called the Paradox of Tolerance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many of the Templars are
portrayed negatively in the game series, but there are a few good ones through whom
we are shown the ideal Templar society.
Their ultimate goal is a collectivist system were wise paternal rulers
control the thoughts and actions of the people so that each person can live
peaceful and prosperous lives in blissful ignorance. The Assassins see this as reducing people to
the role of slaves or cattle. Goodness
must be chosen freely and not imposed on people with laws backed by force.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Like all do-gooders throughout
history, the Templars have a plan for society and any opposition to that plan
will not be tolerated. For the Assassin’s,
the only sin is a lack of tolerance for the rights of others to think and act
as they choose. So they will oppose any
attempt to infringe on these rights regardless of the alleged morality of “the
plan”. They will not tolerate
intolerance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In this context, intolerance is a
denial of the rights of others to think and act as they please provided they
cause no real and direct intentional harm.
The word tolerance means to endure something. I am disgusted by the guy picking his nose in
public, but I endure it because it’s a free country. I am deeply offended by a comment on the
internet, I may challenge him using reason, but I will fight for his right to
be a dick. That’s tolerance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While both the Assassins and the
Zoroastrians recognise the sanctity of individual consciousness and respect it,
the Assassins take a proactive stance to actively protect and defend the
conditions that allow for the expression of that consciousness against those
who seek to manipulate and control it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">FAN FICTION</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">According to the game series, the
Assassins have existed for millennia, since the time of the precursor city of
Eden and the historical Assassins of Hassan i Sabbah were just one faction of
the larger Assassin Order. I would
propose an addition which is basically just a bit of fan fiction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I would suggest that the
precursor city of Eden is in fact in Iran as some people claim, that
Zarathustra was of a remnant from that city, and that the Assassins emerged as
a break-away sect of Zoroastrians who sought to take a more proactive approach by
protecting the Enlightenment values and using violent means if necessary. Over time they dropped the religious aspects
and became a wholly secular philosophical organisation, but retained some of
the religious trappings. It’s just a
theory and a bit of fun. I would love
for Ubisoft to use this, but judging from the forthcoming Empire story, it
looks as if they will take an Egyptian rather than a Persian route for an
origin story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In a sense, this entire article
can be called a piece of fan non-fiction.
I was inspired to write it because it seems as though the Enlightenment
values that we take for granted are gradually disappearing in a world where
people give and take offense so easily with no respect for the minds of others;
where people trust their feelings over reason and call anyone who disagrees
with them stupid; where we seem to be allowing ourselves to be manipulated by
elites burying us in propaganda that gets repeated by our friends as
truth. In the face of all this, I could
think of only one response:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Where other men blindly follow the
truth, remember,<br /> Nothing is True.<br />Where other men are limited by
morality or law, remember,<br /> Everything is Permitted.<br />We work in the dark to serve the
light.<br />We are Assassins. </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoQuote" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-90713478044670117042016-06-03T02:45:00.002-07:002016-06-05T11:42:49.360-07:00Ethan Frye's Legacy: Exploring Assassin’s Creed Syndicate<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It may come as a surprise to
players of the game Assassin Creed Syndicate to know that the most pivotal
character in the game does not actually appear in the game. In fact, he is scarcely mentioned by
name. I refer of course to Ethan Frye,
the father of the game’s protagonists, the twins Evie and Jacob Frye.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our story begins in February 1868
with the inaugural mission of the twins.
They are filled with the hope of youth, having just turned
twenty the previous November, and as their minds imagine the future possibilities
there is a shadow. Their father died of
pleurisy less than a month earlier and his death is still fresh in their hearts
as evidenced by their repeatedly references to him over the course of the game.
What would father say? What would father
do? It is what father would have
wanted. You sound just like father. The ghost of Ethan Frye lingers throughout AC
Syndicate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The word syndicate means a joint
collaboration, but also has certain criminal implications, such as the mob or a
gang. On the surface, the game invokes
the underworld meaning, however the central theme and messages in the game
indicate the former. The collaboration
is the union of Evie and Jacob as the two halves of Ethan Frye. Each twin has a particular aspect their
father. Ethan was studious like Evie and
impetuous and daring like Jacob. In this
singular person it worked, but in two different people we see division and
hostility until the end when the two come together and vanquish the villain as
one. The name Syndicate works, but it
could just as easily have been called Synthesis. The story is about the reunion of Ethan Frye
through his children.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE FAMILY FRYE</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the hallmarks of the
Assassin’s Creed series is the use of names as Easter Eggs. For example, the
names Altair and Ezio both refer to eagles. Edward Keyway’s pirate ship and
Jacob Frye’s street gang are both named for members of the crow family, the
Jackdaw and the Rooks. In AC Syndicate,
the name Frye comes from the Old English meaning free, as in free-born. This is in keeping with the recurring theme
of freedom throughout the series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Evie’s name is of course a
diminutive of the name Eve, from the Hebrew meaning life or to live, so Evie
Frye literally means <i>live free</i>. The name Eve appears also in the AC storyline
pertaining to the human uprising against "The Ones Who Came Before” where
Eve leads the rebellion with the implication that she was the basis for the
Biblical Eve and the beginning of the Assassin lineage. Whether the naming of the character Evie is
intended to be a direct reference to the ancestral Eve is unclear, however I
like to believe that Ethan knew the history and named his daughter after her.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Among of the most popular names
in Western Culture are variations of James.
Jesus had a disciple and a brother both called James. The name comes from the Hebrew name
Jacob. The original Jacob in the Bible
was the son of Abraham’s son Isaac. Like
Jacob Frye, the Biblical Jacob was a second-born twin, literally grasping the
heel of his brother Esau at birth. The
name Jacob means supplanter, someone who wrongfully takes the place of another. Jacob was born clutching the heel of his brother, as if he was attempting to
pull him aside to pass him in the birth canal to achieve first-born status.
As an adult, Jacob had a name change.
The story goes that he had a night long wrestling match with a
mysterious stranger who renames him Israel, meaning “he who wrestles with
God.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The names Jacob and Israel share
a common theme. Both infer a refusal to
accept fate or one’s lot in life. In
this sense, the name reflects the second half of the Creed. Everything is permitted. We see this repeatedly in Jacob Frye as he is
constantly pushing possibilities regardless of how impossible or crazy they
seem to others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another recurring feature in the
Assassin’s Creed series is this tendency to include ethnic or national heritage
in their character creation. Three of
the Assassins featured in the games are of mixed race, Altair, Conor Kenway,
and Aveline, while Arno is described as being half Austrian and half
French. We know that Edward Kenway is
specifically Welsh but grew-up in England and of course Ezio Auditore is
Italian. Strangely, the ethnic or
national heritage of the Fryes is completely missing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In examining these names, I
discovered that the names Ethan, Evie, and Jacob are all of Hebrew origin. Not to mention the choice to use the name
Jacob rather than the more common James or Jim.
There is a Jewish name Frye, but that comes into Yiddish through Russian
and refers to a sucker or a mark and does not fit the characters as well as the
English origin of the name does.
However, it is interesting to speculate the possibility that Ethan’s
wife Cecily was English and that Ethan was Jewish. The twins would not technically be considered
Jewish since their mother was not, but this would be in keeping with the
mixed-race themes in the series and give us our first half-Jewish
Assassins. It would also highlight the
important roles played by Jews in Victorian society, for example Prime Minister
Benjamin Disraeli was Jewish, and hints at the rise of anti-Semitism that would
come to London in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally, we see in Evie and Jacob
(and Henry Green) the first legacy Assassins in the series since Altair. I coined the term legacy Assassins to
describe Assassins who were born and raised within the context of the order by
one or both parents and have full knowledge of the Assassins. Ezio was raised by Assassin parents, but not
within the context of the Order or with full knowledge. Connor and Aveline came to the Assassins as
children, but were not born into it or guided by their parents. Edward Kenway, Adewale, and Arno Dorian all
came to the Assassins as adults. As for
Haytham Kenway, his father Edward took a similar approach to child rearing as
Ezio’s father, Giovanni. The children
were taught skills and concepts, but without full disclosure as to why they had
sword training when other children did not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This gives us an interesting
picture of the Fryes as a family of Assassins. Ethan was likely a legacy Assassin judging by
how young he was on his first mission. His
wife, Cecily, was an Assassin, though she was not born into it. The twins were raised as Assassins, and so was Jacob's son and his grand-daughter, Lydia. There is no telling if the legacy continues
after Lydia, but there is a passing reference to an Emmett Frye in the modern day. So there is the possibility that the Frye Assassins cover over two-hundred years of history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Legacy Assassins pose an ethical
dilemma concerning how we raise children.
For the Assassins, freedom is the highest value, and yet they raise
their children in a way that removes their freedom. As Altair points out, he never had a choice
in becoming an Assassin. It was all that
he ever knew so he could not can compare other options. Ethan describes it this way in the novel
Underworld. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What we are doing is right. My
doubt, lies in the application of that ideology, and this doubt is what keeps
me awake at night, wondering if we fail our children by moulding them into our
image, when in fact we should be teaching them to follow a path of their own.</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every parent wants to impart to
their children the right way to live.
For a Christian parent, this means raising your child to be a
Christian. I never gave much credence to
the let the children decide approach.
Without teaching religion at a formative age, the child would not have
the capacity for faith later in life.
Second, if a parent truly believed, then choice is not an option. If you believe a stove is hot, then you will
teach your child to avoid hot stoves. If a parent believes in eternal hellfire,
then they would raise their children to avoid it. Giovanni Auditore and Edward Kenway chose to
teach around the Assassin training without directly training their
children. This approach left both
children vulnerable. It worked for Ezio,
but Haytham was much younger and fell into Templar hands to be raised. In the end. Ethan raised his children to be
Assassins, and this worked best for them because they were part of a community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE DIVISION OF LABOUR</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is
touted as the first game set in the Modern Era.
For the majority of human existence not much had changed. The big shift happened with the Industrial
Revolution and the subsequent birth of the Modern. The world changed dramatically. One of the principle features of the Modern
is the division of labour and this is a key theme in Assassin’s Creed
Syndicate. Remember, a syndicate is a
joint collaboration. This is many parts
working together, like cogs in a machine, to accomplish a shared goal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Underworld</i> gives important backstory to the events of the
game. Henry Green, the leader of the
London Assassins, was born Jayadeep Mir, the son of Arbaaz Mir, the protagonist
in the Indian chapter of the Assassin's Creed Chronicles game and originally
featured in the comic book <i>Assassin’s
Creed Brahman</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Needless to say, Arbaaz was proud
of his son who proved to be a natural Assassin in terms of skill and technique,
however Ethan Frye, Jayadeep’s teacher, saw something dangerous in the
boy. He lacked the killer instinct. Unfortunately, his warnings went unheeded and
Jayadeep went on his inaugural mission only to fail to make the kill. To the Assassins, an Assassin who could not
kill was of no use. Worse than that, it
meant death for poor Jayadeep. Fortunately,
Ethan intervened. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ethan had a unique perspective. He stood at the crossroads of the Pre-modern
and the Modern. The Assassins could be
described as philosopher-warriors, but first
and foremost, they killed Templars. For
the Indian Brotherhood, you could not be an Assassin and not be a killer. However, the modern world would be
characterised by the division of labour.
People of different skills working where their skills were of the most
use for the benefit of the whole organisation.
Ethan saw that one need not be a killer to be an Assassin and recognised
that Jayadeep’s skills lie in networking.
He may not be a killer, but he would be an excellent spy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We see this division of labour in
Ethan’s children. Evie is the scholar and
Jacob is the warrior. Technically, Evie
is the better fighter, but since this was a natural gift she never regarded it
much. She preferred learning. Her fighting style is direct, calculated, and
technical. Jacob is less technical and
more brute force. His concern is getting
the job done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Evie represents the past. She knows the history and folklore of the
Assassins and can be both a philosopher and a warrior. Jacob is the future. His concern is with the now and accomplishing
the mission at hand regardless of consequences. Evie is too enamoured with the
past and Jacob is too concerned with the moment regardless of past examples or
future consequences. It is interesting
to note that Evie believes in ghosts, remnants of the past, while Jacob does
not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here is where the division of
labour falls apart. It is important for
each part to value the other parts. The
spy, the philosopher, and the warrior all have value to the whole and none is
more important than the others. This
mutual respect for the talents of others on your team is necessary for the
division of labour to work. Eventually,
the twins learn to work together through mutual respect for each other’s unique
perspectives and talents.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p>THE DIVIDED CREED</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another division in the twins is
the Creed itself. Evie has set herself
on a critical pursuit of the Truth, as dictated by the first part of the Creed,
“Nothing is True”. Jacob is a man of
action representing “Everything is Permitted”.
During the course of the story both characters conflict with their evil
counterparts who represent these areas of focus taken to extremes. Evie has Lucy Thorne and for Jacob its
Maxwell Roth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For Evie, the purpose of
knowledge is enlightenment, but for Lucy knowledge is power to be utilised for
her ends. Instead of being a light to
share, it is a light to be kept and exploited.
In Aristotelian ethics, vices are the extremes of virtues. Courage is a virtue but in its two extremes
we find the vices of cowardice and rashness.
The pursuit of wisdom could be called a virtue. Evie often mocks Jacob, first in jest and
then seriously, for what she perceives as foolishness. That is one of the extremes and the one most
are familiar with daily, but what would the other extreme look like? Is it possible to be too wise?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wisdom is not possible without
the capacity for abstract thought.
People who use too little abstract thought only see the concrete in
front of them at the moment. They do not
consider things like underlying principles, potential consequences, or
implications. These people are commonly
deemed fools. Those at the opposite end
are the “intellectual morons”. The have
too much abstract thought. These are the
people with all brains and no sense.
They only see the concepts in their minds and miss the concrete right in
front of them. We also see this with
people with book knowledge but no experiential knowledge. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a
handy word for this vice. There is
foolishness at one end of the spectrum, but nothing for the opposite end. I have chosen to call this fancifulness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Granted, the word fanciful has a
light air about it and hardly seems appropriate to describe a villain like Lucy
Thorne. She is cold, arrogant, and
cruel. These attitudes are symptomatic
of a defensive posture. It is not
difficult for people with a large capacity for abstract thought to view others
as stupid and to feel outnumbered by them.
There is a tendency to become impatient with fools and to develop an
arrogant stance towards them. For those
who take abstract thinking to the extreme, people, things, and events are all
secondary to the person’s idea of them which can lead to the objectification
and exploitation of others. An example
that comes to mind is the way wealthy politicians, who have no direct
experience of poverty or the poor, will exploit the idea of the poor to justify
policies that will ultimately benefit themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lucy is quick to tell a henchman that a chest
containing research documents is of more value than his life and the life of
his family. Once Evie obtains the chest,
she is forced to abandon it to save herself and Jacob from their pursuers. Jacob sees the adventure as a bit of fun, but
for Evie this is the beginning of the wedge that will separate them because she
blames Jacob for the loss. So were the
contents of the chest more valuable to Evie than her relationship with her
brother, or did it simply confirm her perception of him as a meddling
idiot? Later, Evie bemoans the loss of
artifacts in Edward Kenway’s mansion.
Here, Henry Green provides balance by reminding her that they could come
back for it or perhaps find something better.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Several times Evie repeats the
mantra, “Do not allow personal feelings to compromise the mission”. She learned this from her father. It is only later that she discovers that
Ethan adopted this stance as a response to grief following the death of his
wife Cecile in child birth.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love the character of Evie
Frye. She is filled with delight at
learning something new possessed of a childlike enthusiasm. Yet, as the game proceeds we see her become
colder and colder as if she is on the path to becoming her shadow, Lucy
Thorn. Fortunately, Evie learns that her
brother is not a fool. He just has a
different perspective and sometimes he is right. Sometimes you have to act on the fly and there
is no time to plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Nothing is True” should serve as
a warning to Evie against fancifulness and intellectual arrogance. No matter how knowledgeable or enlightened we
think we are, there is always the possibility that we will be proven
wrong. Also, no matter how much we know,
someone with less knowledge may know things that we do not. Ignoring the Creed in this instance would
lead Evie to disaster, but in the end it saved her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Critics have described AC
Syndicate as Victorian Arkham City. I
don’t see that as a negative. If this is
true, then Maxwell Roth is the Joker. He
takes the literal interpretation of “Everything is Permitted” to its extreme
and forces Jacob to face it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At first, there was a certain
comradery between Jacob and Roth. Jacob
had not long been in London before he began recounting his dream of becoming a
“firm but fair” gang leader, and now he was in the presence of the actual
leader of the London gangs. Roth was
equally impressed with Jacob’s accomplishments, despite these being at the
expense of his own self-interests. This
mutual respect came to a sudden end when Jacob realised that for Roth
everything being permitted included killing children as collateral damage. Soon after, Roth set a trap for Jacob where
he happily set fire to his own theatre.
In the wake of the chaos, as Roth lay dying from Jacob’s blade, the
Assassin asks him, “Why did you do it?
All of it?” Roth answers with a
crazed smile, “For the same reason I do anything. Why not?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For those encountering the Creed
for the first time, their immediate fear is that “Everything is Permitted” is a
licence to anarchy and hedonism.
Throughout the game series, we see that this is not the meaning. However, only now do we have a character who
lives by the literal interpretation.
Roth is a monster. The word
monster is from the Latin meaning, “a warning” and serves as a moral example in
narrative fiction. Frankenstein’s
Monster is a warning against meddling with powers beyond your control. Maxwell Roth is a warning about literally
interpreting the Creed.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As with Evie’s encounter with her
shadow, Jacob’s youthful devil-may-care attitude could easily have evolved into
Roth’s dark take on the Creed. Jacob had
the potential to become Roth.
Fortunately, Jacob recognised the warning. He learned that everything is not permitted
and came to realise what he already knew and what Evie tried to remind
him. That actions have consequences and to
deny this will lead to madness.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">FORMING A SYNDICATE</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How does it feel to be wrong? It feels exactly like being right. People do not go through life thinking that
they are wrong. They may well be wrong,
but they don’t know that. So how do we
get better at being right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the problems faced today
is what can best be called a lack of diversity.
True diversity is a variety of points of view, not a variety of
skin-colours and gender representations.
Through the internet we are able to surround ourselves with people and
information confirming what we already believe to be true and protecting our sensibilities
against disagreement. As a result, we
are never challenged with new and different ways of seeing the world. We are never placed into a position where we
realise that we are wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is said that friends are God’s
apology for family. The difference is
that we can chose our friends as people that we perceive to be like us. They confirm our biases whereas family is
more inclined to call us out. They have
nothing to lose because they are family and will always be family. It is this familial bond that forces Evie and
Jacob together even when they want to go their separate ways. They are united as the children of Ethan
Frye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Diversity is not as advertised
with people of all races, genders, social classes, and creeds sitting around in
a grand love fest. True diversity is
about conflict and power. Prior to the Eighteenth Century, the word
diversity meant to be contrary to what is agreeable or right, often interpreted
as wickedness. A society had to work
together to survive and diversity was contrary to that necessary unity. With the advent of Classical Liberalism, the
word took a positive turn. Concentrated
power was seen as a negative and the will of the social whole as expressed
through democracy as being mob rule, therefore a danger to individual
liberty. Diversity became a sort of
balance of power within society itself.
If no one group held absolute power, then liberty could be protected. Diversity was seen as a safeguard against
group-think and the herd mentality.
Ideally, it is through the conflict born of diversity that the stronger
ideas rose to the top. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine if the friendship between
Jacob and Maxwell Roth had blossomed.
After all, they had much in common.
Evie and Lucy Thorne got off on the wrong foot, but they also had
similar interests. Relationships with
these people would have been terrible for the twins. Instead, they had each other to force
themselves through conflict into the realisation that they were wrong. Well, not wrong per se, rather to see the
value of another person’s mode of action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just as diversity was seen originally
a balance of power, so too are our beneficial relationships those that balance
us out to make us better people. Jacob
helps Evie to let go and live a little, while Evie teaches Jacob the importance
of taking responsibility for the consequences one’s action. Through their syndicate, they let go of their
pride and their prejudices to become more complete people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this sense, the idea of Ethan
Frye becomes a goal symbolising balance and completion. The last mention of Ethan Frye is in the very
last scene where Evie turns to Jacob to say, “Father would be proud of you.” In the context of the story, this is the
highest compliment she could pay her brother.
He responds by saying, “Race you to the train” and she answers, “You’re
on.” They dash off leaving a bewildered Henry
Green. In the face of their great
achievement, the twins are still challenging each other through competition to
achieve more together despite their differences. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we see the twins as an example to follow, then we should not be afraid to have diversity in our lives and to form syndicates with those people. There may not be agreement, but that is okay. Nor do we have to compromise ourselves. What we do need to do is to have mutual respect for each other despite our differences and hopefully learn to become better people through the experience.</span></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-3901393140222118862016-03-20T23:52:00.002-07:002016-06-06T23:53:56.996-07:00The Stoic Assassin<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is the third and final
instalment of a series looking at the three key philosophies in Assassin’s
Creed. You can read part one on <a href="http://assassinscreedinspirations.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/the-existentialist-assassin-and.html">Existentialism</a>
and part two on the <a href="http://assassinscreedinspirations.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/the-romantic-assassin.html">Romantic</a>
at the links.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When you look over the
philosophical landscape you will notice certain key features occupying a
particular space. I call these
Philosophical Cohorts. These are
distinct philosophical ideas that have more commonality than differences and
can actual work together without too much contradiction. If there is contradiction, it can prove
beneficial as some of the philosophical extremes temper each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the space occupied by
Assassin’s Creed we find philosophies like Existentialism, the Romantic, Stoicism,
political libertarianism, and Objectivism to name a few. The spotlight here shines on Stoicism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Stoicism is unique among
philosophies in that it is one of the few used in everyday language to describe
a particular attitude or personality type.
Altair and Connor Kenway are both described as stoic by critics and fans. This is due to the emphasis Stoicism places
on cultivating a particular attitude. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is this focus on proactive
character shaping and building that has brought about resurgent interest in
Stoicism in recent years as people use it as a sort of self-help path, which it
is. If you check for meet-up groups
on-line, it is far easier to find Stoic groups than Existentialists ones. It was when I when looking for an
Existentialist group, and finding none, that I made-up a joke. “I was going to
form an Existentialist club, but then I thought, ‘What’s the point?’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So why is Stoicism making a
comeback? It’s been said that the study
of philosophy began when someone asked a wise man, “What must I do to be
happy?” The five branches of philosophy
are arguably built around this premise, making philosophy self-help, however
this objective was lost along the way.
For example, happiness depends on context, so to establish this we have
Metaphysics answering the question, “What is reality (context)?”, but so many
philosophers get side tracked on this point and never get back to the happiness
part. Existentialism tends to do
this. Stoicism on the other hand retains
the focus on happiness and this gives the philosophy something the people
want. Stoicism not only describes
reality it also proscribes beneficial thoughts, attitudes, and actions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I believe that the Creed
perfectly summarizes Existentialism.
Nothing is True; Everything is Permitted. Likewise, the Romantic can be summarized by
its values of Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love.
For Stoicism, the Serenity Prayer serves as a basic summary:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the
courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”</span></i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Stoicism does not go as far as
Existentialism in saying that “Nothing is True”, but it does tell us not to
concern ourselves with things over which we have no control, such as things
that are not true. Take the past for
example. The past is an imagined
construct. The only reality of it lies
in what it leaves behind. These are the
affects and effects of the past. Your past
experiences have affected your psyche making you who you are now and the
effects of the past are the consequences present in your immediate now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Suppose you were in a fire as a
child and now you fear fire. That event
is in the past. It’s not real, however
the psychological affect remains and that is what you have to deal with
regarding fire today. I am writing this
on my computer. The computer exists in
the now as a consequence of me purchasing it.
Should something happen to my computer and it’s gone, then for all
intents and purposes it no longer exists in my reality. Beyond affect and effect,
the past is not real. It’s just an
idea. So don’t worry yourself over it. Stoicism encourages not wasting emotional
energy on things that do not exist for us or that you cannot control. The same hold true of the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is a scene in AC Liberation
where Aveline has just figured-out that her step-mother is her mysterious nemesis
known only as "the company man".
This causes a bit of an existential crisis for her. Aveline knows what she must do as an Assassin
but has her doubts. She turns to her
fellow Assassin Connor Kenway for help. She asks, “Connor, are you always
certain in the means and ways of the brotherhood?” He replies in his usual
stoic brevity, "I trust my own hands".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What the hell, Connor? Aveline’s
reality just came crashing down and she’s faced with a difficult decision and
the best you can come-up with is some cryptic response. Allow me the conceit of rewriting Connor’s
reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Aveline, you say that you are
having doubts about how we Assassins do things, and it’s good to question, but
I don’t think that is the real issue here.
You are worrying about the future, about consequences that may or may
not occur. The future you imagine is not
real and is beyond your control. What you can control is what is at hand right
now and you can only trust yourself to do what you can with the information you
have in the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Aveline responds saying "Of
course" as if Connor is simply reminded her of something already covered
in her philosophy class at Assassin school. We see this kind of behaviour quite a bit from
the Assassins – this attitude of acceptance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of my favourite lines in AC
Black Flag is something Edward Kenway says to Thatch. “I'm not of the same
mind, mate. But I won't begrudge you the state of yours.” The acceptance that other people should not
be expected to think as we do. When you
read through internet comments it is as though people are in a constant state
of outrage because others have a different point of view or have one that they
find offensive. Stoicism teaches that we
must expect that people will be people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One Stoic technique is to tell
yourself at the start of the day that you will meet stupid, rude, annoying, and
cruel people throughout your day. By
preparing yourself in advance you have no reason to be shocked when you do meet
one. It is about managing your
expectations. If you believe that you
are destined to meet your soul mate and will live in perpetual bliss for the
rest of your life, then chances are that life will disappoint. Instead cultivate realistic expectations and
accept life as it is and not as you wish it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of the big issues that
Stoicism has to contend with in regards to public perception is the idea of the
stoic personality as someone cold, emotionless, and tacit. The prime Assassins
for this are Altair and Connor. The
philosophy behind this is the recognition that we cannot control the actions of
others, but we can control how we choose to respond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ten years ago my “soul mate” left
me. I was emotionally and
psychologically devastated. My life went
from being a social man about town before the relationship to being a virtual
hermit ever since. It would be easy for
me to scream, “She ruined my life!”, but that would be wrong. Leaving me was her right as a human
being. What caused this damage was not
her leaving but the way I chose to respond to it. I spent months replaying events in my mind
feeling constant pain and loss that took nearly a year to ease. My brooding only aggravated the problem,
prolonged the grieving process, and caused the damage. I did this to myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Stoicism teaches that we are
responsible for our own emotional responses and works on the premise that no
one can make us feel something that we do not choose to feel. In an age when emotions are encouraged and allowed
to run wild and undisciplined, this choice may not seem apparent. However, we know from examples among our
fellow humans that emotional self-control is not only possible but also common
in various cultures and zeitgeists. The
ancient Greek Stoics called the state resulting from emotional self-discipline apatheia,
from which we get the modern word <i>apathy</i>,
but the proper translation of apatheia<span style="color: #505050; line-height: 115%;"> </span>is <i>tranquillity</i>. This pursuit of tranquillity is just one of
many similarities between Stoicism and Buddhism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is the emphasis on cultivating
emotional self-control that has led to apparently emotionless people to be
called stoic. The truth is we can also
choose to be happy and that is the point that is missed by non-Stoics. It is not about feeling nothing. It is about taking responsibility for our
feelings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Another important Stoic concept
is un-attachment and this figures into an interpretation of the Creed. To recognise that Nothing is True is to see
the impermanence of things. Mary Read
alludes to this in Black Flag when she describes the Creed as, “the world’s
only certainty” possibly in reference to the expression, “the only constant is
change”. Things, people, and situations
do not last. They may be true today and
right now, but they are not True in the sense of constancy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A key Stoic philosopher was the
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. Every
now and then he would sleep on the floor to remind himself that his comforts
are impermanent. This type of self-denial serves to help us to not take our
comforts for granted but also to remind us that we can exist without these
comforts and conveniences. One of the
problems of wealth is that it protects the rich from the real world. The trivial is given too much value and the
demands of reality like food, shelter, and clothing are taken for granted as
simply always existing. In short, it’s
what we call First World Problems. Stoic
practices show us that we can survive happily without our mobile phones,
internet, or any number of luxuries that we have come to see as necessities. Another common technique among Stoics when faced with challenges is to ask, "What's the worst that can happen and can I live with that?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The second part of the Creed also
has Stoic implications. When we
recognise that everything is permitted, remember that this applies to others as
much as it does ourselves. We cannot
control or necessarily predict the actions of others because everything is
permitted. You must then decide how you
choose to respond to how others use their freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">THE THREE PHILOSOSOPHIES OF
ASSASSIN’S CREED</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Throughout the Assassin’s Creed
series there are constant references to a philosophical core belief system that
is never revealed in full. After all,
this is a video game series and not some philosophical treaties. What we do have is the Creed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As mentioned in a previous essay,
the phrase “Nothing is True, Everything is permitted” is most likely of ancient
origin, at least Friedrich Nietzsche seem to think so in 1887. It had been erroneously attributed to the
Medieval Assassins of Iran and Syria, but it was not until the game series that
it became known as The Assassin’s Creed.
I believe that within this simple phrase we have allusions to
Existentialism, the Romantic, and to Stoicism and that all three of these
philosophies can be found expressed in the game series. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Assassins of the game are
wholly fictional works created by a committee of writers overseen by corporate interests. However, the three philosophies behind the
Creed are very real and accessible. We
may not know the philosophical core beliefs of the fictional Assassins, but
chances are that a follower of a synthesis of these three philosophies would
fit right in within the Assassin Order. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Since Assassin’s Creed is a
modern work of fiction, it’s good to provide examples of the Assassin’s
principles outside of the game context.
With this is mind, I have posted below a video of Dennis Hopper reciting
the poem <i>If </i>by Rudyard Kipling. Within
its verses you will find this synthesized philosophy of Existentialism, the
Romantic, and Stoicism that I believe represents the Assassin Philosophy.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z-TmC0MsM1o/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z-TmC0MsM1o?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-88921845158858108352016-02-21T12:29:00.000-08:002016-06-06T23:54:34.053-07:00The Romantic Assassin<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This article is a follow-up to a previous piece revealing the
Existentialism in Assassins Creed and there will be a third to follow this
one. You can read the first article <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6724554673929449214#editor/target=post;postID=3572372689071717258;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=11;src=postname">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When I look at the philosophy of
Assassins Creed I do not see one but three definite philosophical strands woven
together. These are explicit
Existentialism, implicit Romanticism, and demonstrative Stoicism. The Existentialism is explicit in that it’s
right out there with the Creed. The
Romantic is implicit in that it is built into the structure of the stories
themselves. Finally, the Stoic elements
are demonstrated primarily through the characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Romantic is the most
difficult of the three philosophies to approach. Not because the subject matter is
complex. The issue is the diverse
concept of the Romantic itself.
Assassin’s Creed is a Historical Romance, but we do not use that
terminology anymore because the term Romance has come to be associated with the
bodice-ripper novels found in the Romance section of the bookstore. So instead we call it action/adventure. There are actually just over fifty uses of the
word Romantic which means that anyone
discussing the Romantic has to define their terms to avoid confusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Jacques Barzun, possibly the
foremost academic authority on the Romantic, identified four cornerstone themes
in narrative Romances: the hero’s
quest/journey, unique settings, a love interest, and the supernatural. The noble knight ventures forth across fields
and mountains on a quest to save his beloved princess from a fierce
dragon. Taking inspiration from the film
<i>Moulin Rouge!</i>, these four cornerstones can be distilled into the values of
Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">FINDING TRUTH IN THE SUPERNATURAL</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Encountering the supernatural
evokes any number of emotions from awe to disbelief. The point is that the supernatural forces us
to question reality. Many of the early
Gothic Romances were mysteries where characters sought to discover the truth
behind apparently supernatural events through the use of logic and reason to
find a natural explanation. In some stories, the victims of the supernatural go
mad, in other words, they lose their rational faculties. In modern Romantic stories, such as
Science-Fiction, the extraordinary is used to challenge the character’s beliefs
about the nature of reality and sometimes alter their preconceived beliefs</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At first glance it may seem
contradictory to acknowledge that Nothing is True and yet pursue Truth as a
value. To reconcile this we must remind
ourselves that the Creed is not to be taken literally. It is not a denial of Truth rather it is an
admonition to independent critical thinking, an important tool in discovering
Truth. I see it like the Scientific
Attitude that approaches life thinking oneself to be wrong until proven
right. This is the opposite of
mainstream thinking where people assume themselves to be right until proven
wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The pursuit of Truth takes three
forms in Assassin’s Creed. The most
obvious is discovering and uncovering the latest Piece of Eden which serves as
the supernatural components in the stories.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Another recurring theme is
betrayal where the character believed a person to be one way but later discovered
this to not be true. Al Mualim’s plot is
uncovered; Lucy Stillman, Daniel Cross, and Shay McCormack all become Templars;
Juno manipulates Connor; Aveline’s step-mother proves to be the “Company Man”;
Hornigold turns his back on the Pirate Republic; the Assassin Pierre Bellec murders
the leader of the Paris Assassins. The
list is extensive. The idea here is that
people are not who they appear and the Truth must be uncovered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The third is the over-arching
conspiracy. The ACU is a world where
conspiracy theories are for the most part true and secret societies manipulate
events behind the scenes. The thing about conspiracies is that they are
hidden. They are a truth to be
uncovered and have secrets to be revealed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In AC Syndicate there are a
series of side missions harkening back to Victorian ghost stories. Charles Dickens asks Jacob and Evie if they
believe in ghosts. Jacob answers no in a
rather dismissive tone. Who can blame
him? Afterall, nothing is true. Evie on the other hand gives an emphatic and
excited yes. Of all the Assassins in the
series, Evie is probably the most thrilled by the supernatural as seen by her
intense interest in the Pieces of Eden beyond merely obtaining a McGuffin. The Romantic encourages us to pursue
possibilities with the same childlike enthusiasm we see in Evie’s response to
Dickens. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">THE BEAUTIFUL ASSASSIN</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Years ago there was a lecture at
Glasgow University where someone argued that the Romantics were early
environmentalists. I disagree. The often taught focus of the Romantics on Nature
misses the point. The real focus is not
on Nature itself but on the beautiful and the sublime. The object of attention just happens to be
Nature. This can be expanded to other
objects such as architecture, design, and even fashion. This carries with it the notion that life
should aspire to imitate art and we should strive to make life beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Romantic acknowledges two
forms of beauty, the Beautiful and the Sublime.
Beauty is serene, calm, symmetrical, and ordered. The sublime is big, powerful, and
overwhelming like a rugged cliff set against a stormy sky. When faced with the sublime we feel small
against the grandeur and feel both terrified and yet inspired.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Beauty may not be the first word
one uses to describe Assassin’s Creed, and yet it is not uncommon for a game to
be described as beautiful. Rather than being a value explicitly expressed
in the game it is inherent in the game design itself as artists craft an
amazing world from pixels extolling the beautiful and the sublime in both
natural scenery and manufactured architecture. There was a scene in AC Unity
where I stepped onto balcony of Arno’s home literally admiring the view when to
my surprise an achievement popped-up for admiring the view. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The set designers are not the
only ones concerned with beauty. In life
we tend to view people with an over-interest in fashion as being shallow, vain,
and foolish, however we watch our Romantic heroes run about in clothes designed
specifically for them by fashion designers as if the hero just put that ensemble together themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When we think about the
Assassin’s appearance we are struck emotionally on some level. This is a response to beauty. No, we may not describe them as beautiful. We might use words like striking, inspiring,
or the ubiquitous cool, but these all fit into the Romantic concept of Beauty.
Sartorially speaking, the Assassin’s do not hide in plain sight. The hero dresses in a manner that stands-out
from the crowds as something extraordinary.
We find this behaviour in many heroic/warrior cultures. For example among the American Indians the
warriors would adorn themselves to stand out and be noticed. This practice was adopted by the likes of
Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok who both dressed flamboyantly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In philosophy, this takes us back
to the philosophy of Dandyism particularly as expressed by Charles
Baudelaire. Most people think of the
dandies as being simply over-interested in appearance, but that was not true. At its core dandyism is the belief that those
not born into wealth, privilege, and title can aspire through hard work to
out-do the nobles of their time in character, manners, and dress. Baudelaire
called dandyism “the last gasp of heroism in decadent ages”. He believed that democracy promoted the
lowest common denominator and that through dandyism one might rise above the
mediocrity promoted by society. This was expressed through fashion, but it was
really about manner and attitude.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This brings us to another aspect
of the beauty, the character of an individual.
A beautiful person with a bad character is described as vain, a word
meaning useless. Physical and sartorial beauty
is not enough. Inner qualities like
grace and charm are also necessary.
There is also the concept of being dashing. These are all featured in the Assassins to
varying degrees. Charm is to show
courtesy, respect and interest in others while being dashing is to demonstrate
the virtue of courage. I doubt that part
of the Assassin education is charm school and no character in the game promotes
these qualities, and yet nearly all of the Assassins possess them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">FREEDOM AND THE OUTLAW HERO</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Consider this scene from the film
<i>Up in the Air</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ryan Bingham: You know why kids
love athletes?<br />Bob: Because they screw lingerie
models.<br />Ryan Bingham: No, that's why we
love athletes. Kids love them because they follow their dreams.</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Replace that word athlete with
the word hero and you have an idea of why we love heroes. It isn’t so much that heroes follow their
dreams as they have the freedom and power to do so. Really it’s this freedom and power that is
valued when we engage in hero worship and emulation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Freedom is the right to act and
power is the means to act. The freedom
to act is nothing without the power to act.
You are free to buy that expensive car, but without the means to buy the
car you cannot take advantage of that freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Power is a necessary requirement,
but people tend to forget that there are various forms of power:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1. Internal Power: Character qualities, like ambition, charm,
intelligence, or the will to act.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2. Physical power: These include things like strength,
beauty, dexterity, and physical skill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3. Material power: This is basically money and those things
money can buy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4. Social Power: The
ability to harness the powers of others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5. Legislative Power: This is power granted by government.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6. Titular Power: This is power inherent in a position, like
being President of the United States. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">7. Time: This may not
seem like a form of power until you run out of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With this is mind, consider that
to increase knowledge, learn a skill, make a new friend, or even for a woman to
put on make-up is to cultivate one’s power.
The pursuit of power is not only, as most people believe, to increase
political power for the purpose of ruling over others. Power is merely an asset allowing you to act as
you will – to follow your dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We admire heroes because they
have this freedom and power. That may
have been enough when the vast majority of people had no freedom or power, but
since the Medieval Period most people have the freedom and power that our
ancestors only dreamed about. As a
consequence our expectations changed in what we expected from our heroes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For the ancient Greeks and Romans
the concept of the hero had no moral dimension.
It was simply an extraordinary individual who could be either good or
bad. With the rise of Christianity,
Biblical characters were seen as heroes to emulate and this sort of rubbed-off
onto the concept of the hero making them exemplars of morality and community
values. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The heroes we are most familiar
with are the Romantic heroes. These
characters were inspired by Medieval stories but given modern relevance. In
Romantic narrative fiction the two primary figures are King Arthur and Robin
Hood. These translate into the
archetypes of the Knight and the Outlaw.
The Knight is the defender of the benevolent social order. In most stories the Knights are police
officers, soldiers, or government or free agents working to protect the
people. The Outlaw is the opposition to
a malevolent social order. These are the
plucky rebels like the Rebel Alliance of <i>Star Wars</i>, the crew of Serenity in
Firefly, or the freedom fighters of the <i>Hunger Games</i> series. Often they are depicted as the criminals with
the “heart of gold” working to support the people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Using this as a baseline, we can
identify six variations of this theme.
In addition to the traditional knights and outlaws, who we’ll call
white, are the black and grey versions.
The Black Knight is the defender of a malevolent social order usually
opposing the White Outlaw while the White Knight primarily opposes the Black
Outlaw. In the film <i>Die Hard</i>, John
McLain is the White Knight against Hans Gruber the Black Outlaw. However the formula can vary. In the film <i>Raiders of the Lost Ark</i>, Indiana
Jones is the White Knight hired by the American government to oppose the Black
Knights of the Nazis. As the colour
implies, the greys are morally ambiguous.
They may have good intentions, but their means are negative. So the Grey Knights might see themselves as
bringing peace but do so by restricting freedom. The Grey Outlaw might strike out against the
authoritarian regime by blowing-up a government installation with no regard for
innocent casualties. A character like
Daredevil is a White Outlaw fighting Black Outlaws but often finds himself
against the Punisher, a Grey Outlaw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In Assassin’s Creed, the
Assassins are traditional White Outlaws, however they are perceived by the
general public as being Black Outlaws while the Assassins themselves seem
concerned with crossing the line into the grey.
The Templars are mostly Grey Knights.
Occasionally, there are Black Knights in the mixed, but for the most
part they have nominal good intentions.
Haytham Kenway, Shay McCormack, and Elise de la Serre are all examples
of Grey Knights who see the Assassins as well-meaning but ultimately misguided
and a danger to society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">These moral delineations of white,
grey, and black are largely fixed according to how selfless or selfish the
actions. As White Outlaws, the Assassins fight for freedom as their primary
value. This is built into the Creed and
explains cryptic statements found through the game series such as when Evie
says to Queen Victoria, “But with the greatest respect, our philosophy forbids
us from assisting with the expansion of the Empire.” How does she get that from, “Nothing is True;
Everything is Permitted”? </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is where Existentialism and
the Romantic overlap. As mentioned
earlier, Nothing is True is an admonition to independent critical
thinking. This is not possible without
the freedom to think as you choose. To
say that Everything is permitted is an existential truth, but a state of
bondage is designed to control and prevent human action. We might rephrase the Creed as, “Freedom to
think and to act”. Imperialism runs
counter to the Creed so Evie rejects it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">LOVE AND THE ASSASSIN</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When people think of love it is
usually so-called romantic love that initially comes to mind. Who can blame them? It is the topic of countless songs, shows,
movies, and books. It can rightly be
called a cultural obsession, but this mentality does love a great
disservice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the pie chart of love,
romantic love represents the smallest sliver of the experience of love. It is the dopamine driven rush found at the
beginning of a relationship lasting about a year or two before settling into
what we can call a proper form of love.
The big picture of love includes various forms of love such as family
love, love for a spouse, love of friends, love of community, and even love of
ideology. The ancient Greeks had
different words for each of these types of love, but unfortunately English only
has the one word to work with in understanding the concept. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Another unfortunate twist of
language is that the Romantic has lent its name erroneously to the concept of
romantic love, so to keep these concepts clear; I’ll be referring to romantic
love by its Greek name eros.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The foundational form of love
found in the traditional Romances is what is today called courtly or fine
love. The knight acts to impress the
object of his affection that he serves and worships mostly platonically. There is no eros here. So it seems strange that eros is today called
romantic love when it’s absent from the Romances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So what is love? Love is a strong emotional response to values
and values are those things that we act to gain or to keep. This is why love is often associated with
desire and sacrifice. Values are those
things we desire to possess and those things that we are willing to risk or
sacrifice other values to preserve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Love is an emotional response, so
understanding love requires some understanding of how emotions work. When the Creed states that “nothing is true”
it is acknowledging that what people think is reality is actually their
perceived idea of reality. Your brain
responds to these ideas with the chemical cocktail that we call emotions. The basic process is: Perception ->
Assessment -> Response --> Action. This process occurs so fast that the
conscious mind barely notices it and not at all if the mind isn't paying
attention. This creates the illusion that emotional responses emerge
instantaneous from nowhere completely independent of the mind. The ancients
believed the source of emotions to be a spirit that comes upon a person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If someone pulls a gun on you
there is sudden fear. You perceive the gun, assess that it is a gun (a lethal
weapon), and the emotional response is fear for the purpose of acting in
self-preservation. But what if your
perception is false and you only think it's a gun? The chain of events is the same. The emotions
are valid in the sense that they are truly believed and felt, but the premise
of the emotion is faulty and can lead to harmful actions. Similarly, suppose
someone pulls a gun on you but you have never seen a gun before. You would not know to be afraid. In this case the perception is accurate but
the assessment is faulty leading to a flawed but understandable emotional
response. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is very little eros in
Assassin’s Creed beyond passing encounters.
So you will not find much in terms of a love story. The closest that the series ever came to
making eros a central theme is AC Unity with Arno and Elise playing the Romeo
and Juliet roles of lovers who belong to warring factions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">AC Black Flag focuses on two
forms of love. The Greeks make a
distinction between the love of lovers, eros, and the love of spouses. Once the initial passions of a relationship cool
down they settle into something more stable and mundane. This is the love Edward feels for his wife
Caroline. It is his desire to be a
worthy provider for her that drives him to become a privateer which in turn led
to him becoming a pirate and then Assassin.
So you might say his story is driven by love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Another form of love in Black
Flag is the love of friends. The story
takes a great deal of time building the friendship of Edward to Mary Reed,
Edward Thatch, and Adelewale making them three of the most likeable characters. Towards the end there is a melancholy scene
where Edward imagines all his friends who had died gathered on his porch
drinking and laughing like old times. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Edward’s grandson, Connor Kenway,
has a different focus. For Connor there
is his village and the settlement. His love is the love of community. Looking at love as a motivator as we act to
gain or keep values, most of Connor’s actions are towards preserving his
village and building the settlement.
This involves the level of care and concern he feels particularly
towards the settlement, but at the same time he Is largely disconnected from it
in the sense that the members come across as positive acquaintances rather than
friends. So really it is the idea of the
settlement and the people in it that he loves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is another form of love
filled with strife and anger, but beneath the violent surface there is a deep
connection. This is the love between
siblings and the embodiment of this is of course Jacob and Evie Frye in Ac
Syndicate. Their love for each other is
a major theme in the game and the execution in the story makes their love palpable
as it leaps from the screen. Despite
their playful mockery of each other that gradually deepens into conflict, in
the end their bond of love is secure and sees them through as they realise that
they are better together than apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Within families there is this
sibling love but there are other forms as well.
I am told that the love a parent feels for their child is powerful. This is not openly apparent in Assassin’s
Creed though there are hints in Haytham Kenway towards his son, Connor. The other form is the love of a child to
their parent. We see this in Ezio’s
story. All forms of family love can be
found in the Auditores but the key to the story is how Ezio feels about his
family as a concept particularly about his father’s legacy. In AC Brotherhood we see the light and shadow
of this with the Auditores versus the Borgias and the paternal legacy both sons
look to uphold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When early Christians described
the love between God and Mankind the ancient Greek word they used for love was
agape. Today we may call this the love
of ideology. An ideology is a collection
of beliefs and beliefs are sometimes described as being ideas with emotional
attachments. So yes, you can love an
ideology. This is why people become
hostile when they feel that their ideology is being attacked. This is the basis behind the notion of
blasphemy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No doubt all the Assassins have a
love for the Creed and each have acted to advance and preserve it, but as a
story showing this kind of love, I will have to go with Altair in AC1. In order to promote and preserve an ideology
organisations are created. The Assassins
exist as an organisation for the Creed.
However, of all the Assassins we see, we see very little of any kind of
organisation. We know it’s there, but
our main characters act independently of it, completely disregard it, or assume
sole leadership of it. Only Altair is a
servant of it. When he fails to do so he
is demoted and must prove himself once again from the bottom rank. Enduring this shows a level of devotion to
the organisation that we do not see in the other Assassins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To accept love as a Romantic
value is not to simply value eros. It is
essentially to value values. I recent
learned of a fellow named Matthieu Ricard.
He is a Buddhist monk and the son of French philosopher Jean-François
Revel. According to the story I heard,
young Matthieu grew-up in an atmosphere where the leading French
Existentialists, Sartre, Bouvoir, and Camus, were regular guests of his
father. They would sit around smoking cigarettes
and drinking wine. Ricard noticed that
these leading lights of Western philosophy looked miserable. Ricard went on to embrace Eastern philosophy
and is now known as “the happiest man on earth”. In its rejection of imposed values
Existentialism fails to replace them with new values. A life without values is a life without
love. This is one area where the
Romantic helps to support the truths of Existentialism by encouraging a life
where we invest our emotions in the things that matter to us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">TRUTH, BEAUTY, FREEDOM, LOVE, AND
ASSASSIN’S CREED</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Romantic stories like Assassin’s
Creed serve a valuable purpose in teaching values. They inspire us through example and emotion to
have inquisitive minds in pursuit of Truth and to be true to ourselves and to
others. They encourage us to allow our
lives to become works of art and beauty and not settle for the mundane. They give us heroes to emulate and who show
us that we can cultivate the freedom and power necessary to make our dreams a
reality. Finally, the Romantic
encourages us to make those important value connections with our values, our partners,
our friends, our community, and with our own ideologies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">For the vast majority of people
who have purchased and played games within the Assassin’s Creed series all they
see is another video game and they judge it solely on its gameplay. However, for the relative few who are touched
on a deeper emotional level a connection is made with the Assassin’s Creed
Universe and the conduit for this connection are the Romantic elements of the
series. This opens the doors to the
deeper levels of Existentialism and Stoicism. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-28534583029869911852015-11-10T05:25:00.000-08:002016-06-06T23:55:38.274-07:00The Lost Assassin’s Creed<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In October 2014 I performed my
usual ritual of buying the latest Assassin’s Creed game. There was only one problem. I didn’t own an Xbox One to play Assassin’s
Creed Unity. So I read the novelization
and watched the “movie” on Youtube – a series of cutscenes edited
together. Eventually, I did get that
Xbox One and finally played through Unity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I play an Assassin’s Creed
game I play an Assassin’s Creed game.
There is no deep analysis and no taking notes. I just scamper across rooftops, open chests,
and climb vantage points just like any other player, but as I play through I
start to see a pattern form. A dominant
theme seems to rise to the surface. The
theme that struck me playing Unity was the warning against radicalism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Assassin’s Creed series was
inspired by the book Alamut by Vladamir Bartol.
The edition of the book on my shelf includes a brief essay after the
final chapter by Michael Biggins where he writes:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“If “Nothing is true, everything
is permitted” stands as a symbol of the licence granted to the Ismaili elite,
then the unrelated subsidiary motto, “Omnia in numero et mensura” acquires an
ultimately cautionary significance. All things within measure, nothing too
much. In other words, skepticism and rationality are important assets, but
overdependence on them at the expense of compassion leads to the tragedy that
engulfs Hasan as much as it does his witting and unwitting victims.”</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The motto, “Omnia in numero et
mensura” translates as “all things in measure , and number , and weight” which
is pretty vague without context. It
comes from a verse in The Book of Wisdom 11:21, one of the books in the
Catholic version of the Old Testament, which reads:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yea and without these might have been slain
with one blast , persecuted by their own deeds, and scattered by the breath of
thy power ; but all things in measure , and number , and weight. </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The gist of the passage is
declaring that God is all-powerful but acts in moderation. So the meaning of the motto becomes “all
things in moderation”. This could be
called the lost Assassin’s Creed and emerges as the central theme in the game
Assassin’s Creed Unity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When Arno Dorian begins his adult
story the status quo sees a truce between the Assassins and the Templars at a
time when the reins of leadership were in the hands of two political moderates,
Honore Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau for the Assassins and Francois de la
Serre for the Templars. Over the course
of the tale both men are murdered by extremists within their own ranks.
Francois-Thomas Germain leads the coup against de la Serre culminating in his
murder and the Assassin Pierre Bellec poisons Mirabeau. Both Germain and Bellec see their leaders as
embodying a corruption of the true purpose of their respective organisations
and seek to purge that corruption by killing the leadership. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When running through the Parisian
sandbox there comes a point when the verbal abuse hurled at poor Arno by the
street thugs becomes repetitive. One of
the common phrases uses the term “moderate” as an insult. This may seem strange to our 21<sup>st</sup>
century ears where radical, and not moderate, is the common insult. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The media may deride radical
Islam, fundamentalist Christians, or the extreme political right and left, but
this could be spun in another direction.
We value people who are true to their beliefs and extoll their self-sacrifice
for those beliefs, but we draw the line when they impose on our beliefs and
values. As for the moderates, they
compromise. They compromise their
beliefs, their values, and their integrity.
So, t is not too hard to see the moderates as being false at best and
traitors to the ideology at worse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is nothing inherently wrong
with radicalism. The word radical
originally meant the root of a plant, but in the 18<sup>th</sup> Century it
came to mean the advocates of the root principles, or fundamentals, of an
ideology. This is paralleled in one
interpretation of the origin of the word assassin as “those faithful to the
foundation”. This denotes an absolute uncompromising
adherance to certain basic principles.
In theology, these are known as dogma, <span style="background: white;">a principle or set of
principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true that cannot be
changed or discarded without destroying the ideology itself. Dogma is different from doctrine in that a
doctrine is a set of principles that can be compromised but a dogma cannot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Douglas Bader famously
said, “Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools”.
Wisdom is knowing how the world works.
This includes understanding why the rules are in place, discerning which
rules can be broken and when, and the possible repercussions. This enables the wise man to make compromises
without sacrificing the essential principles behind the rules. It takes wisdom to know doctrine from dogma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, for the fool
the rules become an easy ticket to being right and therefore righteous. We have rules to keep the fools in line so
they come to perceive the rules as an authority. If you follow the rules then you are aligned
with the authority and thus become the authority. This is where radicalism, fundamentalism, and
dogma get their bad reputation. Today we
see radicals as people to whom every principle of their ideology is dogma. This leads to a strict adherence to the rules
and a fanatical enforcement of them at the expense of the principles behind the
rules. A fool follows rules and the wise
man is guided by the principles behind the rules.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">The lost Assassin’s
Creed of </span>Omnia in numero et mensura puts the Creed into context by
advocating balance and as an appeal to wisdom in interpreting all things,
including the Creed. It is a safeguard
in whose light the Creed becomes, “Nothing is true except what is and everything
is permitted except what is not”. Truth
must be judged on the authority of reality and actions must be judged on
purpose and consequence. Wisdom shows us
which rules are dogma and which are doctrine, in other words, which can be
broken and which cannot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the lesson learned by
Arno at the end of the game.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Creed of the Assassin
Brotherhood teaches us that nothing is forbidden to us. Once, I thought that
meant we were free to do as we would. To pursue our ideals, no matter the
cost. I understand now. Not a grant of permission. The Creed is a warning.
Ideals too easily give way to dogma. Dogma becomes fanaticism. No higher power
sits in judgement of us. No supreme being watches to punish us for our sins. In
the end, only we ourselves can guard against our obsessions. Only we can decide
whether the road we walk carries too high a toll. We believe ourselves
redeemers, avengers, saviours. We make war on those who oppose us, and
they in turn make war on us. We dream of leaving our stamp upon the
world...even as we give our lives in a conflict that will be recorded in no
history book. All that we do, all that we are, begins and ends with
ourselves.</span></blockquote>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-36522290463428531352015-06-14T02:53:00.000-07:002015-06-14T03:04:53.170-07:00The Tale of the Jackdaw<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of the five branches of
philosophy, the fifth is Aesthetics. Its surface question is “What is beauty?”
Dig a bit deeper and the questions become ones like “What is quality?” and “Why
do we like whatever we like?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My theory is that we are drawn to
things that resonate with us. This has more to do with how we perceive it and
how we perceive ourselves in relation to it with little to do with the thing
itself. With this is mind, ask yourself
dear reader, who is your favourite Assassin and why?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favourite is Edward Kenway. This is not to say that he is the
best or ideal assassin. That position is reserved for the likes of Altair or
Ezio (though I'm on team Ezio with this one). For the entirety of the game <i>Black Flag</i> Kenway isn't even an
assassin. At the end he says that he has issues to sort out and that he would
join the brotherhood when they are done, which he does. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I like Kenway because I identify
with his story about a Jackdaw trying to be an Eagle. Ezio is noble, wise, and
has clarity of purpose. He is the quintessential Eagle. Edward Kenway is not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In animal lore, the Jackdaw is
equated with thievery and both craftiness and foolishness, he's too clever for
his own good. He is the kind of person who does things the quick and easy way,
is smart enough to succeed to a point, but is scrambling to hold that position
and never feels truly worthy of it because he feels he did not earn it. Living in constant fear of being caught out
for the fraud he believes himself to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As Mary Read tells him, "No
one honest has an easy life, Edward. It's aching for one that causes the most
pain." Her point here is that
people have what they have because they sacrificed freedom and ease to get it.
Those unwilling to make the same sacrifices see the "easy life" these
others seem to have and want it for themselves. They ache for the benefits but
do not want to pay the cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aristotle called pride the crown
of virtues. In other words, pride is the reward for living a life of positive habits.
The opposite is arrogance where someone expects the benefits of virtue and pride
but lack the works to back it. . An arrogant
person is the kind who demands respect but has done nothing deserving respect. Rather than fullness, for the arrogant there
is only emptiness<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine a cup and no matter how
much you pour into it the cup never fills. The trick is that to everyone watching
the cup is overflowing and you're making a mess. Doc Holiday in the film Tombstone describes
his nemesis, Johnny Ringo, this way. "A man like Ringo has got a great big
hole, right in the middle of him. He can never kill enough, or steal enough, or
inflict enough pain to ever fill it. " </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Edward Kenway suffers the same
affliction. He can never steal enough or become renowned enough to bolster his
sense of self-worth. He's never good
enough in his eyes despite his acquired wealth and fame. He is contemptuous of people of
accomplishment, status, and rank because he believes that he deserves it more
than they do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course this is fiction, but in
real life it's the same principle -- without the violence. We each have an idea
of ourselves that we carry around with us. Commonly called the self-image. The question
is whether this image is consistent with reality or not. A person who sees their
cup as empty is constantly looking to fill it, but since the problem is one of
perception not abundance, enough is never enough. Such people may have lives filled with money,
power, respect, love and be the envy of others, but they lack the capacity to
accept the fact that they have these things and therefore constantly strive for
them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kenway was born to a poor family
working the farm, but he always knew that he was meant for more. It was almost
as though he saw the bigger picture while his family and neighbours saw only
pixels. Some people are happy with the
world they are given while others see and therefore want more. This is often the case with heroes in
stories. They are set apart from the
other characters because they see, or at least sense, a world beyond the
mundane drudgeries of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first example of Kenway
reaching above his allotted station in life is made evident in the novelisation
of the game to explain his motivations for leaving Caroline to make his
fortunes as a privateer. He had won the
heart of most beautiful woman in the area but her family was rich. Of course
her parents disapproved of her marrying beneath herself and Edward came to
resent the two of them living in a shack on his parent’s farm. Caroline was
okay with this because she loved Edward, but he couldn’t live with
himself. He needed to prove that he was
better to Caroline, to her family, and to his neighbours. He needed to become rich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Money is useless. It's just bits
of metal, paper, or bytes. So the pursuit of money is also useless. But people
do not pursue wealth for the money. They pursue what the money represents. For
Edward, the pursuit of wealth was the pursuit of love, self-worth, and freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been said that the people
who say "money isn’t everything" are people who have it. They take
money for granted and do not appreciate that having money enables all the great
things that "money can’t buy", like love, self-worth, and freedom. However, St. Columba wrote that the man who
is not satisfied with little will not be satisfied by more. Money enables what
is already there. It's like how Dr. Erskine describes the super soldier serum
in the film <i>Captain America</i>. It “amplifies
everything that is inside, so good becomes great; bad becomes worse.” This is true for all forms of power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Edward Kenway becoming rich
drove him to want to become richer, possessed of the "one last big
score" mentality. He became so obsessed with acquiring the means to his
end that he forgets his end purpose of returning to Caroline. He reaches
rock bottom with the death of Mary Read while in prison and the grief driven
drunken binge that followed. It is
during this haze that he envisions his nemesis, Woodes Rogers, taunting him
with Aesop's tale of the jackdaw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Aesop once wrote of an eagle, soaring high above a shepherd's field
that swooped down on powerful wings to seize a grazing lamb and carry it off to
her nest. Flying close by, a jackdaw saw the deed, and it filled his head with
the idea that he too was just as strong and capable. So with a great flapping
and rustling of feathers, the jackdaw came down swiftly and clutched at the
coat of a large ram. But when he tried to fly away, he found he could not lift
the animal, for his size and strength were not up to the task. And even as the
jackdaw struggled, the ram hardly noticed he was there. Nearby, just across the
field, the shepherd saw the fluttering bird and was quite amused. Running up,
he captured the jackdaw and clipped its wings. That evening he gave the jackdaw
to his children as a gift. "What an odd little bird this is, father!"
they laughed and shouted. "What do you call him?" "This is a
jackdaw," the father said. "But if you should ask him, he would claim
to be an eagle."</span></i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the central point of the
story. Edward Kenway is the
jackdaw. He coveted the positions of the rich
in his neighbourhood growing-up and believed that money would make him noble. He dresses-up in the robes of an Assassin,
but has not earned the right to do so. He
pretends to be Assassins throughout the story and granted he has the innate
skills to pull it off, but he is no Assassin.
When he fails he sees himself as the fraud he is, but in doing so he
transforms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For years I've been rushing around, taking whatever I fancied, not
giving a tinker's curse for those I hurt. Yet here I am... with riches and
reputation, feeling no wiser than when I left home. Yet when I turn around, and
look at the course I've run... there's not a man or woman that I love left
standing beside me.</span></i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It may seem a trite lesson.
"I sought riches but all I needed was love", but it's deeper than
that. It is about the cup that never
fills, like some tartarusian torture, and a lesson in how to fill it. If you aspire to greatness, to be the hero or
the Assassin, or to be loved and respected, it is not enough to pursue to
benefits or trappings that you associate with these things. Dressing like a doctor does not make you
one. Rather you must pursue to virtues
that result in these benefits. If you
want wealth, then develop positive work habits and an eye to spot
opportunity. If you want love from
others, then learn to respect their thoughts, feelings, needs, and space
instead of assuming that yours somehow trump theirs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">This is why Edward Kenway is my
favourite Assassin. Not because he is
the best but because his journey is profound and relatable. My family was never hung in a Florentine piazza,
or my village burned, and I was certainly not raised on a “farm” to become an
Assassin, but I have aspired to greatness with as little effort or sacrifice as
possible. I have felt like a fraud
hoping no one notices. I have asked
myself, “if you’re so smart then why aren’t you successful?” And I have felt that I was not good enough as
a man for the woman I was with at the time.
I think this is true for a lot of people. This is what makes Edward Kenway’s story, the
Tale of the jackdaw, our story.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-69371807150225895632015-06-10T12:12:00.001-07:002015-06-14T03:11:26.765-07:00The Revolutions of Assassin's Creed<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like thousands of others, I
watched the trailer for the new Assassin’s Creed game Syndicate soon after it
was made public. We now finally have a
Victorian Assassin, well two actually, the Frye twins Jacob and Evie. For those too involved in the spirit of the
trailer here is Jacob’s introduction to the game:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s a bloody marvellous time to
be alive, an age of invention, so many clever blokes dreaming up impossible
machines sorting away more gold than Queen Victoria herself. But none of those shillings ever makes it
into the pockets of the poor devils whose blood is spilt building this glorious
empire. The working class sleeping walks
through life unaware of the machine that drives them. Let's wake them up then,
shall we?</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At first I thought he might be referring
to the Chartist Movement, a working-class movement for political reform in
Britain which existed from 1838 to 1858, but the game is set in 1868. So it is a bit late. One thing for certain is the talk of
revolution, something that is quickly becoming a common feature in advertising
the Assassin’s Creed games. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To understand the scope of what I
am referring to, here are the trailers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rise Trailer</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Boy11rMf50Q/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Boy11rMf50Q?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Liberation</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zfpfhztOBVI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zfpfhztOBVI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Defy Trailer</span></h4>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Freedom Cry</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Syndicate</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The common theme is revolution
and fighting for the people, the powerless against the powerful. I get excited at the thought of revolution,
like at the end of Les Miserable standing on the barricade. Perhaps that is part of the reason I get
excited about Assassin’s Creed. There’s this vicarious involvement that video
games allow. You can “be” the character leading his band of brothers against
tyranny. I assume that like me others
get so pumped-up being this person and in this world that you want to go out
into the real world and do something with all that energy only to step through
your front door and find yourself sorely
disappointed by the real world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Revolution is literally in the
DNA of Assassin’s Creed. In the Western
storytelling tradition, Assassin’s Creed traces its origins to the historical
Romances of Sir Walter Scott, particular another hooded member of a rag-tag
brotherhood of outsiders fighting for the people and against the injustices of
the rich and powerful. Of course I am
referring to Robin Hood.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As mentioned in previous
articles, modern Middle-Eastern scholars are swaying towards the notion that
the origin of the word assassin is <i>asasiyun</i>,
meaning "those faithful to the foundation", however the old belief
that the word is derived from hashishin is still held by the general public. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The word hashashin means hashish user, but the
connotation is an outcast or outsider. This is the interpretation used by Ra's
al ghul in the television series Arrow when he tells Oliver Queen that the word
assassin referred to people outside of society.
This also connects back to Robin Hood.
The term outlaw originally referred to someone punished for a crime by
being placed outside of the protection of the law – literally an out-law. So in theory, someone could legally murder an
outlaw and it not be considered a crime.
Outlaw, outcast, or hashishin, it’s all the same thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Assassin’s Creed series never
provides their definitive etymology, but it's safe to say the outcast theory
plays a part. The Assassins are often cast as outside of society due to the
secret knowledge they possess and being aligned with the poor, simple, every
day folk against the powers that be as represented by the Templars. This fits Assassin’s Creed's Romantic Robin
Hood heritage of the plucky outsiders -- or outlaws if you please -- fighting
the evil rich people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This Robin Hood trope of the plucky, heroic revolutionaries
fighting for the freedom of the common man against the injustices of an evil
government, corporation, or, in the case of Assassin's Creed, a powerful secret society pulling the strings behind the scenes, is one
of the most common in modern narrative
fiction. It’s right up there with the boy meets girl trope found in
almost every rom-com. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m not the only one who feels
this trope. Revolution sells. Advertisers use revolution to promote their
products. Only today I walked past a shoe store with a poster in the window
asking, "What do you stand for?"
Well, apparently if you wear these shoes you can feel like a rebel
standing for your principles fighting the system and “the man”. But what exactly is “the system” and who is
the man?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The System</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Understanding the so-called
system begins with recognising the human condition. All living organisms must
produce to survive. Production is the result of the combination of time,
energy, skill, and will.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A tiger is engaging
his production when hunting and a gazelle when it's grazing. For humans,
production is more complicated. We require food and also shelter and clothing
to survive. This need is the foundation of all human society and production,
the application of human time, energy, skill, and will is the means to this
end. The result of human production is the entirety of the man-made Artificial
Reality in which we reside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Human production is possibly the
most powerful resource on the planet. It has the power to change reality
itself. As with any resource, especially one this powerful, people wish to
harness it for their own purposes and to manage it. Others fear how it is used,
so they attempt to control how individuals and groups of individuals use their
production. In response, others resist these attempts by others to own, manage,
or control their production.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every human being is born with
time, energy, will, and the capacity to develop skills. To be free is to own
your production. To be unfree, to be a slave, is to have another claim
ownership of your production -- your time, energy, skill, and will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But freedom is nothing without
the power to act on that freedom. Power is the means by which we work our will
in the world, to exercise our freedom, so there is no point to freedom without
the means to act on that freedom?
According to this theory, the more power you have the freer you are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of all the powers that be, the
most versatile and reliable is money. Suppose you have a craving for a double
shot latte. You have the freedom to get it but do you have the power to get
it? What means must be employed? Do you have a car or bus fare to get to
Starbucks or can you walk? Once you get there do you have the money to buy it
or can you charm someone to buy it for you? Maybe you have a friend working
there who can give you one for free. For
something as simple as getting a cup of coffee we must employ the range of powers
at our disposal, most of which we take for granted. Of all these forms of power
the most reliable is cold hard cash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Money is power and the more power
you have the more means at your disposal to exercise your will in the world --
your freedom. So how do we get money?
Ironically, we get money by selling our freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We trade our production (our
freedom) to another person in exchange for money, a symbolic representation of
production. With money, we do not have to trade our production to buy milk.
Imagine if we had to do chores at the local shop to make purchases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So how much is a person's
production worth? A thing, any thing, is worth whatever someone is willing to
pay for it. If someone wanted to pay a high salary to someone to sweep floors,
then janitors would be rich. This is why it's called the job market. Not because
people are shopping for jobs. It's the
other way around. Employers are shopping
for employees and deciding their value -- or at least how much they are willing
to pay for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When making purchases consumers
look for "value for money" meaning that they want the best and most
at as little cost as possible. The seller is looking for the maximum return on
his investment. If he can buy widgets cheap and sell them at ten times what he
paid for them, then he's one happy camper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the job market you might think
that the employer is analogous to the seller, but you would be wrong. He’s the
consumer. We sell our production
(freedom) and we want a maximum return on our investment. This means getting as much money as possible
costing as little freedom as possible -- high pay, low hours, and little work
is the ideal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The employer wants value for
money. His ideal is paying as little as possible for another person's
production and squeezing as much labour as possible from the employees, or as they say in retail
"if you've got time to lean;
you've got time to clean". If an employee is late or lazy then the
employer is not getting his money’s worth.
If the employee is costing the employer a certain amount of money but is
not making the employer enough money to cover the wages, then the employer is not
getting his money’s worth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the comparisons made
between the American North and South during the period before and after the
Civil War was that while the South owned slaves, free production, the owner had
to pay for the slaves upkeep in food, shelter, clothing, and, if the master was
kind, medical care. Whereas in the North, factory workers were underpaid and
still had to pay for their own upkeep. The argument was that it was sometimes
better to be a slave in the South than a factory worker in the North.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The saying goes that we all have
a boss. From the lowly minimum wage
employee, to their boss, to the corporate executives, they all have bosses;
they all want to get paid; and they all want to keep getting paid and will do
whatever they were hired to do to ensure that. This universal need to sell our production for money and the employee/employer relationship is "the system" and it will continue to exist as long as people need food, shelter, clothing, and entertainment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this eternal dynamic of employee
and employer there is a third outside party with no metaphysical connection
with the other two. The worker needs a boss and a boss needs a worker, but
neither needs government.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Government however needs both.
Labour (the people) who empower government with votes, support, and even through
their apathy and acceptance. Management empowers government with money. This is provided either directly through
taxes, donations, bribes, or favours, or indirectly through the wages paid to
employees who then pay a portion of these wages to government through taxation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the people give government
social power and companies give it monetary power. In exchange the government
grants favours writ in legislation and enforced with police, courts, prisons,
and military. Whoever controls the government with its monopoly on force
controls the production of a nation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the foundation of
revolution -- all revolutions. The
people fight for freedom -- the ownership of their production and a maximum
return on their invested freedom. When they don't get it they say they are being
exploited, which is just a fancy way of saying used. When they fight business it’s
for higher wages and more benefits. When they fight government they are resisting
the force of government control their lives. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's an interesting side-thought, if a person trades one months production (freedom) for £1,000 and this person is then taxed £1,000 per year, then he has spent one month of the years as a slave to government. This is just an example. It is estimated that the average person works three to four months for government. Why do they do it? Is it a sense of civic duty or because men with guns will arrest them and put them in jail if they don't?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joining the Revolution</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ultimately, everyone wants to
control this exclusive power of force wielded by government. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of the recent trailers for Assassin’s Creed,
you may have noticed the absence of Unity in the above showcase.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Strange that the trailer for the game set
during the French Revolution is the least revolutionary.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead there is Lord’s cover of the Tears
For Fears song, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is true.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everyone does want to rule the world, perhaps not directly but everyone
has an opinion of how the world should be.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They are more than happy to tell you what should or should not be a law.
They often forget that laws are backed by the force of government, so when you
want something to be illegal, ask yourself if you are happy for government to
use force to make someone act as you choose.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Business leaders and politicians
are not some alien species, unless you believe David Icke. They are people with
families, children, hopes, dreams, and feelings. The difference is that they
have power and others do not and people with power work their will in the world. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since time
immemorial people have talked about what they would do or what should be done
to make their society better -- whatever their idea of "better" might
be. The difference between them and the people with power is that the powerful
can actually do something about it. In the words of Larens Prins in Black Flag,
"You live in the world but you cannot make it move.” The powerful can and
do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Someone with monetary power can
simply buy what they need to change the world, anything from manpower, to media
coverage, to politicians. Revolutionaries have social power, the power of the
people -- the power of numbers. But this
is as unstable a foundation as monetary power is stable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Universities are traditionally
starting points for revolution. This is not because of the ideas that students
encounter, though that does play a part. Students are not fully independent
from their parents and have no dependents. This affords them the luxury of
being revolutionaries. It's hard to join the cause if you have to maintain your
job and provide for a family. At best the revolution is a past time or volunteer
work on the side. You show up for the
rally and then get the kids their dinner. Even the most dedicated volunteers
have to sustain their lifestyle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another problem with people power
is that there are as many individual purposes as there are individuals and
these purposes can change on a whim. Today the public is on your side but
tomorrow they have moved on to something else and you stand alone on the
barricade.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since the source of revolutionary
power is social power, then a political rally or protest is a display of that
power. It is the equivalent of brandishing a gun at the powers that be. But
what if the powers are not threatened? What if they know that all they have to
do is wait it out and the threat will peacefully disperse and return to feed
the kids? This is what happened with the Iraq War protests, possibly the
largest mass protest the world has even seen and it accomplished nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A more violent form a protest
involves looting. This is hardly the grand ideological movement that revolutionaries
want. It is as simple as an event creating opportunities for people to steal
and later justifying it as protest. This
gets media attention, but still nothing changes. It is not revolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The problem in converting the
revolutionary trope from fiction to real life is the consideration of money. For the hero to
act he must have the means to act, the power to act, and most of the time this
means money. In real life our range of action is limited by the amount of money
at our disposal, but this is never a problem suffered by fictional characters
unless it pertains to the plot. Even in sitcoms supposedly poor characters can
afford to leave their jobs and fly across America for another character’s
wedding at a moment's notice and no matter menial their job they all have nice homes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like most heroes and primary characters,
the Assassins have money at their disposal for the sole purpose of advancing
the plot. Imagine if Connor said, "Sorry Achilles, I can make the assassination of the evil Templar because I have work till six". The Assassins primary income seems to derive from treasure chests sitting in
plain sight that no one ever thinks to break open, real estate development, and
international trade. Either way, the Assassins are not poor. Ezio was a noble. Connor
had access to Achilles resources. Aveline
was a wealthy merchant. Edward started off poor but ended rich due to his
lucrative pirating exploits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So where does this leave our real
world Assassins lacking in monetary power or people power? I think it is all about
attitude – an individual’s orientation to reality. This orientation is determined by our beliefs
and values. I would define myself as
having a revolutionary attitude because I do not like my actions dictated by
laws or policies made-up by people that I do not know and do not know me. I agree with Douglas Bader who wrote, “Rules
are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men”. With that in mind, I do not take kindly to
fools who follow and enforce the rules concocted by other fools who attained
positions of power over me by following other rules.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What makes the way of the
Assassin revolutionary is the realization that everything is permitted so your
rules only have as much power over me as you are able to enforce. This means I will follow your rules for only
one of two reasons. Either I agree with
them or I am not willing to risk the consequences of disobedience. I will not smoke in a public place because I
do not wish to annoy people and not because it’s against the law. I will smoke in a deserted public place. I will pay taxes because I do not want to go
to jail, but will not if I could safely avoid it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There have always been schemers
and planners. Those people with an
overwhelming sense of how things should be and the arrogance to believe they
are exclusively right and that this gives them the right to force their will on
others. If these people have a small
amount of power it’s the asshole in the office.
If these people have a lot of power it’s the asshole in the corporate
office, government, or the community action group. What’s new is their ability to control and monitor
you and this begs the question of what you can or will do in response.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed is for the
outlaws, the outcasts, the hashishin, the revolutionaries. With one snikt of the hidden blade the
powerful fall to the powerless. In some
ways it’s a revenge fantasy vicariously played out. The dark side of Assassin’s Creed is this message that of all the forms of power material power may be the most reliable
and constant, social power may be dramatic yet fickle, but the one that trumps
them all is physical power. Money will
not save you from the hidden blade and the crowd becomes your disadvantage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Although the Assassin’s Creed
trailers sell revolution, in the Rise and Defy trailers the assassins stand
apart only making an appearance at the end.
He is not their leader. He is not
their organiser. He is not part of their
revolution. However, it is implied that he
is willing to take action as needed. This
is played out in the games themselves where the revolution serves only as a
backdrop. So perhaps the real message is
not one of revolution but an understanding that events are currents that pull
us along and all that we can control is how we choose respond to them. Do we
obey or do we rise and defy?</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-82225528827830125102015-05-05T02:23:00.000-07:002016-06-06T23:56:15.948-07:00An Assassin’s Creed Conspiracy Theory<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m no expert in video game production, but I do know that
your favourite video game was years in the making and that one of the starting
points is the story. The story of <i>Assassin’s
Creed Black Flag</i> is the basic MacGuffin plot where various parties attempt to
secure an object (or as Star-Lord, you know, the legendary outlaw, might put
it, - something having a “shiny
suitcase, Ark of the Covenant, Maltese Falcon vibe”).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Black Flag, the MacGuffin in question is the Observatory,
a structure built by the precursor race to observe people. This is done with a device that is basically
a high-tech version of the animus that uses a crystal cube – a prism if you
will – containing the blood (DNA) of the person whose eyes you want to see
through. Using such a device and having
ample blood samples would allow a person to spy on anyone in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Black Flag was released to the general public on 29 October
2013. This is important because four
months earlier in June 2013 The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom
published the initial revelations of NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden. The article revealed the existence of a data
mining program called PRISM which enables government agencies to spy on people
through their online activities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Is it a coincidence or a conspiracy? Did someone at Ubisoft know about PRISM and
sought to inform the public under the guise of a video game plot? Who knows?
Stranger things have happened. But
it is interesting to imagine a video game series set in the world of conspiracy
and government control to be active in uncovering real life conspiracies and
government control.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-40300948767359856292015-04-26T09:37:00.000-07:002016-06-06T23:57:06.213-07:00Assassins Kill Their Parents<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
am not a big Superman fan. Don’t me
wrong, I don’t hate him and I will happily watch him in animation or a film,
but I am not heavily invested in the character.
I do have a friend who is and he was outraged by the ending of the film
<i>Man of Steel</i> where Superman kills Zod to prevent him from killing a group of
cornered bystanders. What made my friend
angry was that the writers put Superman in a position where he had to choose
between killing Zod and saving the innocents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When
we consume media, it is easy to get caught up in the story and forget that
there is a storyteller making these characters say what they say and do as they
do. All stories are contrived. A good storyteller makes us forget that he is
there pulling everyone’s strings. A good
critic asks us to see the storyteller and ask what he is telling us beneath all
the distractions of character, setting, and plot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What
the storytellers of <i>Man of Steel</i> seem to be saying is that under the right set
of circumstances even the best people will do something terrible. Superman fans will accept that message from
just about any character except Superman, who is meant to be an ideal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A
question that bothered me for years, the kind of question you find yourself
pondering now and again while alone, is why the storytellers involved in the
Assassin’s Creed series made it so that most of the Assassins killed either
their parents or a parental figure. What
is it with killing their parents all the time?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Altair
kills Al Mualim, a father figure. Ezio gets
a pass on this one; however in his trilogy we see the animosity between Desmond
and his father. Connor kills his
father. Aveline kills her step-mother
and contributes to the events leading her mentor to kill himself. Edward, Adewale and Arno all get passes as
well, however there are family issues with Edward, who is disowned by his parents for becoming a pirate, and Arno, like
Ezio, has the murdered father issues times two as he lost both his father and
his foster father to murder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My
first thought was that this was some kind of Freudian thing where a boy does
not become a man until he kills his father or his father dies. This may be the case, but it seems too
obvious an answer. It is also very
likely that the storytellers were just telling a story and the parent/child
conflict just makes for a good story.
They may not have even noticed the recurring theme of patricide in
Assassin’s Creed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
solution that I arrived at is quite simple.
You must kill your parents. No,
not literally. The parents are symbolic
of the invisible prison in which you live your life and no one can be truly
free until they destroy that prison. This
prison fashioned by your parents is what I often call “the program” and
sometimes “the matrix”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ever
wonder how the snake got into the Garden of Eden? I think that God put him there. He gave mankind free will but nothing to
choose between. So what’s the
point? The snake provided Adam and Eve with
an option that they had never considered and therefore an opportunity to
exercise their free will. In the end,
they chose Enlightenment over God and as a curse were forced to accept adult responsibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As
children we only know what our gods, commonly known as Mom and Dad, have taught
us and the world they made for us. The entire framework of our minds,
both conscious and unconscious, comes from them. We learn by their lessons, their
examples, and the experiences they provide for both good and ill. Our parents
created us; our bio-electric computer brain was formed by them. So if you lash-out because of a chemical
imbalance, it’s because of them.
Sometimes our life choices are forced or determined by our gender,
that’s because of your father. So when
it comes to freedom, the power to exercise our free will, to what degree was
our lifetime of choices predetermined by our parents? Either through inherited biology or active nurturing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
Program</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I find that the best metaphor for understanding our
psycho-emotional make-up, aka “the soul”, is the computer. A computer can
be said to have four parts: the hardware, the operating system software, the
factory pre-installed software, and then the personal software downloaded by
the user. Each of these is analogous to the elements of our
psycho-emotional make-up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdZx85IpUcHmn2Yy0EjZCzgp8DoP-XJRBHqmu611RMtGEaA3ITWty95AJAHEcdaPfgATu2-Ik1Io2ua0p8ED7JqCUfiTSBCjCsyGNmKcoPrZ9teCHmGulQBDs9SGsjIYfLQM8aAXgXNo/s1600/Soul+Diagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdZx85IpUcHmn2Yy0EjZCzgp8DoP-XJRBHqmu611RMtGEaA3ITWty95AJAHEcdaPfgATu2-Ik1Io2ua0p8ED7JqCUfiTSBCjCsyGNmKcoPrZ9teCHmGulQBDs9SGsjIYfLQM8aAXgXNo/s1600/Soul+Diagram.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hardware</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">:</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the physical aspect which includes our </span>electro<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-chemical brain
and how the body produces and responds to these chemicals.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For example, changes in serotonin levels can alter
how someone perceives and responds to reality.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In terms of study, this is represented by the fields of neurobiology and
psychiatry.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When we speak of mind
altering drugs, we are talking about affecting the computer’s hardware.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Operating System:</b> Are you a Mac or a PC? Each operating system is closely linked to
the hardware and determines how the computer functions. Likewise, humans have evolved certain
instinctive modes of behaviour as a species.
This is the field of evolutionary psychology. For the most part, people are largely unaware
of how our operating system affects our behaviour, but it accounts for a great
many of our natural drives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the age old debate of Nature
vs. Nurture, these are the Nature parts of the equation. The next level represents Nurture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Factory Software:</b> in a computer, these are the programs
pre-installed by the manufacturer. The
same holds true for the human computer.
The manufacturers in this case are the parents. The child may have inherited certain hardware
and OS aspects, but Factory Software refers mainly to what is called social
conditioning and takes place during the first roughly seven years of life. The agents of this conditioning are primarily
parents and siblings but later in the process friends, peers, teachers, and
mass media all come to play a role in framing how reality is perceived and
understood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Social conditioning can be divided
in two phases. The first is the
unconscious phase. This is where an
infant absorbs things like language, dialect, and even facial expressions from
their parents. Although the child is
conscious, they are primarily acting on instinct since they are still
developing their cognitive abilities.
The second phase is the conscious phase where the child has the capacity
to interpret and process their experiences.
The child may respond either positively or negatively to their
conditioning. For example, if the parent
makes the child do chores the child may respond positively and accept a program
for a positive work ethic, or the child may respond negatively and accept a
program for a negative work ethic. It
all depends on how the child emotionally responds to the experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Despite the child being conscious
and cognitive, this period of life becomes largely forgotten. So as an adult a
person may have a set of pre-programmed responses to certain stimuli, but have
no idea how that program came into existence.
As a child, this person may have seen the colour orange just as he was
startled by a car backfiring. The result
is distaste for the colour orange lasting the remainder of his life even if
that event has been completely forgotten.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When you first get a computer or
laptop and first turn it on this is what you have: hardware, an operating
system, and factory software. You did
not design it and you have very little control of how it does what it
does. Likewise, your soul is as it is.
You had no say in how the electro-chemical brain of yours was designed and
wired and you had no control over how that brain was first programmed by the
agents of your social conditioning. What
you can control is how you choose to use the computer given what you have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The final level is the <b>Personal Programs</b>. These are largely determined by personal
experiences and repeated patterns of behaviour.
We are what we repeatedly do. The
problem is that Nature and Nurture have already predetermined how we process
our new experiences, how we perceive reality, and the beliefs and values that drive
our actions. When a person says, “follow
your heart”, “trust your instincts”, “let your conscience be your guide”, or
“remain true to yourself” what they are really saying is to follow your
programming.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What haven’t you noticed
today? </span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, you don’t know because you
didn’t notice it. When Al Mualim asked
Altair if he regretted his life as an Assassin, Altair answered that he cannot
judge because he has known no other life.
He was raised to be an Assassin from infancy. This is a recurring theme throughout the
Assassin’s Creed series. Yes, we do see
adults join the Assassins, but there is a strong element of Assassin parents
raising their children to be Assassins.
As a result they know no other life except for the one chosen for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is unclear to what degree Ezio's father prepared him for life as an Assassin. Edward Kenway simply arranged for young Haytham to receive combat training and encouraged independent thought </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to prepare his son (</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">much to the frustration of Haytham's jealous half-sister, Jennifer)</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">without ever revealing its true purpose. In the modern day, the Assassins went so far as to send their children to a commune called "the farm", which seems rather ominous, to indoctrinate them. But is it indoctrination or simply child rearing?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I once met a girl, who was
nineteen at the time, who had no idea what the religious significance of Easter
was. One of her parents was a Christian
and the other was an Atheist. They decided
not to force either belief on her and allow her to decide when she was old
enough. There are a few problems with
this tactic. First, if a parent believes
that a stove is hot, then they will prevent their child from touching it and
thus protect them from harm. If a parent
truly believes Christian doctrine, then they will raise their child accordingly
and thus save them from eternal hellfire.
Second, if a child is not socially conditioned (programed) to believe in
the supernatural, then they never will.
Their brains will not possess the wiring to allow it. By not choosing to raise the daughter as a Christian
they inadvertently chose to raise her as an Atheist. The contrary is also true, its is very
difficult for someone who was raised religious to ever truly abandon it. They
may swap religions easily enough, but few become Atheists without deep down
feelings that they made a mistake. No
matter how much our parents try to be unbiased they cannot help but make us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The word kindergarten means “garden
of children”. It stems from a theory of
child rearing that believed that every child’s soul was like a seed that only
needed to be cared for and it would just grow into whatever it was meant to be. It is from this concept that we get the
expression “bad seed” to described someone just born bad. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This theory runs contrary to what had been
the norm for most of human history.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was believed that a child’s mind came into the world as a blank slate to be
filled.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Parents and social institution
were not so much raising children as taking
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a pro-active role in programing them according to whatever they believed
to be right or best for the child.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Today
we see this as wrong so instead we allow the child’s programming to occur by
accident rather than on purpose as if that relieves parents and institutions
from any responsibility for the outcome.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just as Altair could not judge
between his life and one he had never known, neither can we conceive a life, lifestyle,
or state of being that we never experienced.
All we know is the life produced and fixed by our parents or parental
figures. Since all of our choices only
exist within this predetermined context, then we can never be truly free from
them. This psychological foundation will always be there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine two girls. One girl was raised (socially conditioned) by
her parents to have a very free and liberal view of sex. The other girl was raised in an environment
where open sexuality was frowned upon.
She decided to rebel and eventually got a job in the sex industry. On the surface, she was sexually free and
open, but deep in her unconscious was a sense of shame and guilt. Eventually she burned-out and left the
industry seeing it as a bad experience.
The other girl did the same, but felt no such guilt and when she left
the industry it was on a positive note.
The difference between these two girls is one acted consistently with
her program and the other did not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This story illustrates that it is
not so easy to “kill your parents”. Simply rebelling against the program will not
do the job. Feelings like fear, guilt
and shame are the part of the anti-virus software designed to keep you in-line
with the program. The programming will be a part of you until your learn to
change it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sure, the theme of patricide in
Assassin’s Creed could be an accident.
However, if we look at the series as Existentialist mythology, then the
clear message is that we will never be truly free until we overcome our programming and its associate worldview and
learn to see what we haven’t noticed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So how do we change the
program? Well, it could be argued that
all religion, psycho-therapy, hypno-therapy, and self-help is devoted to that
purpose and as a result there are countless points of view from thousands of
self-proclaimed experts. We all want
that magic pill to set us free to be who we choose to be or whoever we think
that we want to be or should be and there are plenty of salesmen ready to make
a living by selling it to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I do not know the answers, but the
lesson I take from Assassin’s Creed in this regard is that we are who we were programmed to be and we know no other way to be.
The idea of killing your parents is a metaphor for challenging our
preconceived notions concerning ourselves and the world as we experience
it. We may not be able to “kill” the
program, but by recognising it we can begin the process of transcending it.</span>Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-35026310967068664122015-04-25T02:51:00.000-07:002016-06-06T23:57:38.179-07:00Assassin's Creed: Seek This Symbol<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>This article originally appeared on my Evil Thoughts of a Decadent Mind page on 18 November 2012. Unlike the other re-postings,I have chosen to re-edit, add to, and amend portions of this article. The original article and comments can be found <a href="http://evildandy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/seek-this-symbol.html#comments" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When people ask me what I write, I answer, “the cultural, history and philosophy of the Romantic Era from 1776-1929”. Since philosophy covers metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, politics, and aesthetics, I write about all these subjects as they pertain to the Romantic. Yet my most popular article by far is a critique of Assassin’s Creed focusing particularly on the ideas expressed in the game Assassin’s Creed 2.2, titled “Brotherhood”. I am currently on my second play-through of the latest release, Assassin’s Creed 3 and I thought that I would take a moment and share some ideas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When any aesthetic expression is put into the world certain people are drawn to it but for very personal and often unique reasons. This game series has fans all over the world, but I doubt that very many see what I see. Likewise, I may see things beyond whatever was conceived by the creative team behind it. This is not to boast. It is is the nature of any artistic experience for the audience to make their own interpretation that may bear little resemblance to the artist's intent, but that by no means diminished the affect it has on the audience. The emotional response is very real. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Where I got the chills in Assassin's Creed III was the scene where Juno, the Ancient who had downloaded her consciousness into various "temples", </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">she shows young </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ratonhnhaké:ton (</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Connor) the insignia of the Assassins and tells him to “Seek This Symbol”. That is where I got the chills. This article explains why.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are two kinds of people in the world. There is us and them. Humans are by nature small group animals with about 100-150 people in a group. We can say that what binds them together are familial ties, but that is superficial. Values are those things we act to gain or to keep. These values are determined by beliefs, and the habits required to attain these values are called virtues. When beliefs, values, and virtues are shared by members of a group we say that they have a common purpose. This is the glue that binds humans together as a couple, a family, a gang, a tribe, and a nation. We might even call it love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All of these things, beliefs, values, virtues, shared purpose, and levels of group identity, are all abstracts. They have no physicality. So we manifest them as symbols. A symbol is not merely the representation of an ideology, but also of the group that adheres to that ideology. This is why the desecration of a symbol invokes such wrath. We love our symbols because they symbolise our love, our love of ourselves as part of the group we identify as us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Humans may be small group animals by nature, but we no longer live in small groups. The groups we form are within the context of a larger group all filled with numerous other groups divided along a myriad of largely superficial lines, like race, national origin, religion, politics, and even cultural consumption. The result is that symbols lose their exclusivity to us. Anyone can impose any meaning, be it great or trivial, upon a symbol as they utilise it according to their fancy. A person may wear a cross for a number of reasons without any of them signifying identification with the beliefs, values, or virtues of Christians as a group.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ubisoft, the company behind the Assassin’s Creed series, has made the symbol for the Assassin Brotherhood readily available in numerous forms, from jewellery, to belt buckles, to decals. What this says is, “I like the game Assassins Creed.” But there is more to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Within the context of the game’s story the symbol represents a secret society. It is a gang of men and women who have dedicated themselves to a system of beliefs, values, and virtues. Through this there is a common purpose and a brotherhood. Now suppose players of the game once exposed to this ideology find that they share these beliefs, values, and virtues. Does it not stand to reason that they will invest their emotions in the symbol as well? At this point the symbol transcends, “I like the game Assassin’s Creed” and becomes “I believe in the Assassin’s Creed”. The transition is made from art into life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So let’s look at the symbol itself. First though, I need to give a brief disclaimer. I have no idea how the designers at Ubisoft came upon the design or what their intentions were. All that I have is speculation. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will note that a reader informed me once that the image the represents a flame burning on a lamp or brazier. Perhaps as the flame of Truth or enlightenment. This would fit within the Assassin's Creed lore and it is an interesting idea. It would be nice if it's origins were as ancient as this reader seemed to imply rather than just something that the Ubisoft creative team made-up, but he did not, or could not, elaborate or support this idea with evidence. So it remains an interesting notion for now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Christians have their cross, the Muslims their crescent moon, and the Jews their </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Star of David. So what should we call this? Its been called the Assassin's Creed crest, insignia, logo, and symbol. I prefer to call it just the Assassin's Creed. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A creed is a belief, yes. However there is another definition for the word creed. It can also mean the symbol representing the belief. So the Christian Cross can rightly be called the Christian Creed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When people ask me what does that symbol you are wearing mean, my typical answer is, "It means Nothing is True; Everything is Permitted." The Assassin's Creed (symbol) means what it represents, the Assassin's Creed (belief).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are a few connections that I have made concerning the Assassin's Creed. They are not facts, just observations that I find interesting to consider.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You may notice that the symbol looks like the letter “A”. Sure, we can say A for Assassin. We could also say A for Atheist. The creed, “Nothing is True; Everything is permitted” as first expressed by the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche was an attack on belief, which historically has been used to control people, and in a general sense it rejects all beliefs derived from social conditioning. not only religious beliefs. Also, the Assassins in the game are portrayed as atheists.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gods-and-monsters.com/images/athena-the-greek-goddess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gods-and-monsters.com/images/athena-the-greek-goddess.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A can also stand for Athena. It may seems strange to mention a pagan goddess alongside atheism, but the gods and goddesses are very useful tools as symbolic representations. Athena, as mentioned earlier as Minerva, is in many ways a vivid characterisation of the Assassins, their beliefs, values, and virtues as the goddess of wisdom, battle tactics, invention, commerce, truth, reason, and freedom. As the patron of heroes, particularly Odysseus, she encouraged the virtues of strength, courage, mastery, and honour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also of note in this regard is that in the game the Templar leaders carry the title Master, while among the Assassins the preferred title is Mentor. The word mentor originates from Homer’s Odyssey as the proper name of an old man who lived in Odysseus’ town. During the story both Odysseus and his son are counselled by him, but it is later discovered that this was actually Athena appearing in his form. The root of the word mentor, <i>men</i>, is the same from which we get the word <i>mental </i>referring to the mind. It is also the root for the proper name Minerva, aka Athena. So we have another connection between the Assassins and Athena.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqq8YNFzrxZdGTwZ3pxBgOWt2z_KCW8FKToMtmQLYzsynf_3bdPeB0z4B3FakEMpk4g5X5dycX3qgSb0_bO-XKLFZ8RaDatz8ggEQt7bzIOH_Dyr-q5J4wj5uPzxp9D34oOfk_92Hh59c/s1600-h/download_ca_red3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: 'NewBskvll BT'; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img alt="download_ca_red" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZOdAV72gvEqJAlBF9Vg2sjdT3EDj0WqTim8qk9JkDAqTTZnWTkd-B0KDC_vKSfRjcUeBctG2XB2qARf4dKqZ0QFGGORve21X2ahdZ7JXoiiDFxkxJuVmXBMoE33FdlExArRlHG5fzNI/?imgmax=800" height="142" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: right; margin: 10px 0px 10px 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right;" title="download_ca_red" width="144" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The letter A can also stand for Anarchy. The political view of the Assassins is that power must be redistributed to each individual rather than concentrated in a central authority. If we see political opposition on a scale between individualists on one side and collectivists on the other, then we have a clearer picture of the Assassins on the individualist side along with the libertarians and anarchists and the Templars on the authoritarian collectivist end with the progressives, socialists and communists. Power to the people does not mean power to a central authority claiming to act on behalf of the people. it means challenging the central authority as it presently exists and the potential creation of new authorities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have chosen to mark as the beginning of the Romantic Era as 1776 for three reasons. That is the year that Adam Smith published The Wealth of Nations, James Watt put the first commercial steam engine into operation, and the Declaration of Independence was issued. Romanticism is about individualism. The Wealth of Nations brought capitalism that empowered the individual economically, the steam engine heralded the Industrial Revolution created individual opportunity, and the Declaration of Independence heralded the age of Classical Liberalism, which at the time was called radical republicanism, brought individual freedom. Another interesting relationship was that Adam Smith, James Watt, and many of America’s founding fathers were all Freemasons.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5V7Usm354P_H-l-bHG2DFER8-NYNSxrusWksd-e8NRD66sXL2T35IFMTuYEBRCZay2WS_XhiiG6QRvpuEtrQmkjQYykF68_Y2sRgtQjb5t3BTwdq_ldE3Yk_s40TA50GJNNaIQ8TVjE/?imgmax=800" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Square_compasses.svg" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5V7Usm354P_H-l-bHG2DFER8-NYNSxrusWksd-e8NRD66sXL2T35IFMTuYEBRCZay2WS_XhiiG6QRvpuEtrQmkjQYykF68_Y2sRgtQjb5t3BTwdq_ldE3Yk_s40TA50GJNNaIQ8TVjE/?imgmax=800" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The symbol of the the fraternal brotherhood known as the Freemasons, or Masons, is a compass and square. Others have noticed the similarity between this and the symbol for the Assassins, with the compass forming the “A” shape and the square being the portion beneath it. The “G” is said to stand for God, though not in a purely Judeo-Christian sense, but rather a supreme being as the “great architect of the universe”. Masons use architectural and stonemason metaphors the illustrate their key principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The similarity between the Mason and Assassin symbols is uncanny and yet may be purely coincidental. Many theorists put forward the notion that the Mason evolved directly from the historic Knights Templar, however in the game universe, the Assassins are the oppositions to the Templars and the Masons are a separate entity. I am by no means an expert on Masonic history, but from my understanding and research I would assert that Masons were generally on the side of liberty and were often persecuted by authoritarian regimes, such as the Italian fascists, the Nazis, and the Soviets. I suspect that given further study many Masonic ideas may be present in the representation of the Assassins in the game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Personally, I have friends who are Masons and they have given me an invitation to join, however as an atheists I cannot become a Mason. Though it is funny to me when their friends meet me, notice my Assassin's Creed watch fob, and say things like, "You know what I mean, brother" with a sort of wink and a nudge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed is a fantasy. None of it is real. There are no ancient ones, divine or otherwise; there is no Assassin Brotherhood, at least not since the Assasiyun died out after the Crusades; and there is no Knights Templar, although that is often debated on the internet. So for all intents and purposes the symbol of the Assassins is equally meaningless, and anyone is free to ascribe any meaning to it, be it trivial or profound.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What is real is that there are people in the world who seek power which they usually justify in the name of righteousness. Power is the means by which a person works their will in the world. Some people use their power to exert their will over others and others readily accept this authority. History shows us that human beings have an incredible capacity for self-subjugation to a point where it is perceived as a social norm and anyone who challenges the authority is seen as being weird or fringe. Since the authority cloaks itself in morality, these outcasts are usually portrayed as evil or deranged.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the underlying truth behind Assassin’s Creed. It envisions a secret group of people, a gang if you will, who rally behind a symbol and bind themselves together in shared beliefs, values, and virtues to challenge the authority – “to work in the dark to serve the light”. We talk about fighting for the right, but we really do not mean it. We fight metaphorically through political activism or vicariously by playing games like Assassin’s Creed, but the authority does not fear metaphoric or vicarious battle. Fighting means violence if necessary and the Assassins represent a group that sees the oppression that most are blind to and they are willing to do what must be done no matter how terrible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the end of Assassin’s Creed 3, the Earth is threatened by a return of the same massive solar flare that wiped-out “the Ones Who Came Before”. The main character, Desmond Miles, must make a choice. By activating an ancient device he can save humanity but also free Juno’s consciousness and she will in turn enslave humanity. Athena/Minerva councils him not to activate the device. Remnants of humanity will survive and they will be free. Desmond’s choice is one we must all make. Do we value security and safety under the authority or do we choose freedom even if it means the world burns? For me, the symbol of the Assassins marks those who choose freedom, no matter the cost and that is something very real.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>This article originally appeared on my Evil Thoughts of a Decadent Mind page on 18 April 2013. This is the one that started all this as mentioned in my blog description. You can view the original and the comments <a href="http://evildandy.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/assassins-creed-nothing-is-true_18.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Where other men blindly follow the truth,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Remember, nothing is true</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Where other men are limited by morality or law,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Remember, everything is permitted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">We work in the dark to serve the light.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">We are assassins.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I like criticism. Now there is a lost art. The role of the critic is to examine a piece of creation or a social phenomenon, or even a political phenomenon, and put it into a philosophical context that both the consumer/s and the creator/s may have missed. Unfortunately, the role of critic in society has devolved into two types. The academic critic is driven by ideology and the pop critic, with his thumbs up or down reviews, is usually driven by the market. The best place for reading proper old-fashioned criticism is the internet. I have written several and many folks have written some brilliant pieces. The keen eye of the critic is most often active in the arts of painting, literature, and cinema. I know it is foolish to ever claim to be the first, but I know of no one who has ever written a proper criticism of a video game. I wonder why not. The best games have story and characters so why not unpeel the layers to reveal the hidden messages?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The frame story of the Assassin’s Creed series is actually pretty weak. The idea is that a secret society has created a machine called the Animus that allows a person to tap into the genetic memories of their ancestors. A bartender named Desmond Miles is kidnapped by this secret society, The Knights Templar no less, because they seek information known only to his ancestors, and Desmond must relive the memories of his ancestors to find the answers. In Assassin’s Creed 1, the ancestor is Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (born 1165) a member of The Assassins, or Hashishin, during the Third Crusade. In Assassin’s Creed 2 and Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood the ancestor is Ezio Auditore da Firenze (born 1459) a Florentine noble during the Italian Renaissance. The world of Assassin’s Creed is one where two secret societies are locked in a nearly thousand year struggle for the soul of mankind. The Animus provides the narrative means of linking the past and the present to give the player a much larger picture of historical events in relation to the present.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">There was a time when the Knights Templar were of little interest outside historians, but today they have become the foundation of the conspiracy theorist’s grand narrative. Their history in brief is that the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, commonly known as the Knights Templar, were a religious order formed circa 1129 who fought during the Crusades as the elite troops of Christendom. To fund their activities in the Holy Land the Knights Templar had to be able to move money from the West to the Middle-East quickly and so invented the foundations of the banking system. They not only moved wealth to the Holy Land, but also from it and thus became very rich. King Philip IV of France was in debt to the Templars, so he pressured Pope Clement V to disband the Order in 1312 and, Jacque de Molay, the Templar Grand Master, was burned at the stake and the Templars disappear from history.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The conspiracy theory goes that the Templars, though disbanded by papal decree, continued to operate behind the scenes ever since as the secret money men controlling the strings of puppet governments. Their modern decedents are the cabal of international bankers and multi-national corporations moving us towards a one world government – The New World Order. This seems to be the premise accepted in the Assassin’s Creed games.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The only opposition to the Templars in the game are the Assassins. Historically, the Assassins active during the Crusades were an order of Nizari Ismailis, part of the Shia branch of Islam, which existed from 1092 to 1265 under the leadership of the Persian Hassan-i Sabbah. The name assassin comes from the Arabic hashishin, or “users of hashish” but also carries the connotation of “outcast” or “rabble”. Sabbah’s followers were known for their athletic prowess, intelligence, and ability to blend in. Their targets were exclusively politicians and generals and during the Crusades they were known to take contracts on Crusaders and Saracens alike, whichever suited the guild’s purposes. In 1257, the Mongol warlord Hülegü destroyed Alamut, the Assassin’s mountain headquarters in northwestern Iran, including their library, so not much is known of their beliefs. Then in 1265 their strongholds in Syria fell to Baybars, the Mamluk sultan, and that was the end.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Just as conspiracy theorists postulate that the Knights Templar survived their reported demise to become the secret ruling elite, the game Assassin’s Creed resurrects the Assassins in the mold of the plucky outcasts murdering key figures to disrupt the machinations of the Templars to enslave mankind.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Now let’s take a step back from the game for a moment and look at the larger game. There is a hierarchy to the world. In every human society, no matter their claims to egalitarianism, there have been people at the top, people at the bottom, and people in-between. The gauge for determining a person’s place is power. Power is the means by which we work our will in the world. People of great power command wealth, some control armies, and some control both. This can be on a global, national, or local scale, but the principles are the same. The people at the bottom have limited power, so they learn to submit.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">We acknowledge that all people have the Natural Rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness and any violation of these rights is immoral and grounds for moral retribution. This puts a check on the power of the powerful. Through the instrument of law the weak are protected from the abuses of the mighty. But what if the law favours the powerful over the weak? What happens when the phrase becomes, “and freedom and justice for all who can afford it”? What if the very laws themselves serve the interests of the people of power and not the people?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">We may read Assassin’s Creed as being subversive in that it complements the narrative given by the conspiracy theorists, particularly in these dark days when it seems that their predictions are coming to pass. Or we may view it as a metaphor. The Templars represent the powers-that-be seeking to control people and the Assassins are those willing to fight such controls, not only for themselves but for all people. These people who “work in the dark to serve the light”.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Consider this fictitious scenario. Police raid a home or place of business without announcing themselves. Perhaps they have a warrant; perhaps they do not. Either way, that is not announced upon their arrival. The occupants respond to the armed intrusion with gunfire and some of the officers are killed during the arrests. Should those who killed the policemen be accountable for murder?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I believe that the vast majority of people would say yes. We are taught through our social conditioning to obey the police and that murder is wrong. However, in a liberal society based on individual rights, the answer would be no. Such an invasion would be a violation of property rights unless the police have a search warrant issued by a judge who determines if there is reasonable cause for such an action. So regardless of the fact that these invaders are wearing uniforms, without a warrant they are, under the law, intruders, and the occupiers have the right to defend their property using reasonable force.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">If we reject this interpretation, then what we are saying is that the State, meaning the people of power, can use force against the people as they choose and it is illegal for the people to oppose them. We have taken power from the law and put it in the gun. Of course the people of power have more guns, so those who choose to fight back must use force with surgical precision, meaning assassinations.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">However, although I can make a moral argument for using assassination as a political tool, when we look through history we find that the most famous assassinations were not performed in the advance of liberty, but by either the insane, by the men of power themselves, or by the few acting in personal interest in the name of the people. The only exception that comes to mind is the assassination of Julius Cesar and perhaps John Wilkes Booth’s assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. “Sic semper tyrannis”, or “thus always to tyrants” Booth shouted from the stage. In order to preserve the Union, Lincoln acted against the prescribed powers in the Constitution and impeachment was not an option given Lincoln’s popularity after the war. So though Booth may have been wrong, a case can be made that he acted morally.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Assassinations</span></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The game Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is broken-up into segments with the core chapters concerned with three primary assassinations. The first is a corrupt cardinal and banker who flaunts his hedonistic lifestyle, the second is an effete French general who believes his value stems from his birth status and not his actions, and the third is a rival assassin (the Murderer) whom Ezio spares.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">With each victim we have their final words and Ezios admonitions:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">To the Banker:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Juan: The things I have felt, seen and tasted. I do not regret a moment of it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ezio: A man of power must be contemptuous of delicacies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Juan: But...I gave the people what they wanted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ezio: And now you pay for it. Il piacere immeritato si consuma da sé (Pleasure unearned consumes itself). Requiescat in Pace (Rest in Peace).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">To the General:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Octavian: I only wanted respect.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ezio: Respect is earned, not inherited or purchased.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Octavian: Perhaps you are right... I need more time...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ezio: Che tu sia parte nella morte (May you be equal in death). Requiescat in Pace (Rest in Peace).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">To the Murderer:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Micheletto: I am not yet dead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ezio: I did not come here to kill you. He who is the cause of someone else becoming powerful is the agent of his own destruction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In the additional story available as downloadable content, The Da Vinci Disappearance, Ezio kills the leader of cult that wants to use a hidden Pythagorean code make people more enlightened.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ercole: You... an Assassin... the enemy of knowledge?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ezio: One must choose to search for truth. Forcing it on others accomplishes little.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ercole: These lost people... warring kingdoms... I would have ended their suffering.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ezio: Che tu possa conoscere la verità nella morte. (May you know the truth in death.) Requiescat in pace. (Rest in peace.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Each of these characters is symbolic of power in our society. The Cardinal/Banker represents pleasure. However it is not as simple as that. Why are people religious? It makes them feel good. Why do they consume? It makes them feel good. Why do they rack up consumer debt with the banks? To pay for feeling good. To all this Ezio says, “Pleasure unearned consumes itself”. All of these pleasures are of value, but they must be earned. The pleasures of faith through deeds, the pleasure of consumption through work, and such honest thrift saves us from the banker’s debts.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I find it interesting that morality here is equated with hedonism when it takes the form of self-righteousness. It is so obvious, but rarely articulated. The image of the Cardinal/Banker seems perfect to express the do-gooders supporting the power of the state to satisfy their own self-importance all in the name of righteousness.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The French general represents those born into power. From my association with the wealthy, I have found that the men who earned their wealth are good, if not great, men. However, their children are another matter. Often they have an innate sense of entitlement which is unearned and they grow to command others as their fathers had. Some are capable and others are not. To them Ezio reminds them that “Respect is earned, not inherited or purchased”.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The Murderer represents those among the people who serve as the fist of those in power. Ezio’s admonition, “He who is the cause of someone else becoming powerful is the agent of his own destruction”, reminds me of the socialist protestors who are in essence demanding a more powerful central government. They are the agents of their own future oppression.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Finally, the cult leader represents academic power and the self-proclaimed intellectual elite. Have you ever noticed that people think that everyone else is an idiot but them? Those that I might consider stupid proclaim that the world is full of idiots and apparently they are the exception. How more so must this be among the educated? These are the people who tell others how they should live if they are to be as intelligent as they are and they seek to accomplish this through the force of government in the form of laws. To this Ezio says, “One must choose to search for truth. Forcing it on others accomplishes little”.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">You may have noticed someone missing from the list. The games primary antagonist and final kill. This is Cesare Borgia and he represents political power. He is the overreaching force that controls the Cardinal/Banker, the General, and the Murderer. His end comes when he is defeated by Ezio but proclaims that no man can kill him. Ezio answers that fate will decide and throws him from the castle walls. The message here is that government by its very nature will spawn new Cesare Borgias and we must remain constantly vigilant for their return.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Assassin’s Creed</span></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">But what of the Assassin’s Creed?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Nothing is true, everything is permitted”. There are three sources for this. The first is the 1938 novel ‘Alamut’ by the Slovene writer Vladimir Bartol which was the basis/inspiration for the first Assassin’s Creed game. Strangely, the novel was not translated into English until 2004. The game itself appeared three years later. The next source is a quote mistakenly attributed to the 1880 novel ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, "If God doesn't exist, everything is permitted". The exact phrase, “Nothing is true, Everything is permitted” appeared that same year as “Nichts ist wahr, Alles ist erlaubt”, in ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’ by Friedrich Nietzsche.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In philosophy, the branch known as Ethics concerns itself with human activities. Those actions with a positive outcome are good and those with a negative outcome are bad. It is impossible to determine right action from wrong action without considering the context. That is where the first two branches come in, Metaphysics (what is reality?) and Epistemology (what is knowledge?). Together, these two branches pose the ultimate question in all of philosophy, “What is Truth?” If there is no Truth, then there are no moral limitations to action and thus is every action permitted.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Now take a moment to consider what you believe to be true. Is God in His heaven? Is global warming threatening life on planet Earth? Would the world be a better place is wealth was equally distributed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then can you prove any of it or do you just feel that it is true because everyone else says it is?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In his day, Nietzsche was questioning the commonly accepted truths of the Judeo-Christian belief system. Today, we might expand that to include all socially conditioned beliefs that people accept without question. What if none of it was true? What if nothing is true? How would that affect your actions? There would then be no limitations to your will to act, or as Nietzsche famous said, “the will to power”. What he is really addressing here is what modern psychology and self-help call “limiting beliefs”. These are ideas about the nature of reality (truth) that limit our ability to act productively for our own benefit.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">To say, “Nothing is true” is not a denial of Objective Reality. It is a denial of Subjective Reality and its power over our ability to engage our free will to act. This is not only important to humanity in general but particularly to the Romantic, since individualism is built upon volition and fettered volition is not true freedom at all but a form of slavery.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">When I discovered the idea of the triune nature of reality: Objective, Subjective, and Artificial, I felt incredibly empowered by this idea. Ultimately, what it says is that nothing is true except Objective Reality, but there is more to it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">As we see in Ezio’s admonitions, and as his character as it develops throughout the games, he is constantly preaching a believe system. So we cannot say that “nothing is true”. However, these beliefs he espouses can all be traced by to the idea of Natural Law derived from Objective Reality.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">One of the central characters in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is the historical figure Niccolo Machiavelli, who the writers of the game recast as a member of the Assassins. The following is from a scene involving Machiavelli and Ezio Auditore in Rome.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Ezio: Look at this city, the center of Borgia and Templar rule. Killing one man will not change things. We need to take away the source of their power.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Machiavelli: Are you suggesting we appeal to the people?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ezio: Maybe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Machiavelli: Relying on the people is like building on the sand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ezio: You are wrong. Our belief in humanity rests at the heart of the Assassin Brotherhood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">What Machiavelli is suggesting here is that the people cannot be trusted to do the right thing implying that they are fickle and will pursue short term gain or pleasure rather than long-term happiness and stability. We might go so far as to say that people are ignorant or stupid and therefore incapable of doing the right thing. A religious person might simply say that people are sinful. In all of these scenarios, the conclusion is the same. The people must be controlled, led, coerced, regulated, or nudged to do the right thing. Right being determined by someone else’s idea of truth and imposed by force on others for the good of society.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I think the majority of people would agree with Machiavelli here, but Ezio’s reply taken in conjunction with the Assassin’s Creed says different. He may be suggesting the idea of spontaneous order, or the invisible hand.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Objective Truth relies on Natural Law. There is a Sanscrit word that does not exist in its pure meaning in English; the word is Karma. It denotes the reality of Cause and Effect that lies at the heart of Natural Law and creates the spontaneous order found in Nature and in society.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Consider this scenario. You should not hit people. Why? Because they might hit you back. That is Natural Law. You avoid pain by not causing pain to others. Now suppose that you are socially conditioned not to hit people because it’s not nice, or God says so, or any other Subjective line of reasoning. You are now at the mercy of those who do not share your social conditioning. They can be violent without any fear of reprisal. They can now act without consequence and so disrupt the Natural order.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I confess that I too agree with Machiavelli, that the people cannot be trusted. However, I believe that is because they live a life where they have be sheltered or protected from the consequences of their actions, and therefore never learned how to be better -- to live up to their own potential. The solution is not to impose rules based on Subjective Reality, but to allow Nature to take its course. This teaches responsibility and self-control through experience. Positive actions bring positive results and negative actions bring negative results.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">For example, an article from Scientific America (April 2011) entitled ‘How Self-Control Works’ by Dan Ariely demonstrates the importance of self-control.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">A recent study by colleagues of mine at Duke demonstrates very convincingly the role that self control plays not only in better cognitive and social outcomes in adolescence, but also in many other factors and into adulthood. In this study, the researchers followed 1,000 children for 30 years, examining the effect of early self-control on health, wealth and public safety. Controlling for socioeconomic status and IQ, they show that individuals with lower self-control experienced negative outcomes in all three areas, with greater rates of health issues like sexually transmitted infections, substance dependence, financial problems including poor credit and lack of savings, single-parent child-rearing, and even crime.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A quality like self-control is proven objectively to bring happiness, so it is up to parents to encourage this process of delayed gratification in children until they learn to do it for themselves, otherwise it is up to them to learn it on their own through experiences and hardships. The problem is that some people never learn from their mistakes and so as parents they never teach it to their children.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">GK Chesterton said, "When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything." In other words, belief in nothing creates a vacuum without any sort of standard and all that remains is the post-modern idea of relativistic Truth. So in rejecting Subjective truth we must accept the lessons found in Objective Truth to avoid the vacuum.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Conclusion</span></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 1987, I studied the book, Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know by E. D. Hirsch Jr.. Wikipedia defines cultural literacy as:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Cultural literacy is the ability to converse fluently in the idioms, allusions, and informal content that creates and constitutes a dominant culture. From being familiar with street signs to knowing historical references to understanding the most recent slang, literacy demands interaction with the culture and reflection of it. Knowledge of a canonical set of literature is not sufficient in and of itself when engaging with others in a society, as life is interwoven with art, expression, history, and experience. Cultural literacy requires familiarity with a broad range of trivia and implies the use of that trivia in the creation of a communal language and collective knowledge. Cultural literacy stresses the knowledge of those pieces of information that content creators will assume the audience already possesses.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;">People can play a game series like Assassin’s Creed and take little from it aside from the combat, challenges, and quests. That’s fine. However for the culturally literate there is so much more to see. That is the role of the critic. He points these things out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">As a Romantic, I recognise the deeper ideology as being more than the “assassin’s creed”. It is also the Romantic's Creed. It is not surprising that Machiavelli appears in the game as a secret leader of the assassins. He is part of the Romantic philosophical canon, and his works influenced others in the canon like Rousseau, Francis Bacon, John Milton, Adam Smith, John Locke, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Blair Worden wrote in "Milton's Republicanism and the Tyanny of Heaven":</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">In the seventeenth century it was in England that Machiavelli's ideas were most substantially developed and adapted, and that republicanism came once more to life; and out of seventeenth-century English republicanism there were to emerge in the next century not only a theme of English political and historical reflection - of the writings of the Bolingbroke circle and of Gibbon and of early parliamentary radicals - but a stimulus to the Enlightenment in Scotland, on the Continent, and in America.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;">There is a clever scene towards the end of Brotherhood where Ezio and Machiavelli part company. Machiavelli says, “I intend to write a book about you one day”. Ezio responds, “If you do, make it short”. This is no doubt a reference to Machiavelli’s most well-known work, ‘The Prince.’</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I like the idea that the assassins are “outcast” but through their nobility of spirit and their character, as embodied in Ezio, they become princes. I will note that ‘The Prince ‘itself has little bearing on Ezio or the assassins.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">For those with the culturally literacy to see it, Assassin’s Creed is more than just a game. It is a call to arms encouraging us to remove the shackles of our social conditioning by recognising that “Nothing is true, everything is permitted” and thus have the strength of will and character to challenge the oppressions of our age.</span></span></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-66791228939895718192015-04-25T00:47:00.002-07:002016-06-06T23:59:08.133-07:00The Secrets of the Templars in Assassin’s Creed III<div class="wlWriterHeaderFooter" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>This article originally appeared on my Evil Thoughts of a Decadent Mind page on 3 April 2013. You can view the original and the comments <a href="http://evildandy.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-secrets-of-templars-in-assassins.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "newbskvll bt";">W</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hen I saw the early trailers for Assassin’s Creed III there were chills, particularly the Rise trailer. For someone like myself who knows the historical, cultural, and philosophical backdrop for the series I expected this game to be a metaphoric call to arms challenging us – the players – the rise up to face the challenges of our own age. In this regard I was slightly disappointed when I played the game. The challenge was there, but it took a very different and more esoteric form than what I had expected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What we have is not so much a call to arms but rather a revelation. This edition of the series might well have been called “The Rise of the Templars” for in no other storyline do we see the Templars so elevated and the Assassins so downplayed. So, for those who identify with the Assassins the narrative was more of an exposition into the lay of the land.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Within the Assassin’s Creed series there are hidden teachings. They are not hidden because of some diabolical plot. They are hidden simply because most discussion and judgement of games focus exclusively on matters related to general gameplay, such as the graphics or the combat system. The teachings are revealed the story, the characters, dialogue, and themes within the narrative and clearly visible to those familiar with the socio-political background, both historic and modern.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perhaps teachings is too strong a word. I do not believe that the writers of the series, Corey May, Jefferey Yohalem, Joshua Rubin, and Danny Wallace, have consciously imbued their work with “teachings”, however in creating a series about two rival ideologies it is part of the nature of the beast that these ideologies are explored.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I must stress that when I use the terms “Templars” or “Assassins” I am not referring to any literal organisation, but rather ideologies as presented in the game in the form of these fictional secret societies. In real life, these ideologies are believed, expressed, and acted upon by many individuals who may or may not be part of some formal of organisation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Assassin’s Creed III we are given the clearest examples of the Templar ideology in any of the games. In fact, the representative for the Assassins, Connor Kenway, is constantly being derided by the Templars with no strong counter arguments like we saw from Ezio in previous games. Consider these three key quotes from the character Haytham Kenway, the Master Templar in Assassin’s Creed III.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The people never have the power, only the illusion of it. And here is the real secret: they don't want it. The responsibility is too great to bear. It's why they are so quick to fall in line as soon as someone else takes charge. They want to be told what to do. They yearn for it. Little wonder that, since all mankind was built to serve.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I see the world the way it is, not as I wish it would be.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even when your kind appears to triumph, still we rise again. And do you know why? It is because the Order is born of a realization. We require no creed. No indoctrination by desperate old men. All we need is that the world be as it is.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Compare these words with those of Shadia Drury, in <i>Leo Strauss and the American Right</i> (1999), she argues that Leo Strauss taught that the "perpetual deception of the citizens by those in power is critical because they need to be led, and they need strong rulers to tell them what's good for them."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leo Strauss was a professor of political science at the University of Chicago from 1949-1969 and has since become a shadowy but pivotal figure in modern global politics as the “father of neo-conservatism”. Professor Harvey Mansfield, a Straussian philosopher at Harvard University, summed up Strauss’ message for the BBC documentary, <i>The Power of Nightmares</i> (2004).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“He did want to have a school of students to get others to see what he had seen, that Western liberalism led to nihilism. [It] had undergone a development that at the end of which it could no longer define itself or defend itself. A development which took everything praiseworthy and admirable out of human beings and made us think to the dwarf animals, lead us into herd animals, sick little dwarves satisfied with the dangerous life in which nothing is true and everything is permitted.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The use of the word “liberalism” in the above quote seems to refer to classical liberalism, or what today we might call libertarianism, as opposed to the liberal socialism currently associated with the word liberal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The story of Connor begins with him being duped. The ancient known as Juno appears to Connor as a “spirit” and sets him on his path with the purpose to prevent the Templars from gaining premature access to her temple, however the quest is presented in such a way that in Connor’s mind he is avenging his mother’s death and protecting his village. In the end he succeeds in protecting the temple, but discovers that the Templars were not responsible for his mother’s death and the Americans that he aided do eventually drive his people from their village, so he failed to achieve what he wanted even though he succeeded in his role as Juno’s pawn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is reminiscent of an idea of Leo Strauss. Basically, the he sees society divided into three groups. There are the wise that accept reality as it is in all of its cold brutality and yet do not flinch. The next group are the gentlemen, these are people of belief and honour who are willing to fight and die for their beliefs. The third are the vulgar masses driven by their animalistic desires for self-indulgence and consumerism. Society must be ruled by the covert manipulations of the wise upon the gentlemen to control the vulgar masses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Juno, who is arguably representative of the Templar ideology, is the wise manipulating the naïve idealism of Connor, the noble gentleman. To put it into a modern context, Drury uses the example of the “wise” Paul Wolfowitz manipulating the “gentleman” George W. Bush into the Iraq War.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The examples above point to the American neoconservatives of the right-wing Republican Party to be analogous to the Templars. This can be supported by a thinly veiled reference to the modern anti-capitalist protestors. As Benjamin Church dies he tells Connor, “Are these the same men and women who fight with muskets forged from British steel? Who bind their wounds with bandages sewn by British hands? How convenient for them. We do the work. They reap the rewards”. This criticism is reminiscent of those levelled against the occupy protestors fighting against the very corporate institutions that provide the iPhones in their hands, their Levis, and the McDonalds they eat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is easy to see the Templars as corporatists or Republicans and the Assassins as their liberal opposition, but that is narrow thinking. If we imagine the Templars as presented in the game, then no doubt they would hedge their bets and play both sides. Church goes on to say,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“It's all a matter of perspective. There is no single path through life that's right and fair and does no harm. Do you truly think the Crown has no cause? No right to feel betrayed? You should know better than this, dedicated as you are to fighting Templars - who themselves see their work as just. Think on that the next time you insist your work alone befits the greater good. Your enemy would beg to differ - and would not be without cause.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What Church is suggesting is the very simple adage that there are two sides to every story, but the implications are incredibly complex. He is describing a context in which no path is without a potential victim and every alleged villain sees himself as an angel fighting evil for the greater good. Connor answers with the weak retort, “Your words may have been sincere, but that does not make them true.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The answer to Church is not whether someone is morally in the right, either in fact or according to their intensions. The questions are how far they are willing to go to force their will on others and what the natural consequences of their actions are. Connor should have known this, but he was ill-prepared.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When the time came for Connor to become full-fledged Assassin, Achilles decided to forego the ritual. Looking back, we are reminded of this vow taken by the initiate:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin: "Where other men blindly follow the truth, remember..."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin: "We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Questions of right and wrong in the conventional sense are merely social constructs and therefore simply the products of many minds in unison. None of it is true. What is true are the consequences of actions. What we see in the traditional right vs. left paradigm are two moral sides operating on the same principles. There is not much in action and consequence to separate the likes of Leo Strauss from his liberal counterparts, like Saul Alinsky and Carroll Quigley. The essential philosophy is the same. People must be controlled, manipulated, and lied to for the greater good as interpreted by the “wise”.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Carroll Quigley was a history professor at Georgetown University and a mentor to President Bill Clinton. In his book, <i>Tragedy and Hope</i>, Quigley writes:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The argument of two parties should represent opposed ideas and policies, one perhaps, of the Right and the other of the Left, is a foolish idea acceptable only to doctrinate and academic thinkers. Instead, the two parties should be almost identical, so that the American people can “throw the rascals out” at any election without leading to any profound or extensive shifts in policy. The policies that are vital and necessary for America are no longer subjects of significant disagreement, but are disputable only in details of procedure, priority, or method.” (1966)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No matter if you choose the path to the left or the right the final destination is the same. Think of it like “good cop/bad cop”. The “Right” is portrayed in a largely negative context in the media, whereas the “Left” in a positive light as those desirous to help people through social programs and welfare. One is the stick and the other the carrot, but the destination is still the corral.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Consider the post-911 world. Avoiding all the conspiracy theories surrounding that incident, the fact is that under the presidency of George W. Bush we saw a huge consolidation of power to the executive office and numerous civil rights losses, both foreign and domestic, particularly under the Patriot Act. The world was outraged; however these policies have been continued and expanded upon under Barack Obama, most notably with the passage of National Defence Authorization Act 2012 which allows for the indefinite detention of American citizens without due process of law and the murder of US citizens on American soil without trial. The only difference between the policies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama are how they are packaged. Where Bush outraged the world as the evil rich, white Republican, popular opinion readily swallowed the same medicine from the caring, black Democrat. But the outcome is the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Looking back at Haytham’s statement: “All we need is that the world be as it is. “ It is the natural flow of power to consolidate. The goal of the Templars is to be the ones to whom the power flows, whereas the goal of the Assassins is the dissemination of power from the few to the many.<i></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the surface, popular opinion is all for the Assassin’s way of things, but in practice this is not the case. As Ezio says in Revelation, “To say that everything is permitted is to understand that we are the architects of our actions and that we must live with our consequences, whether glorious or tragic.” What he is talking about here is the responsibility that comes with power. Power is the means by which people work their will in the world and with these actions come consequences; with freedom comes responsibility. When we take responsibility and consequence from people, they lose their freedom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Assassin’s Creed III, the Templars seek to purchase the tribal lands of Connor’s people in order to preserve it from encroachment and thereby protect the Mohawk there. On the surface this looks like a positive act. If Connor went along with it, he would have succeeded in saving his people. However, the Templars wanted to preserve the land not to protect the Indians, but rather to have free access to the temple site and they were more than happy to allow the natives to remain provided they did not interfere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When William Johnson tried to convince the tribal elders of the Templars’ humanitarian goals, they rejected him citing the idea of personal responsibility. If you want to project us, then give us the means to protect ourselves. When someone seeks to do for you they have taken power from you. You become like a child. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; give him a fish everyday and he becomes your slave.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So when Haytham Kenway reveals the secret that the people do not want power because “The responsibility is too great to bear” this is the principle that he is evoking. If leaders provide the people with bread and circuses (sustain their lives and entertain them), then the people will naturally obey because they do not want to lose their benefits or accept the responsibility that comes with freedom. The state will see to your child’s education, provide benefits when you are unemployed, look after you in your old age, and provide medical care for you. You don’t have to worry about a thing, so you can now focus on reproduction, entertainment, and consumption. All that they ask for in return is your obedience and your taxes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have read some reviews of Assassins Creed III in which people seem very disappointed in Connor as a character, whereas his father, the Templar Haytham Kenway is amazingly popular. We see the Assassins through the eyes of the Templars as naïve fools fighting for a world that can never be. As General Pitcairn on his deathbed says to Connor, “You wield your blade like a man, but your mouth like a child”. Likewise, Thomas Hickey mocks Connor for chasing butterflies, ideals that can never be realised. We are also given examples of Assassins who turned to the Templars: Haytham Kenway, Lucy Stillman, and Daniel Cross. At the end of the story our hero, Desmond Miles, chooses the way of Juno and the Templars rather than the path of the Assassins as represented by Minerva. Even Achilles seeks to dissuade Connor from becoming an Assassin. Assuming Connor to be a boy with full knowledge of what he is asking of him, Achilles says, “Oh you might dream of being a hero. Of riding to rescues, of saving the world, but stay this course and the only thing you're gonna be is dead. The world's moved on boy. Best you did too.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Death, pain, hardship, loss, and public disdain are recurring themes throughout the series. Haytham Kenway recognises that it is the creed that sees the Assassins through the painful life they choose as outcasts and rebels destined to be alone. He rejects the creed as the indoctrination of old men and since many assassins are born into the order one might rightly call the creed an indoctrination of their children. This is a life rejected by Benjamin Tallmadge whose father was an Assassin, but he chose a different life so that he could have a family outside the order. The same can be said of Desmond who was born and raised in the order but ran from it. We are given more examples of people born into the Assassins than we are of those who chose it, whereas all the Templars join as adults.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It can be said that the modern world was born during the Renaissance, but it not come into full maturity until the beginning of the Romantic Era in 1776. The picture presented of the Assassins is one where the Templars embraced the Modern and evolved new strategies to exploit it, but the Assassins are still bound to medieval notions that simply no longer apply.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During the Middle Ages the Templars sought to control people through brute force and during the Renaissance through the force of religion. Both Altair and Ezio were capable of responding on these terms. However, during the modern era the Templars discovered the value of cultivating the illusion of freedom in order to create a plantation of free range humans managed by the Templars. This is something the Assassins are ill-equipped to confront, and we see this in the cynicism of Achilles and the naiveté of Connor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One might easily see Assassin’s Creed III not as a call to arms but as a revelation of the world as it is. The message is that people by nature value security more than they value freedom. This means that they will willingly submit to any authority capable of providing it. The Templars recognise this fact, so rather than being simply cruel authoritarians according to the stereotype, they are looking to help people by providing security not only from physical threats but also natural ones, like the need for food, shelter, clothing, and medical attention. On the surface this may seem like benevolence, but consider that of the so-called 1% controlling the bulk of America’s wealth, roughly 43% of them live in the counties surrounding Washington DC. The Templars and their cronies are getting rich at the expense of everyone else, nonetheless as long as people feel secure, in every sense of the word, they will accept and even defend the current status.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An important often over-looked point concerning the American Revolution is best exemplified by the Boston Tea Party. Due to changes in the East India Company the price of tea in Boston had never been cheaper, even with the new tax. The people of New England paid far less for tea than the people of Old England. What people miss is that the tea party was not about the amount of tax. The issue was the tax itself as a matter of principle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The same can be said of arguments against slavery. The average slave was well cared for with food, shelter, clothing, entertainment, and even spending money provided. The issue was not whether the slaves were cared for. It was the principle that no human being should be owned as property.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To put this is a modern context, when people engage in an activity that either national or local government does not approve they seek to ban it in the name of the public health. This was first tried with cigarettes in which a fine, a penalty for usage, was built into the cost of the product and wrongly called “a tax”. Many people supported this because they either did not smoke so the fine did not affect them or they were smokers who knew they should not be smoking anyway. But these health concerns were irrelevant. The principle being established was the power of government to regulate, ban, or fine any legal activity it chooses. Now we see governments placing similar fines on gasoline, trans fats, and even banning large sized sodas in New York City.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why protest a tea tax when tea has never been cheaper? Why protest slavery when Southern slaves have a better standard of living than Northern factory workers? Why protest fines posing as taxes when I don’t smoke? Because there should be no taxation without representation, because owning another human being is wrong, and because government should not have the power to regulate our consumption. It’s a matter of principle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Until society as a whole comes to rediscover the concept that principle is more important than immediate benefit, there seems to be no end to this Templar plantation. However, the writers of the game provide two courses of action for the Assassins in response to this subtle form of Templar control.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first is the way of Minerva. “Let it burn”. This idea in a modern context is that as the system becomes more unstable it begins moving towards its inevitable collapse which is constantly being predicted either through environmental, economic, or social means. Minerva tells us to prepare for it and let it happen so that new life may emerge from the ashes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The second course of action is somewhat similar and provided in a more subtle form through the example of the Homestead. For readers of Ayn Rand, this may be called “Going Galt”. For survivalists, it’s called “living off the grid”. It involves separating yourself from the Templar plantation, denying their “free stuff”, and living in a community where power is dispersed with each member contributing their time, energy, and skill to others to tend to their mutual needs for food, shelter, clothing, education, medical care, and protection from outsiders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It seems very likely that this is the final word on the subject. How does the game series end? The Templars win and Assassins Creed III shows us how they won despite the initial victory of principle in the American Revolution. Fast forward two hundred years and the Templars are the mega-corporation called Abstergo and the Assassins are scurrying around like rats in a cave grossly outmanned and out-gunned both militarily and economically.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a recent interview, Ashraf Ismail, the director of the forthcoming Assassin’s Creed IV, described Assassin’s Creed III as depicting an attempt at democracy that succeeded whereas Assassin’s Creed IV will depicts an attempt that failed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In many ways it is true that the American Revolution heralded a new era in freedom and the path of the Romantic Era from 1776-1929 has people in a constant movement towards greater freedom, this includes economic freedom for the individual to freeing literal slaves both in America and worldwide. It can be easily said from a Nineteenth Century perspective that the Assassins achieved their goals. Hooray, now we can all go home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, from a Twenty-first Century perspective we have seen in the previous century an unprecedented consolidation of power from the individual to the central government, and now local governments can bravely ban anything that a select group decides the people should not have. It seems petty, but it is the principle of the thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Templar secret is just as it is spelled out by Haytham Kenway. People want the freedom to act as they choose, but they do not want the responsibility that comes with the power to act, so they satisfy themselves with the illusions of power, and therefore the illusion of freedom, and look for someone to tell them what to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Does that sound crazy? I recently watched a marketing lecture in which a discovery was disclosed. When you ask people what kind of coffee they prefer, the most common answer is dark rich coffee, however when you provide them with various samples to taste and rank the truth is that most Americans prefer weak milky coffee, but who will admit to that?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To those of us conditioned to the ideals of democracy and freedom it may seem absurd to suggest that people do not really want freedom, just as it is absurd to suggest that people prefer weak and milky coffee over a dark roast. The proof of what people are like is expressed in what they choose to do or not do and not in what they say they would do. Historical incidences of people rising up to fight for their freedom are extremely rare in the big picture despite the levels of hardship they endured. Of the few uprisings that succeeded, most quickly fell into another form of authoritarianism. The American War of Independence is more of an exception than a rule and even then only a third of the population supported it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Templars accept the world as it is and require no creed. The Assassins however realise that without a creed, a code of beliefs to discipline oneself to, that our natures would drag us down into complacency and we will accept the unacceptable as “just the way things are”. As Wendell Phillips said in a speech addressing the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society in 1853:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty—power is ever stealing from the many to the few…. The hand entrusted with power becomes … the necessary enemy of the people. Only by continual oversight can the democrat in office be prevented from hardening into a despot: only by unintermitted Agitation can a people be kept sufficiently awake to principle not to let liberty be smothered in material prosperity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassins Creed resonates because we all know who the real-life Templars are. They may not be as obvious and extreme as presented in the game, but on some level we know that there are powerful people in government and commerce consolidating their power. When people lose the power to choose and to act on their choices, then they have lost their freedom. Who are the true Assassins? They are the outcasts who resist these powers.</span></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-50639056552767046762015-04-19T12:24:00.000-07:002016-06-06T23:59:30.063-07:00Assassin Ethics<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There seems to be a trend developing from the creative teams at Ubisoft regarding the portrayal of the Assassin Order. Perhaps it stems from a desire to shake things up a bit, or maybe it is simply expanding the world to provide different and previously unseen points of view. Whatever the motivation, the world of Assassin’s Creed has become a lot greyer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It reminds of a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToKcmnrE5oY" target="_blank">comedy sketch from Mitchell and Webb</a> in which two Nazi officers are talking and one notices their skull insignia as if for the first time and asks, “Are… are we the baddies?” More and more I find myself wondering that myself. Are the Assassin’s the baddies in the world of Assassin’s Creed?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The central conflict in the series is between two secret societies, The Assassins and the Templars. When Edward Kenway asks Mary Read about the Assassins, she answers, “We kill Templars”. At times that seems to be the sole purpose of the Assassins and the Creed is little more than a mask covering the simplistic model of, “My team is against your team”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is easy to say that the Assassins are the baddies in the Assassin's Creed series. After all, they murder powerful and influential people and thus altering the course of human events in unforeseeable ways, not to mention the countless guards and hired muscle that are just doing their job. Who are they to decide who lives and who dies without any sort of trial or legal mandate? They say “nothing is true” and yet seem to impose their vision on others. They say “everything is permitted” but punish the actions of others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, we need to remember that this is a video game and killing pixelated people and getting away with it is what it is all about. In the Assassin's Creed novels, the body count is much lower because it is a medium for story not gameplay. What about translating Assassin’s Creed into the medium known as real life? Are the ways of the Assassins the path of good or evil and how is this reflected in the series?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Understanding Ethics and Values</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One thing that science teaches us is that things are not always what they seem. When looking at the horizon the Earth seems flat. When watching the procession of celestial objects across the sky, it seems they are moving around the Earth. The same is true in the study of Ethics. What seems right or wrong may not be. Just as people ignorant of science think they just know, so too do people who have never studied Ethics believe that they intuitively just know good and bad or right from wrong and that these notions are universal and absolute. Whether the people in question are religious or not is irrelevant to the fact that this approach to Ethics is ultimately derived from religion. God has ordained right and wrong and these laws, like Him, are eternal, universal, perfect, and immutable. But the study of Ethics tells a different story. Before we can judge the Assassins, we must first understand the basics of Ethics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The philosophical branch of Ethics is not about good and evil, right and wrong. It can be described best as the study of human action. What actions are beneficial (good), which are harmful (bad), and which are destructive (evil). Ultimately, the goal of Ethics is happiness. This is very different from the common top down view of “do I say or else because I am God’s representative” approach to morality that most people assume the study of Ethics to be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the centre of Ethics is the concept of values. Values are things that are valuable. They are those things that people strive to gain or to keep. The story of values begins with two very primal questions. “Can I eat it?” or “Will it eat me?” If I can eat it, then it is a good to strive to get and fight to keep. If it will eat me, then it is a bad that I must fight, avoid, or escape. If I cannot eat it and it will not eat me, then it is a neutral and therefore irrelevant to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One theory of emotions states that all human emotions are derived from four basic emotions determined by values. The gaining of a value brings happiness and the loss of a value brings sorrow. Since humans have the power of abstract thought, we can imagine gaining a value, which is desire, and we can imagine losing a value, which is fear. For example, emotions like anger, aggression, and frustration are born of the fear that we will not get what we want or we will lose what we have.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What makes people unique is that we all value different things to different degrees. This is often referred to as the value system. I value A and B, but I value C more than I value B, but not as much as A. In order to determine our value system we have to make value judgements. This gets complicated for a few reasons. Most of the time, these judgements are made unconsciously and too quickly for the conscious mind to keep up. So instead of reasoning out that one thing is good and another is bad, we just feel something. We feel joy, pain, disgust, pleasure, or any number of emotional responses without knowing how or why these value judgements were made. We also take values for granted. There is a saying that the quenched man turns his back on the well. Water is a life sustaining value, but when we are not thirsty we take that value for granted and do not appreciate its importance. Another factor that can affect value judgements is habits, routines, and pre-existing programming that can cloud our approach to values. Smoking is bad for you, but a smoker makes cigarettes a very high value because of habit and addiction. Or people may be so caught-up in a routine that they miss what is truly important to them. Or people may see a particular lifestyle as a high value because that is how they were raised as in “my parents were middle-class, so being middle-class is important”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This pre-existing programming is what I call the “should”. People “should” act this way. I “should” be this kind of person. My life “should” be like this. It’s a mental template, a yardstick with which we measure the world. The good is whatever meets or exceeds my should and bad is anything that falls short. The technical term for these shoulds is standards of judgement. And they form the basis of our value judgements.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is impossible not to judge. We are constantly judging the world and everyone in it to determine what we should pursue, what we should avoid, and what we should fight for and against. When people say that we should not judge, which is a judgement in itself, what they are really saying is that we need to accept that different people have different values, make different value judgements, and choose different purposes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Once we have imposed meaning on something and assessed its value according to our standards of judgements, then we decide what to do about it. So values are part of the process of determining our purposes. When Jean Paul Sartre wrote that “hell is other people” he was writing about purposes. We all have them and achieving our purposes depends on the cooperation of others. We are happy when others align their purposes to ours and we are in hell when they don’t.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sartre introduced this idea in his play No Exit where three people find themselves in a hotel room. There is a man who fancies one of the women, but she is a lesbian. The lesbian likes the other woman, but she is straight and fancies the man. It is later revealed that the trio is in hell and must spend all eternity thwarted by their desires.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Suppose there is someone you fancy. You think about them all the time in a state of constant infatuation. The value you choose to pursue is their affection towards you but in order to achieve this value another person, the object of your interest, must act in accordance with your wishes. You want them to want you, so you must make them want you in order to get what you want. The questions then become what are you willing to do to get it and how far are you willing to go. What actions are justified and which are not?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The study of Ethics is the study of human action. Values, standards of judgement, and purposes are all behind the scenes foundational stuff. The real action in Ethics involves getting others to do what we want, not do what we don’t want, and how we go about achieving this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Action Equation</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The process of human action can be divided into three stages. The Pre-action is what occurs before the action takes place. Then there is the action itself. Finally, there is the post-action.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The pre-action stage is not simply a matter of saying, “I will do this” and then doing it. This stage is a lifetime in the making and largely unconscious. It begins with the meanings that individuals impose of the world. Everything you think “just is what it is” is actually the result of a complex cognitive process that occurs so fast that your conscious mind hardly notices. First you perceive a thing, then you assess its meaning in conjunction with your value system, make a value judgement deciding the thing being good, bad, or neutral, and from that you derive a purpose. Purposes can be broken down to: want, keep, don’t want, and avoid. Most of the time, these involve other people doing the exact same. They want something from you; they perceive you as a threat to what they have or an impediment to getting what they want; they don’t want you to do whatever you are doing; or they avoid engaging with you altogether.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This brings us to the action phase. When it comes to human action you have two components. The agent who initiates the action and the object who is forced to respond to the action initiated upon them. For the most part, the agent is deemed the one responsible for the outcome because he initiated the action and the object is simply reacting. Without the action of the agent, there would have been no reaction from the object and therefore no outcome. The exception is when the object over-reacts or responds irrationally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 1974, Kenneth W.Thomas and Ralph H. Kilmann introduced their Thomas–Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), a test to determine how a person deals with conflict. The TKI identifies five different styles of conflict: Competing, Avoiding, Accommodating, Collaborating and Compromising. Even though this was designed to examine different ways that people deal with conflict, it can also describe how an object may react when acted upon by an agent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So imagine you’ve had a terrible morning, arrive at work miserable, and a co-worker that you can’t stand at the best of times gives you a big smile and says hello. This is not a conflict per se, but it is an agent acting upon an object. As the object you are forced to react. You can compete by challenging them aggressively, you can avoid by ignoring them, accommodate by forcing a smile and saying hello back, you can collaborate by realising that you still have to work together and be professional so you give a pretty convincing “good morning”, or you can compromise with a quick half-hearted acknowledgment. Hundreds of times a day people routinely force these decisions on us and we force them on others without a second thought. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Following the action/reaction sequence is the post-action. This involves assessment and consequence. How does what you have done make you feel? If your actions are consistent with your values, then you may feel pride, but if not there may be shame, guilt, or regret. This also comes into play when we assess others. If their actions are aligned to our values we may feel love or a desire to honour them as heroes, but if their actions are perceived as a threat to getting or keeping what we want, then we see them as being bad or evil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The final part of the action sequence is consequence. The process of action/reaction, cause and effect, is one of the fundamental laws of the universe. The Sanskrit word for this is karma. An omniscient being would be able to trace the world you know it all the way back to the beginning by following this ongoing process of Karma. Causes and effects. Actions and Consequences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At first glance we can see three types of consequences. Some are metaphysical, some natural, and others social.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have been smoking since I was sixteen. The natural consequence is that I will most likely die from some smoking related illness. Without intervention this is the outcome dictated by the laws of nature. I met my first wife by asking her for a cigarette. Metaphysically speaking, if I never smoked then we would never have met and my life would have taken a completely different course. When I approached her, as an agent acting on an object, she had a few choices. She could have refused me or given me a cigarette and ended it there, but she chose to respond favourably to my advances. Once I initiated the action, the immediate consequences for me depended entirely on her social response.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the life of a thief, there is no natural law forbidding theft and there are no natural consequences for breaking a non-existent law. A thief can be successful and never suffer consequences. Metaphysically speaking, a habitual thief may become dependent on prey and therefore never develop independent survival skills, but that is pure speculation. Socially, his victims may choose to respond in force and the consequence for the thief is injury or death. Plus there are the social mechanisms of police, courts, and prisons ready to dole-out consequences. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Consequence may be the natural check to freedom, the kind of radical freedom advocated in the Assassin's Creed, however when there are no natural consequences to “bad” behaviour and the metaphysical consequences are too...well…metaphysical, then the only consequential checks to freedom are the actions of others.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is the scene in Assassin’s Creed Cry Freedom, after Adéwalé fails to save all the slaves who perished in the slave ship sunk by his enemies, when he calls for vengeance and says that his Creed demands it. How does he figure that? How does “nothing is true, everything is permitted” demand vengeance? Everything being permitted is not a pardon from consequence. Humans make other humans pay for their sins. You push someone and they push back. If you are mean to people, they choose not to associate with you. Action and consequence. In Adéwalé’s interpretation of the Creed, people have a responsibility to enforce consequence by doling out justice. This opens a whole new world of questions. Who decides? Who enforces? Who judges? Who condemns and punishes? And who watches the watchmen?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Ethics of Assassination</span></h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Existence is each human being’s highest value. People generally like living and losing that value really sucks. So naturally we tell people not to kill because we ourselves don’t want to be snuffed. So why feel the need to bring God into this with "Thou shalt not kill" to try to lend authority to a pretty obvious moral position?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The thing is that as much as we don't want to be killed, killing each other is part of human existence. The Bible does not actually say, “Thou shalt not kill.” Hebrew, like English, makes the distinction between killing and murdering. The actual commandment is “Thou shalt not murder.” So what’s the difference?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Humans are small group animals whose main survival skill is cooperation, but there is also competition with other groups of humans who want to take your group’s stuff or you want to take their stuff. This is not about greed. It's about the resources required for the survival of your group.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this competition people are killed. Killing “them” is great. We make heroes out of the guys who kill as many of them as possible. But killing someone within your group is not cool. He may be the village doctor, butcher, farmer, or baker. Killing him diminishes the strength of the group. So it's okay to kill them, but murdering us is really bad. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This moral distinction with one rule for us and another for them seems strange but it is actually the human norm and only began to change within the past few hundred years. To put that into perspective, if all of human existence was described as one hour, it was a few seconds ago that we decided that killing them is just as bad as killing us. Needless to say, we still celebrate our good guys who kill as many of them bad guys as possible in our entertainment. Assassin’s Creed is no different. Us Assassins versus them Templars and whoever kills the most pixelated Templars wins.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Real life is a bit different. In our postmodern globalised system, the distinctions between us and them are blurry to say the least. Nations are no longer nations in the traditional sense of being a people with a common culture, history, religion, and language. Nations are now more like multicultural political units, the us/them divide now has more to do with ideological differences than group survival, and deciding who are us and who is them becomes completely subjective. This brings us back to the “one man’s patriot is another man’s terrorist.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As individuals, we feel pride and confidence when we live up to our values and we feel shame or guilt when we do not. Likewise, when we see others as living-up to or exemplifying our values we see them as good or great, while those who violate our internal codes of how people should behave we see as bad or evil. The villain is the guy who threatens our values while to hero is the one who exemplifies, upholds, and protects them. Deciding whether the Assassins or the Templars are the baddies depends on your value judgements and which ideology you choose to align yourself with.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Choosing Sides</span></h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the Ezio Trilogy, the writers presented two members of the Precursor Race who exemplify the Assassins and the Templars. For the Assassins there is the Ancient known as Minerva, the Roman version of Athena, the Greek goddess wisdom and freedom. For the Templars there is Juno, the Roman version of Hera, the Greek goddess of motherhood, which can be seen to signify social order. The Assassin’s attitude of radical freedom is characterised by Minerva when she declared that it would be better that the world burn than to be a slave to Juno, the social order.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The key division between the Templars and the Assassins lies in their differing concepts of humanity. The human animal is a small group primate forming bands of 100 to 150 individuals (<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html" target="_blank">monkeysphere</a>). The success of this species is largely due to its ability to coordinate and work together to accomplish goals. However, the human animal is also a self-aware creature possessed of an individual consciousness. We are not sheeple in a herd, but neither are we solitary tigers. We are both, and this is a constant source of internal and social tension since both have their advantages and disadvantages.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the Assassins, the existence of individual consciousness mandates freedom. Since each individual ascribes meaning to reality and then derive purposes from these meanings, to deny an individual’s right to choose their purposes is to deny the expression their individual consciousness. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the Assassin’s world, each person is free to choose their own purposes free from imposed controls. So the Assassins are largely reactionary. They are not looking to create anything or impose any social rules or restrictions. They only fight those that do, because nothing save Objective Truth gives one person’s perceived meanings and purposes more intrinsic value than another’s.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So if you value social order, security, with its benefits and sacrifices over freedom, then the Templars are the good guys and the Assassins are the baddies. If you value radical freedom over imposed social order, then the Assassins are the good guys and the Templars are the baddies. However, human are both small group animals and creatures individual consciousness. We are both Templars and Assassins by nature.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ezio tells us that the Creed is an observation on the nature of reality and not doctrine. Edward Kenway realised that the Creed is only the beginning of wisdom, and not its final form. The Creed will not teach you right from wrong. It does not command us to act or submit - only to be wise. My own personal meaning for the word wisdom is simply "knowing how the world works". Understanding Ethics is part of that. It is up to each individual to know how the world works and then make their own choices accordingly concerning what and who is right or wrong.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-10129941843024686182015-04-05T02:46:00.000-07:002016-06-06T23:59:54.693-07:00Understanding the Assassin’s Creed<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
first step in deciphering the Assassin’s Creed is determining what the Creed
is.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this there is a bit of confusion
for the game players.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
the first Assassin’s Creed game, the Creed is stated absolutely and without
question:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Stay
your blade from the flesh of an innocent.
Hide in plain sight. Never
compromise the Brotherhood.”</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
the Ezio trilogy that followed and in <i>Black Flag</i>, the Creed is stated
absolutely and without question:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Nothing
is True; Everything is Permitted”</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
<i>Assassin’s Creed III</i> and <i>Liberation</i>, there are constant references to “The
Creed”, but it is never stated by any character.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
<i>Rogue</i> and <i>Unity</i>, the “tenets of the Creed” are stated absolutely and without
question:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Stay
your blade from the flesh of an innocent.
Hide in plain sight. Never
compromise the Brotherhood.”</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By
way of explanation for this apparent discrepancy, it is suggested that while
“Nothing is True; Everything is Permitted” is mentioned in the first game as a
saying or motto, when Altair reformed the Assassin Order he adopted it as the
Creed with the original creed becoming a subset as “tenets of the Creed”. So everything is permitted, except killing
innocents, being indiscreet, and compromising the group. I have a few issues with these tenets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First,
it is not a creed. The “tenets of the Creed”
would more accurately be called the Assassin’s Code. A code, as in a code of conduct or moral
code, is a statement of prescribed action, whereas a creed or tenet is a
statement of belief. In a philosophical
system one follows on from the other. I
believe this therefore I must do that.
The “tenets of the Creed” do not naturally follow-on from the Creed. In
fact they contradict it. Perhaps this is why every major Assassin character in
the series violates the Assassin’s Code.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just
to keep things straight, for the purposes of this article I will be referring
to “Nothing is True; Everything is Permitted” as the Assassin’s Creed and the
“tenets of the Creed” as the Assassin’s Code.
Moving on…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second,
in the first game, the Assassin’s Code does play an integral part of the story;
however it is also a guide to gameplay.
The game will warn the player if he kills an innocent and if it happens
again it will reset the level and part of the game is to hide after making a
kill, admittedly, compromising the order is not incorporated into the gameplay. This leads me to think that the Assassin’s
Code was created as a gaming device and not to be doctrine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally,
there is no historical precedent for the Assassin’s Code. The Assassin’s Creed
was referred to by Friedrich Nietzsche in his book <i>The Genealogy of Morals</i> (1887) and prior to that in the book, <i>The History of the Assassins: Derived from Oriental Sources</i> by Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall
(1835). “‘<i>Nothing is true and all is allowed</i>,’ was the groundwork of the
secret doctrine.” This gives the
Assassin’s Creed real world legitimacy, while the Assassin’s Code was just
something made-up for the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For these reasons, I see the Assassin’s Code as purely fictional and
would go so far as to wish it had never resurfaced in the games. So, from my
perspective there is only one Creed: Nothing is True; Everything is
Permitted. The next question is how this
should be interpreted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Throughout the Nineteenth Century, the Creed has had a strong
association with nihilism. This is often
invoked when discussing Hammer, Nietzsche, and Friedrich Lange, another writer
on the Assassins and their Creed who may have influenced Nietzsche.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In response to this, I quite like this scene from <i>Black Flag</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Mary Read</b>: We're Assassins and we follow a creed, aye. But it does not
command us to act or submit - only to be wise.<br /><b>Edward Kenway</b>: Oh, do tell. I'd love to hear it.<br /><b>Mary Read</b>: Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. This is the world's
only certainty.<br /><b>Edward Kenway</b>: Everything is permitted? I like the sound of that.
Thinking what I like and acting how I please.<br /><b>Mary Read</b>: You parrot the words, but you do not understand them.</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kenway is approaching the Creed on face-value. This interpretation is what leads to the
accusations of nihilism. I am sometimes
surprised when the great minds and academics of Nineteenth Century Germany make
this same error. The Creed cannot be interpreted on face-value. To do so renders it nonsense. For if nothing is true, then neither is the
statement that nothing is true, therefore everything is true. It does not work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I find the easiest way to understand the Creed is first to understand
the nature of the reality that it observes.
For this, I use the metaphysical model of the Triune Reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The basic model states that we exist in three “realities”
simultaneously: the Objective, the
Subjective, and the Artificial.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Objective Reality</b> is the world that is as governed by
the Laws of Nature. This reality is
largely understood through Empiricism and the Scientific Method and is also
known as Existential Reality, Nature, or simply the Universe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As physical beings, humans are subject to the Laws of Nature, just like
every other thing that exists. However,
humans are also conscious, imaginative, and self-aware things. We not only perceive Objective Reality, but
also assess it and impose meaning upon it according to our perception, values,
and judgement. This creates an internal
mental construct of reality, or schema, a <b>Subjective
Reality</b> unique to every individual. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We may exist in Objective Reality, but we each live in our own special
Subjective Reality with ourselves at the centre. Each person is the star of their show and
everyone else is just supporting characters and extras.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Objective Reality is a harsh place to exist. To survive, humans have always banded
together into social groups comprised of many Subjective Realities and create
technology to protect and sustain themselves.
This creates the man-made <b>Artificial
Reality</b> composed of two types, the Social and the Material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Social aspect describes human social institutions such as religions,
governments, and legal systems as well as culture, traditions, and
customs. The Material aspect includes
every man-made construct from homes and cities to spears, factories, and
toothpaste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Artificial Reality is created and maintained through human production
for the purpose of improving the quality of human life against the harsh
demands of Nature. Thomas Hobbes
observed that without the benefits of Artificial Reality the life of human kind
would be, “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Despite being a protection against Nature,
the Artificial Reality is still derived from Nature and therefore subject to
its laws, although in the case of the Social aspect this may not seem readily
apparent in the relative short term.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So which "reality" is Reality?
Objective Reality is the ultimate Truth; however despite its transient
nature Artificial Reality can have a greater impact on our daily lives and be,
for all intents and purposes, reality.
Subjective Reality may not be reality outside the consciousness of a
single individual, but it drives human action.
This action creates a cause which leads to an effect in the other
realities. Not to mention the fact that each person's Subjective Reality is the
only reality they really know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To illustrate, consider that Bob loves the rain but Susan hates it, so
she imagines and then invents the umbrella thus creating a new material Artificial
Reality wherein she is happily dry despite the rain while Bob is wet. According to Bob’s Subjective Reality,
Susan’s invention is evil because it is blasphemous to his rain god, so he rips
the umbrella from her and breaks it into pieces, thus wiping her Artificial
Reality from existence. Not content, he
goes even further and has umbrellas outlawed, thus creating a new social
Artificial Reality that conforms to his Subjective Reality. Susan is a rebel and does not believe such
silly superstitions. She makes another
umbrella, is arrested, and placed in jail.
There is no such thing as a rain god, but that does not change the
Objective truth that she is imprisoned and none of these events changes the
Objective truth that it is still raining.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With the model of Triune Reality in mind, we can apply it to Ezio
Auditore’s description of the Creed from <i>Revelations</i>.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To say that nothing is true is to realise that the foundations of
society are fragile and that we must the shepherds of our own civilization. To
say that everything is permitted is to understand that we are the architects of
our actions and that we must live with our consequences, whether glorious or
tragic.</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The two points in each sentence do not seem to connect. How do we get from “nothing is true” to the
realisation “that the foundations of society are fragile and that we must the
shepherds of our own civilization”? How does “everything is permitted” link
with the understanding that we are the architects of our actions?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To recognise that nothing is true is not a denial of Objective
Reality. You can deny the truth of
gravity all the way down to the pavement if you like, but it will not change
reality. The “truth” denied by the Creed
are the Subjective and Artificial Realities, however these are the foundations
of society. They are conceived from the
human mind and created and maintained through human production. Without them,
neither would exist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Four Fundamental Forces of Nature do not need human intervention in
order to exist and thermodynamics will happen without us, or even in spite of
us. It does not matter if you believe in
them, they just are. Society and
civilization are not true in the sense that they require human belief and
production in order to exist and therefore they are not eternal truths. They will rise and they will fall and they
will disappear no matter how much you take them for granted. This makes them fragile and means that we
have a responsibility to create the kind of societies and civilizations that we
want and we must work to maintain them. They are built solely on a collective
idea and ideas are just thoughts and ideas can be wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To recognise that everything is permitted is not a license to
hedonism. Part of Objective Reality is
the process of Cause and Effect.
Everything is permitted, but all actions (and inactions) still have
consequences. You may jump off a tall
building. Everything is permitted. However, this permission does not relieve you
of the consequential splat at the end.
Each person is solely responsible for their actions and the consequences
of those actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In <i>Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood</i>, we see the initiation ritual for the
Assassins. This too clarifies the
Creed. The initiate and the assembly
recite:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Where other men blindly follow the Truth, remember nothing is true.
Where other men are limited by morality or law, remember everything is
permitted. We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins.</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To illustrate this consider slavery in the United States prior to the
American Civil War. Slavery has been a
part of human existence since the very beginning of civilization and
none of the three Abrahamic religions condemned it. In America it had been the
norm of everyday life for over 200 years.
During that time there had only been a handful of slave uprisings and
most were led by insane people. As a norm, slavery was truth, it was moral, and
it was legal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In <i>Assassin’s Creed Black Flag</i> and <i>Cry Freedom</i>, this “truth” was
challenged by the Assassins. Even in
<i>Assassin’s Creed III</i>, Connor points out the hypocrisy of Samuel Adams in
advocating freedom for some and not all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, we accept as a norm that it is immoral to claim ownership of
another individual, so much so that some academics have difficulty getting into
the mind-set of the American Founding Fathers who wrote of liberty but owned
human beings as property. They cannot
comprehend that their anti-slavery social conditioning limits their
understanding in the same way that the social conditioning of historical
figures limited theirs causing them to see slavery as normal, moral, and
acceptable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The “Truths” of people’s everyday lives are primary the result of their
social conditioning and these are not necessarily based on Objective Reality,
and therefore not truths at all. People
just blindly follow the Subjective and Artificial truths that they were taught
to accept as fact.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When these truths become institutionalised, like slavery, standing
against them is viewed as both immoral and illegal. To free a slave is to be a thief and “Thou
shalt not steal” not to mention being arrested and put into jail for the crime
of taking another man’s property. This
is where the Assassin says, “I will not be limited by the morality and laws
that people have made-up to suit themselves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This attitude is what leads to working in the dark to serve the light. It means doing what is right in accordance
with Objective Reality, what is commonly called Natural Law, even when society,
both legally and morally, determines that action to be evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Contrary to popular and academic thought, the Creed is far from being
nihilistic or hedonistic. It simply
recognises that existence has no inherent in-born meaning to be discovered and
forced on others. Any meaning life has
is the meaning you choose to give it and you are just one of seven billion
people each with their own ”truths”. And
yes, everything is permitted, but that does not mean actions do not have
consequences. You can choose to be a hedonist, or a
criminal, or an asshole, but with those roles there are consequences. You can party hard to an early grave, end up
in jail, and have no friends. It’s your
choice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Creed is about freedom – radical freedom.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You may think as you will and do as you
will.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But the natural check to freedom
is consequence.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When a person is aware
of the consequences of their actions they become aware of their responsibility
for their actions. They do not require an outside force, like Church or State,
to outline the do’s and don’ts for them. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately, there will always be people
looking to impose their truths on others and attempt to use the force of law to
that end.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In standing against that the
Assassins will always be branded as the bad guys, the nihilists, the hedonists,
and the anarchists looking to undermine the social order.</span></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-60917840407403187772015-04-04T00:29:00.005-07:002016-06-07T00:00:13.773-07:00Keep Calm and Follow the Creed<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHI4OGTPG57Ig6iLaDgNwzETAZuKGstqlseAYdl5GHRXDJrQa7sXQ7PPowzZpL5eliSPxC5BLGKQrzYy1jbGLaxxZareh4vv9JlifOg6Z3Ao4l1oopfjoPP8ha78kxYOE6btMevi_5YtI/s1600/Keep+Calm+Test.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHI4OGTPG57Ig6iLaDgNwzETAZuKGstqlseAYdl5GHRXDJrQa7sXQ7PPowzZpL5eliSPxC5BLGKQrzYy1jbGLaxxZareh4vv9JlifOg6Z3Ao4l1oopfjoPP8ha78kxYOE6btMevi_5YtI/s1600/Keep+Calm+Test.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over the past
few years variations of the now famous World War II poster, “Keep Calm and
Carry On” have spread from the internet to the mass market adorning bags,
poster, and coffee mugs. Most are
intended to be funny and convey either motivational messages like, “Keep Calm
and Love Life” to those invoking some film or television program or characters
like, “Keep Calm and Use the Force”, while others pertain to a lifestyle like,
“Keep Calm and Smoke Weed”. So it was
inevitable that an Assassin’s Creed variation would emerge, “Keep Calm and
Follow the Creed”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would guess
that fans of the video game franchise had a laugh and maybe posted it on their
webpages, but there is actually some valuable
life advice in remembering to keep calm and follow the Creed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are some ways
to Keep Calm and Follow the Creed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remember Nothing
is True…</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Accept
Diversity and Freedom</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Everyone has
their own perspective on reality and most people see theirs as the right one,
so without condoning or condemning accept the existence of these other
realities and respect the rights of others to have them. Expecting or forcing others
to conform to your ideas of how they should think or act only frustrates you
and angers them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>This Too
Shall Pass</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Life is
change. Today’s reality, good or bad,
will be tomorrow’s memory and memories are just thoughts. If today is good, then appreciate it while it
lasts. If today is bad, don’t worry,
because it will not last forever and tomorrow might be better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Do Not Allow
Yourself to Become Too Attached To Things</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A primary
source of human sorrow is the real or imagined loss of things. These “things” can be anything – possessions,
places, a certain lifestyle, public services, respect or love, cherished beliefs, relationships with others,
and even youth, strength, and beauty. We
may have these things for years or decades but in the end they will all change
and will all pass. Learn to accept that
truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Be Wary of
the Fear Impulse</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A primary
source of human anger, cruelty, and frustration is their fear that they will
not get the things they want or that they may lose the things they have. Recognise this impulse in yourself and others
and make allowances for both. For
yourself, accept that fear is not real.
It is the emotional response to a perceived threat which may be real or
imagined. Fear simply tells us to pay
attention and should not be allowed to motivate our actions, cloud the mind, or
force us into despair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Don’t Deal In
Hypotheticals</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hypotheticals,
assumptions, and preconceptions are just opinions and speculations elevated falsely
to the level of truth. People often have
strong emotional reactions to their idea of things rather than the reality of
things. Learn to look at what is and not
what you think might be or might happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Accept That
You (And Others) Are Most Likely Wrong</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Consider the
potential <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases" target="_blank">cognitive biases</a> of yourselves and others that can cloud
understanding the situation or the people involved. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remember Everything
Is Permitted…</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Do Not Limit
Yourself</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Often, people
cannot do something because they have been socially conditioned not to do it;
as a result, certain actions go against their programming. The program punishes violations with emotions
like fear, anger, guilt, shame, or a vague internal resistance. Learn to recognise and overcome your limiting
programming to do what you deem necessary and do not be limited in your actions
by the opinions of other people, whether these opinions are actual opinions or
those that you imagine others to have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Learn to Limit
Yourself</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A common
feature of human existence is doing what we do not want to do now in order to
get something better later. This
requires self-discipline and deferred gratification. These qualities have been identified as a key
feature in people who succeed in life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Look For New Opportunities and Possibilities</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your
existence is a blank page full of possibilities. It is up to you to fill that page. Decide what kind of life you want and make it
happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Recognise What
Can and Cannot Be Changed</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Everything is
permitted does not mean that every action is wise. There are things you can change and things
you cannot. Accept what cannot be
changed and change the things you can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Focus On What
is Important and Let Go of the Trivial</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whatever we
focus on has importance. This is
illustrated in games where the player is so focused on gaining collectibles
that it becomes the most important activity in their life until they change
their perspective and realise how trivial it really is. These are referred to as “first world
problem”. Trivial matters that people
become angry or upset about because they do not have to worry about serious
survival issues. Take a moment and ask
yourself if your crisis is really that important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Cultivate
Your Power and Will</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Power is
simply the means to work your will in the world. Everything may be permitted, but acting on
that permission is limited by the power at your disposal and your willingness
to use that power. The most common form
of power is material power in the form of money. Being low in this resource limits your range
of actions. This is also true if you
have the resources but lack the will to use it.
Building your resources before they are needed will give you the power
to act when the crisis comes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Accept the
Consequences of Your Actions, </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether they
be glorious or tragic; celebrate the good outcomes and learn from the negative
ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-35723726890717172582015-04-03T06:27:00.001-07:002016-06-06T23:53:13.115-07:00The Existentialist Assassin and the Ritualization of Philosophy<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ever notice that religions – just
about any religion – have it pretty good.
Well, pretty good when compared to any philosophical school. Religions have holidays, traditions, symbols,
songs, sacred stories, social and political considerations, special outfits and
distinguished titles for their leaders and teachers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In contrast, philosophy is pretty
boring. Followers of a particular philosophy
have books -- and that's about it. There
are no Stoic holidays. Existentialists don't get to wear special symbols of
their philosophy around their necks. And there are no hymns for the
Pragmatists. Not to mention that no one
is concerned about accidentally offending someone’s philosophical beliefs,
except perhaps the Atheists at Christmas time.
If a religion is a belief and a philosophy is a belief, then why is
philosophy treated like religion’s ugly little sister? Because it doesn’t have
the razzmatazz of ritual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The key difference between religion
and philosophy are the rituals. Religions have them and philosophies
don’t. Some will argue that religions
believe in supernatural beings and philosophies do not. This is true.
With the exception of Satanism and a few sects of Buddhism, religion is
all about the supernatural. However
there is more to it than that. There is
a strong self-identification with religion born from its rituals. This is considered socially acceptable within
reason, but anyone who strongly self-identifies with a particular philosophical
school is instantly perceived by the ignorant as being part of some cult. Ask
any Objectivist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Theology is one of the most
difficult studies that I have ever encountered, but you do not have to be a
theologian to be a Christian. The most dim-witted among us can happily
participate in the community and its shared rituals with the most basic
understanding of its belief system. Without
the community that forms around ritual there are no children socially
conditioned to a particular philosophical school on their mother's knee and
therefore no shared belief based self-identification among the people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Any student or adherent of a
particular school of philosophy has to first seek out the philosophy and then
choose it from among other philosophies on offer. Most people who approach philosophy do so as
either as disassociated scholars
fascinated by the variety of ideas on offer, or as searchers tasting a
bit of each dish on the smorgasbord and deciding which to put on their plate.
Very few become highly invested, self-identified, lifelong advocates of a
single philosophical school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rarity of such folk is probably
what lies behind the accusations of being a cult. We accept such an approach to
belief when it comes to religion but not philosophy. Perhaps in order to make sense of it, some
people will perceive a philosophical group as being religious because they
cannot understand strong belief and self-identification without religion being involved, and this leads to the
cult label. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We also see the cult label being
applied to fraternal organisations, like the Freemasons. An Atheist cannot become a Freemason because membership
requires belief in a divine being. It
does not matter if you are Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, or even a Jedi. You just have to believe in a something. Beyond that, the Freemasons are primarily an
example of how philosophy can be ritualised, but with that comes the outsider’s
fears of secret societies with secret agendas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ritual is a powerful tool in
cementing beliefs and self-reprogramming.
As Voltaire wrote, “If God did not exist, we would have to invent him.” Philosophy could use the rituals. For one
philosophical school, fiction has given us a picture of what it would look like
as a ritualised philosophy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to European legends,
the final words of Hassan-i Sabbah were, "Nothing is true, everything is
permitted." Historically, this legend is most likely entirely fictional.
Remember, to the medieval audience of such legends the Assassins were the bad
guys and these were the villains final words, a slam on their beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I like to believe that there is
more to it than that. It is possible
that a literary trick is being used here where the storyteller chooses to convey
a socially unacceptable point of view by placing the words in the mouth of the
villain so that he can blame the villain for the offensive opinion and claim to
not advocate it himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To Christian Europe and the
Islamic Middle-East, the suggestion that, “Nothing is True, Everything is
permitted” is a dangerous concept. It challenges
all authority claiming divine right and every moral code based on, “because God
says so.” To be an Atheist literally means
to be ungodly ( a = without theist = god) and to be ungodly is to be evil and
evil must be destroyed. This reasoning
held sway until the late 19<sup>th</sup> century and is still around today. This is why the few Atheists there were kept
their heads down, called themselves Deists, or pretended to be Christian. They hid in plain sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Soren Kierkegaard is commonly
seen as the first Existentialist, followed by Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre,
and Albert Camus. As a point of
interest, self-proclaimed Existentialist Vladimir Bartol wrote the book <i>Almut</i> which inspired the first Assassin’s
Creed game. The term "Existentialism"
was coined by the French Catholic philosopher Gabriel Marcel in the mid-1940s,
but Sartre rejected it. Nonetheless the
label stuck. And it is just a
label. The concepts of Existentialism
are much older than the label and Kirkegaard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During the latter half of the 3<sup>rd</sup>
century BC, about 2300 years ago, an anonymous author calling himself “The
Preacher” wrote a book in which he claimed to be King Solomon. This book is commonly known as the Book of <i>Ecclesiastes</i> in the Bible. The themes and concepts presented in the book
would be labelled today as Existentialist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The game series Assassin’s Creed
opens with a quote from <i>Ecclesiastes</i>,
chapter 1 verses 17-18. This is repeated again at the end of the first
game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I applied my heart to know
wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing
at the wind. For in much wisdom, is much grief, and he that increaseth
knowledge, increaseth sorrow."</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also in the first game, a great
secret is revealed in the underground ruins of the Temple of Solomon to the
nine men who discovered it. Each of them
experiences what is today called an Existential Crisis. This occurs when what you believe to be true
is proven false and as a result there is a mental breakdown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the game, what was
discovered was an artefact from the precursor race. We can see this
allegorically to represent the Creed itself; the realisation that nothing is true
and therefore everything is permitted. This is the conclusion found by the
Preacher in Ecclesiastes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the book, the Preacher
recounts his attempts to find meaning and purpose in life, but concludes, "Vanity
of vanities," says the Preacher, "Vanity of vanities! All is
vanity." The New International
Version of the Bible translates the passage more to the point. "Meaningless!
Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is
meaningless." Towards the end of the
book, Ecclesiastes 11:9, we have this verse:
“Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that
for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To summarise these two passages
together we first have “everything is meaningless” and then “do whatever you
want, but be wary of the consequences”.
In other words, “Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My argument is that this concept
is ancient and due to its volatile nature has been kept “secret” but always in
plain sight if you know what to look for.
The European legends of the Assassins attributed it to them. Nietzsche referred to it as their motto, but
the “Motto of the Assassins” does not have the same ring to it as “the Assassin’s
Creed”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ubisoft has provided this ancient
motto with a catchy, modern, but entirely accurate name – the Assassin’s Creed
-- and I believe the Creed to be the perfect summary of what today we call
Existentialism. More than that, the
storytellers at Ubisoft have built a mythology around the Creed, created a
symbol to wear, the title of Mentor for the leaders, ceremonial attire, oaths
to recite, heroes to follow, and catchy phrases to quote. Basically, in creating a fictional world for a
video game series, the creators of Assassin’s Creed have ritualised
Existentialism. There is one thing
lacking though. What do we call it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since 2001, people have been claiming
their religion as Jedi Knight on census forms around the world. Due to its modern usage, you can’t exactly
call yourself an Assassin without people thinking it’s a job title. We no longer associate the word Assassin with
a belief system. Actually, we never did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When the historical Assassins
were just killing their fellow Muslims, the trait that initially struck the
Europeans was their total devotion to their leader. So when the word assassin first came to
Europe it was used to describe devotion.
There are ballads in which the troubadour describes himself to his lover
as being her assassin – totally devoted.
But when the Assassins started
killing Christians too, the meaning of the word changed in Europe to mean a
killer and has remained so ever since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During the Nineteenth Century,
European scholars began searching for the origin of the word assassin. The conclusion was that the word is derived
from the Arabic word Hashishin meaning hash-smoker. The problem is that this was also used as a
general insult directed at social lowlifes, like calling someone a pot-head or
stoner. So yes, the Assassins were
called Hashishin, but so were many non-Assassins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A more likely origin comes from
Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to texts that have come
down to us from Alamut, Hassan-i Sabbah liked to call his disciples Asasiyun,
meaning people who are faithful to the Asās, meaning "foundation" of
the faith. This is the word, misunderstood by foreign travellers, that seemed
similar to "hashish".</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed is a video game
based franchise, inspired by European legends, derived from shadowy historical
fact. So if someone identifies with the
Assassin and their beliefs, then which Assassins are they talking about? Characters
in a video game? A legendary secret
order? Or a radical sect of Islam? For me, it’s something else entirely. It’s something new – the Existentialist
Assassins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When Hassan-i Sabbah called his
disciples “faithful to the foundations” he meant the foundations of Islamic
belief. From the Existentialist point of
view, to recognise that nothing is true is not a denial of objective truth. It is simply the recognition that subjective perception
is not objective reality. With this in
mind, being faithful to the foundation can be interpreted as being faithful to
the foundations of reality – objective reality based on science and reason. Looking at the name question from this
perspective, the name Asasiyun seems wholly appropriate for a census form.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When people recognise that I am
wearing the symbol of the Assassins from Assassin’s Creed on my ring or as a watch
fob, they automatically assume that I am a fan of the game series. Obviously I am, but that is not why I wear
it. I have no need to announce to the
world that I play the games. In fact, it
makes me a bit uncomfortable when I am called out. When someone unfamiliar with the games asks
me about it I find myself dithering for the appropriate answer. For me, associating it with a video game
feels like it trivialises it. My current
answers are this. “What is that symbol?”
It’s an Existentialist symbol. “What
does it mean?” It means “Nothing is
True, Everything is permitted”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Creed teaches us that life is
about change, or as Mary Read says in <i>Black Flag</i>, “it is life’s only certainty.” The day will come the Assassin’s Creed video
game series comes to an end. The stories
will dry up, fans will become bored and move on to the next hot game, and like
most disposable culture it will be disposed and forgotten. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When that day comes, the phrase “Nothing
is True, Everything is Permitted” will still exist. It might even be called The Assassin’s Creed for
as long as it is remembered instead of “the motto of the Assassins”. Existentialism will still be taught and people
will still read Nietzsche. What I would
like to see is the rituals, trappings, symbols, and beliefs presented and
represented in the games to merge with the real world philosophy to essentially
ritualise Existentialism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine if a hundred years from
now it becomes an interesting point of trivia that the symbol of the Existentialist Asasiyun
was developed for an early 21<sup>st</sup> century video game. Historically speaking, stranger things have
happened.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6724554673929449214.post-10164128534251385822015-04-02T10:31:00.000-07:002016-06-07T00:00:30.668-07:00What is Assassin’s Creed?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s one of the most popular video games series around. People with no concept of Assassin’s Creed at
least know of its existence by name or they have seen the iconic image of the
hooded figure in white advertised every autumn.
Since the release of the first game in November 2007 over 55 million
copies of all the games in the series have been sold making it one of the most
successful for the current generation of consoles. In addition to the games, there are
novelizations of the games, stand-alone novels, comic books, animated short
films, an array of merchandise, and even a line of apparel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To say that Assassin’s Creed is a video game series is an
accurate description, but not a very good definition. It is only part of a definition. According to Aristotle, who invented the
definition, a definition has two parts.
The first is called the genus.
This tells us what is similar to the thing we are defining. The second part is the differentia. This tells us how this thing is different
from those things that it is like. To
truly understand what Assassin’s Creed is requires a definition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed Is A
Franchise</span></b></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Establishing the genus begins by recognising Assassin’s
Creed as a video game series, but this can be further clarified. There are all sorts of video games out there
from car racing, to sports, to first person shooters, to straight-up puzzle
games. Assassin’s Creed is classed as a
third person, action/adventure open world game.
This tells a bit more about the kind of game it is. In these types of games there is a narrative
plot told through a series of cutscenes or cinematics. To connect the cutscenes, the player has the
choice to either move to the starting point for the next cutscene and thus
advance the story, or the player may choose to run about the world gathering
collectibles or engage in side-missions that have only a tentative connection
to the main plot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The second part of this genus is that Assassin’s Creed is a
series. There are currently nine games
in the series, but more importantly it has crossed-over into other media. Therefore, it is more than a series. It is a franchise. This multimedia aspect distinguishes a mere
series from a franchise and being a franchise also tells us other facts about
Assassin’s Creed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As both a video game series and a franchise, Assassin’s
Creed is a cultural commodity. In the
global marketplace there is a part that could be labelled “entertainment”
filled with movies, television programs, books and comics, various types of
music, and of course video games.
Collectively these are known as cultural commodities to be created and
distributed by people in the culture industry to be purchased and consumed by
the masses in order to generate a profit for everyone along the supply chain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Assassin’s Creed franchise is produced by a company
called Ubisoft that employs writers, actors, artists, musicians, game
designers, marketers and hundreds of others to produce a product intended to
distribute and sell to consumers for a profit.
When people get caught-up in the emotional and intellectual stimulation
of the world created by Ubisoft, it is easy to forget that Assassin’s Creed is
just another cultural commodity to be consumed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And like any mass produced consumed commodity, cultural
commodities are indeed consumed in mass.
There’s the video game industry, the music industry, the film and
television industries, the publishing industry, the sports industry, and even
the news-infotainment industry, all creating a huge array of entertainment
products and associated merchandise that the general public consumes and throws
away. It is because of this disposable
nature that franchises must continually try to reinvigorate their product. If they cannot, then the customers will get
bored and find something else to eat. A
dead franchise might be fondly remembered, but very few attain the
multi-generational cultural impact of Star Trek, Star Wars, and DC or Marvel
comics. It is this need to sustain the
franchise and the profits it generates that drives its production. When Assassin’s Creed is no longer
profitable, it will cease to be culturally viable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another assumption exists when describing Assassin’s Creed
as a franchise. There are customers for
the product. In other words, there is a
fan base. So what is a fan? The word is short for fanatic and describes
someone passionate about a particular cultural product.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some people consume media and then move onto the next thing
without a backwards glance. Some people
are moved to a level where they will buy the t-shirt and stick a poster on the
wall. Some people are engaged at a level
where they just can’t get enough of the product. These are the people who have seen the movie
scores of times, memorise dialogue and trivia, and some create costumes for
cosplay. This last group are the people
commonly seen as being fans. However, there
is another level – a fourth level breaking the fourth wall – those who seek to
bring art into life. They are the people
inspired by Star Trek to become astrophysicists, by Star Wars to become film
makers, or by Indiana Jones to become history professors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another feature of a franchise is lore. Since there are so
many stories being told throughout all the media utilized by the franchise, a
vast amount of information accumulates over time. Collectively, all these stories comprise the
lore of the franchise. Sometimes lore is
referred to as “the universe”, like saying the Star Trek universe or the
Assassin’s Creed universe. Where the
term lore focuses on the various stories in the setting, the use of the word
universe emphasises the setting in which the stories occur, but they both mean
the same thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unlike a single story by a single author, like Moby Dick for
example, the lore of a particular franchise is the product of a company
employing or endorsing many writers, directors, and artists operating in a
variety of different media telling a variety of different stories all set in
the same fictional universe. This makes
it difficult to credit any one person with a particular phrase of dialogue or
to interpret a single author’s meaning.
Literary critics can ponder Herman Melville’s intent and meaning when
analysing Moby Dick, but when analysing the lore of a franchise it is not
always possible to know exactly who is responsible for a piece of dialogue or
plot point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Generally, there will be some form of caretaker who oversees
the franchise during a particular period ensuring that the media output fits
certain constraints according to a certain vision. This will often keep continuity in check, but
not always, therefore some outputs are considered canon while others are
not. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The term canon is taken from religion and refers to
religious texts deemed to be of divine inspiration and therefore included in
what we know today as the Bible. In
media, canon determines what works are part of the overall story and what is
not. In the Star Trek franchise, the
films are deemed canon, but not necessarily all the spin-off books. If a spin-off book says that Captain Kirk’s
favourite ice-cream is vanilla, but a film says that it is chocolate, then we
go with the film because it is canon. In
Assassin’s Creed, the games are deemed canon, then the novels, but the comics
less so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The caretakers decide what is and is not canon as the
controllers of the primary source material.
Among fans, certain fans become experts in the lore and are sometimes
called upon by other fans to settle debates concerning the lore. These experts have been called bards, a term
referring to the caste of storytellers in ancient Celtic society who were the
keepers of the cultural lore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Identifying Assassin’s Creed as a franchise infers a great
deal of information about it. It is a
series that operates in several media; it is produced by a corporation driven
by corporate interests and employing many storytellers over many years; it has
a devoted fan base; it has created a large body of work, or lore, overseen by a
central caretaker which is then learned by expert fans emotionally invested in
the fictional world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Assassin’s Creed Is An </b><b>Historical
Romance<o:p></o:p></b></span></h4>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed is primarily described as a video game, and
this too has key characteristics. Open
world games, like Assassin’s Creed, have two major elements: gameplay and story. Storytelling is becoming more and more
important in video games. In 2006 the
Writer’s Guild of America introduced a category in their annual awards for video
game writing. With the exception of
Assassin’s Creed 1, every game in the series has been nominated for the
award. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood won
in 2010 and Assassin’s Creed III lost in 2013 to Assassin’s Creed
Liberation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, games are still judged by the games industry and
gamers largely by this thing called gameplay.
How does the character interact with the environment, what are the
combat mechanics like, how enjoyable or irritating are the side quests,
collectibles, achievements, or puzzles, how are the graphics and the overall
look and feel of the game? Is it
immersive and fun to play? A video game
can be successful without a complex story.
For example, Donkey Kong is the story of Mario rescuing the Princess,
but really it’s about avoiding barrels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When it comes to fans of Assassin’s Creed, some like the
gameplay and others like the story elements, such as the historical settings
and costumes, characters, plot, and themes.
Of course it is possible to like both of these aspects, and that is the
ideal for game designers, but a person predominately passionate about gameplay
may not see the same Assassin’s Creed as someone more invested in the
story. In this sense the series has
achieved the multileveled approach to please those moved by the story as well
as those who like running around and stabbing someone in the face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are some gameplay elements unique to an Assassin’s
Creed game. Each game in the series
shares a certain “feel” even though various aspects are tweaked and new game
features are added from game to game.
However, none of these are fundamental in defining Assassin’s
Creed. There are many other games that
include free running, climbing, and finding collectables and even if Assassin’s
Creed was the only game with these gameplay features it would still not define
what Assassin’s Creed is really all about.
For this we have to look at the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When you take a story and boil away all the fluff you find
that there are really just a few basic plots.
Watch any Romantic Comedy and you find the boy meets girl, boy looses
girl, and boy wins girl back plot over and over again. You’ll even find it in films not obviously of
that genre, like Shrek for example. So
in defining Assassin’s Creed, part of the genus is identifying the type of
story found in the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed is what is commonly known in literary
circles as a Historical Romance.
Unfortunately, the word romance has become tainted in popular
culture. In the 1930’s the so-called
Romance novels emerged and today account for over half of all paperback books
sold. Before this the word Romance had a
very different meaning. It meant
action/adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the fall of the Roman Empire, there emerged among the
tribes of Western Europe various dialects of pigeon Latin collectively referred
to as being Roman-like, or “romantic”.
These dialects eventually became the modern Romance languages of French,
Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During the Middle-Ages travelling storytellers told stories
in these languages and they came to be known as collectively as Romances. These
stories in turn provided inspiration for the poets and early novelists of the
late 18th and 19th centuries. The English word novel means new, because it was
an entirely new form of storytelling, but the word for novel in French and
Italian is roman, in reference to the Romances that inspired the early novels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Medieval Romances had four key features: the hero's
quest, the love interest, interesting settings, and supernatural events. These four elements have brought us literally
scores of different uses for the word Romantic.
For example, the most common modern usage pertains to love; this comes
from the love interest aspect. Romantic
is also used to mean unrealistic; this stems from the supernatural
element. Another key usage refers to a
love of nature; this refers back to the emphasis on the beautiful settings
depicted in the Romances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The best way to understand the Romantic in this context is
to see these stories as portraying believable but larger than life people, in
larger than life relationships, doing larger than life things, in larger than
life places under larger than life circumstances. In other words, Romanticism is about making
life interesting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It does not matter if the hero is a knight in shining
armour, a cowboy with a six gun, the captain of a space ship, wearing tights
and cape, or just some guy in jeans and a t-shirt. The love interest can be the traditional
boy/girl or it can be the emotions between partners or comrades. The settings can be anything just so long as
it is interesting. As for the
supernatural element, this can be magic or science based, an unknown mystery to
be explored, or something as simple as a hero in a realistic setting who
accomplishes extraordinary feats, like leaping onto a moving train. This is something taken for granted in films,
but it real life it’s a feat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The man responsible for creating the template for Romantic
storytelling was Sir Walter Scott as the inventor of the Historical
Romance. Another important invention
from Scott was the character of Robin Hood as portrayed in his novel
Ivanhoe. Robin Hood existed in ballads
from the Middle-Ages, but it was Scott who created our modern image of the
character. The story of splitting the
arrow was made-up by Scott. He also
politicised the character as someone who “robbed from the rich and gave to the
poor” in opposition to tyranny. This
element was mentioned briefly in one ballad but does not exist in the bulk of
the original ballads. Scott also
invented the Merry Men.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In his creation of Robin Hood, Scott gave us a new kind of
hero. He is outside the law, fights
alongside his team for the good of others against oppression in the name of
freedom, and uses his physical agility, skills, and cunning to thwart his
adversaries. He is a villain to many,
but to those in the know he is a hero.
This character inspired the heroes of the penny-dreadfuls, the Victorian
equivalent to comic books, such as the highwayman Dick Turpin. These in-turn inspired characters like The
Scarlet Pimpernel (1905), Zorro (1919), The Shadow (1930,) and culminated in
Batman (1939). In Assassin’s Creed
Revelations, Sofia Sartor jokingly asks Ezio Auditore if Altair established the
tradition among the Assassins for wearing menacing hoods. More likely, the source is Rob in the Hood as
the spiritual ancestor of the Assassins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This look back at the Western storytelling tradition
demonstrates that Assassin’s Creed is firmly part of this tradition. There is the archetypal Robin Hood hero
fighting oppression with his team, there are interesting settings, supernatural
events, and although the relationship aspects is not as pronounced (there is no
Maid Marion type), there are important human relationships and emotions
present. This makes Assassin’s Creed a
Romance and the use of historical settings and characters make it a Historical
Romance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed Is A
Secret</span></b></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When creating a definition, the genus tells us what is
similar to the thing we are defining.
What type of thing is it?
Assassin’s Creed is a historical romance franchise based on an
open-world video game series. This tells
us the type of story, the type of video game series, and that it is a
franchise. The next question is what
makes it unique. What differentiates
Assassin’s Creed from other historical romances, video games, and
franchises? The answer lies in the
elements of the story itself, particularly in the setting and the themes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed is set in an alternate reality where the
lore of the modern day conspiracy theories are mostly true. The fundamental premise of conspiracy lore is
that there exists a group of central planners, these may be the Knights
Templar, Freemasons, Illuminati, Bilderburg Group, lizard people, or any other
alleged organisation depending on who is promoting their pet theory, that has
been behind the scenes of human history guiding events to a determined
conclusion, typically the enslavement of the human race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of the various groups in the lore, the creators of Assassin’s
Creed have chosen the Knights Templar as the primary planners. At the same time as the Templars were
historically active, there was another secret society running about the Middle
East called The Assassins, from whom we get the word assassin. From a storytelling perspective is seems only
logical to make them the primary foil to the Templars. Where the Templars seek the enslave humanity,
the Assassins promote freedom. Where the
Templars look to consolidate power, the Assassins want to distribute it to each
individual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Secret societies are secret in the sense that their
existence is not known to the general public, but another aspect is that secret
societies have a secret. In Assassin’s
Creed, both the Assassins and the Templars share the same secret knowledge;
that the human race was not created by God, but in a laboratory to serve as a
slave race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 1968, Erich von Daniken released his book Chariots of the
Gods?in which he speculated that extraterrestrial aliens had visited ancient
human civilizations, taught them new technologies, and were revered as
gods. A decade later, Zecharia Sitchen
went a step further in his book The 12th Planet suggesting that visiting aliens
genetically engineered humans from proto-human primates to serve as a slave
race. These theories formed the premise
of the film and television series Stargate and is alluded to in the film The
Avengers when the god Loki declares, “You were made to be ruled. In the end,
you will always kneel”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In an unrelated theory, Graham Hancock in his 1995 book,
Fingerprints of the Gods: Evidence of Earth’s Lost Civilization furthers a
theory first proposed by Ignatius Donnelly in 1882 suggesting that an ancient
but highly advanced civilization existed prior to recorded history. At the end of the last Ice Age, the great
sheets of ice covering the poles melted, sea levels rose, and they perished
leaving behind the legacy of advanced astronomy, architecture, and mathematic
to those who picked-up the pieces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The creators of Assassin’s Creed incorporated both of these
theories into their story. In their
version of events, a sentient race evolved on Earth over 80,000 years ago and
created humans as a slave race. These
beings, referred to in the game as both Those Who Came Before or simply as “the
precursor race” formed the basis of human mythology and religion. They were eventually decimated in an
apocalypse from which enough humans survived to continue the species. Among the
remains of their civilization were artefacts so technologically advanced as to
be seen as magical by the humans who discovered and wielded them. Much of the conflict in the game series
revolves around Templar attempts to acquire these artefacts and the Assassins
working to prevent them from falling into Templar hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This conflict between these two secret societies provides
the central conflict in the game series with each group representing an
opposing ideology. From this tension the
central themes of the series emerge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed Is
All About The Themes</span></b></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As human beings, we learn from experience. This can include vicarious experiences, and
since the unconscious responds equally to real and imagined stimuli, stories
have the power to transform, or at least influence, who we are. Someone may say, “War is bad”. This may have little or no effect on how a
person views war. However, if he tells a
heart-felt story about a family in which the father is called to war and
suffers depravation while his family at home first suffers because he is absent
and later suffers because of an invading army, then through storytelling the
writer has illustrated that war is bad without saying it outright.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In literary criticism this is called the theme. A theme is often expressed as a single
word. So the theme of this story is war,
but beyond that is what the storyteller is saying about war. He is saying that it is bad. This is the writer’s philosophical statement
of belief, more commonly called the message of the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The audience may be drawn in emotionally to the plight of
the soldier and his family and feel that they have experienced that war is
bad. However, they forget that every
action and consequence illustrating the theme was created by the storyteller
from a blank sheet of paper to convince them that war is bad. It is all a lie. The storyteller might just as easily tell a
tale of heroism and noble sacrifice for God and Country to give the impression
that war is good. The story is
essentially rigged by the storyteller to convey whatever message he wishes to
convey or whatever he believes. One of
the purposes of literary criticism is to identify the themes and messages in
the story and convert them from emotion-based storytelling into rational prose
for analysis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The way a theme is presented is called style. All of the things that people associate with
Assassin’s Creed from the gameplay, to the iconic hooded costumes, to the
characters and settings themselves are all packaging for the theme. The style of a story is what draws people,
inspires them, and emotionally moves them, but ultimately style is the spoonful
of sugar that helps the medicine go down.
It may seem unfair to call a theme medicine, but most people would
rather watch an engaging drama with an anti-war theme than read a philosophical
anti-war treatise. Yet, the themes of
Assassin’s Creed are the real core elements of the game and have real world
application beyond the entertaining fantasy world that has been created.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are many themes in the Assassin’s Creed lore worthy of
examination. For the purpose of
identifying a differentia for a definition of Assassin’s Creed there are three
key themes that stand-out above the rest.
Interestingly, two are found in the creed itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nothing is true.
Throughout the Assassin’s Creed series truth is concealed and characters
must face uncomfortable revelations. In
the first game, Al Mualim, the leader of the Assassin’s, is revealed to have
secretly been a Templar all along. In
the second game, Ezio’s father has hidden his secret life as an Assassin from
Ezio as do the characters who guide Ezio throughout the game. In Brotherhood, the Borgia family is a nest
of lies. In Revelation, Ahmet, the
leader of the Byzantine Templars, is concealed for most of the story. In Assassin’s Creed III, Connor’s entire
quest is based on manipulation and lies, in Liberation the villain proves to be
someone close to Aveline, and in Black Flag, Edward only pretends to be an
Assassin throughout the game until his acceptance into the order near the end.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Everything is permitted.
The second major theme is Freedom.
This is a topic of discussion among the many characters, but also an
overt motivation for the Assassins in their conflict against Templar
control. The most outspoken expressions
of this theme are found in Liberation and Cry Freedom which both deal directly
with the topic of slavery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The third major theme is Defiance. This theme is largely implied in AC1 and
the Ezio trilogy, however it takes
centre stage in AC3 and AC4. The most blatant examples come from the Ubisoft
marketing department with the Rise trailer for AC3 and the Defy trailer for
AC4. Presumably, the intent was to encourage to audience to
want to assume the role of the playable character and have the vicarious
experience of resistance by purchasing the game. However, looking past the
fourth wall, these trailers, in capturing the spirit of defiance in the games,
also tap into the real world spirit of defiance against increasingly
authoritarian state governments. They ask the audience, what are you prepared to do? How far are you
willing to go? What are you willing to sacrifice in the name of freedom?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So What Does It All
Mean? </span></b></h4>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assassin’s Creed is a
historical romance franchise based on an open-world video game series set in
the world of conspiracy theory that explores the central themes of truth,
freedom, and defiance.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Aristotle teaches us that since all things act according to
their nature, we cannot understand a thing unless we understand its nature.
This understanding begins with defining the subject. This is why it is important to define
Assassin’s Creed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Definitions, by their nature, are cold things –
heartless. But definitions are only half
of the process of understanding a subject.
The other half of objective definition is subjective meaning. Definitions are rational and logical while
meanings are emotional, personal, and often indefinable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To illustrate the difference between definition and meaning,
here is an observation from Captain Jack Sparrow, “That's what a ship is, you
know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship
needs but what a ship is... what the Black Pearl really is... is freedom.” The keel, hull, deck and sails are the
definition, but what does it mean? It
means freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is one definition for a cat but seven billion
different meanings. Understanding this
concept is vital to understanding the underlying philosophy in Assassin’s
Creed. Objective definitions can be
argued at length with facts and reason, but subjective meanings are
personal. No one can tell you what
something means. You have to decide that
for yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What does Assassin’s Creed mean? For some it’s just a cool video game. For others it’s just another video game that
their kid asks for every Christmas. For
me personally, it’s Existentialist mythology with a healthy portion of Stoicism
and the Romantic mixed in. For you it’s
something else. It could mean everything
or it could mean nothing.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733647806472449831noreply@blogger.com3