PETA – I just don’t get you

While no one can deny the that PETA’s mission is admirable in some ways, I can’t help but to loathe the organization for how they go about things. I think that treating animals in an ethical manner is just fine. I like free-range eggs and such, not to mention organic milk. I’m just not going to give up such wonderfully tasty sources of protein. Sorry, I just won’t do it. Lots of creatures eat meat. There’s nothing wrong in nature with eating meat.

I often wonder about the whole desire PETA has to turn people vegetarian. We shouldn’t eat animals because they are creatures just like us. Yet, we’re not to eat meat? Animals eat meat all the time. Do they eventually seek to turn all animals vegetarian, or is it that we can change our habits because we are better than the animals? I just don’t get it. Let’s just not abuse them.

The organization has been known to go overboard with its animals-first mentality. They’re historically associated with attacking the expensive fur coats that people wear. So, they’re not at all above vandalism. Now they’re attacking video games! Attack dogs were used by all sides during World War II, so a World War II game involves dogs that attack you and won’t stop unless you do something about it. It’s called historical accuracy, not simulated abuse.

And I just came across a Thanksgiving game based on the popular game Cooking Mama that is featured on Peta’s own site. I don’t need to comment on the content of the game or the conceits it makes. I mean, they purposely made it more difficult to prepare the meat than it is to prepare the non-meat in the bonus level. It’s obviously some sort of commentary that’s supposed to be conveyed via game play. I will comment on the fact that it’s just poorly made. I mean, really, who enjoys games that involve buttons that move all the time?

PETA is a collection of weird extremists with good intentions. Again, I don’t want my animals being treated cruelly before they’re slaughtered for my feasts. I don’t want them ingesting unhealthy antibiotics and steroids and living in small pens that don’t allot much movement. But giving up meat entirely can be unhealthy. I wonder how many vegetarians and vegans have protein deficiencies and anemia? Plus, zealotry over virtual animals in an historically accurate video game is just reaching. Someone needs to start a campaign for the ethical treatment of chain chomps in Mario games.

Additional complaint: Meat-free food modeled to look like meat. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, you’ve given up on meat. Buying boca burgers, fake sausage, meatless bacon, tofurkeys, etc. is just backwards thinking that will always connect you to meat. It doesn’t make any sense. Come up with your own food concepts instead of aping that which you’re supposed to detest.

Is Schafer legendary enough for this, or am I just brutal?

The idea of revering the creators and designers of video games has always eluded me. Same for directors and writers of movies and television series. While there may be a figurehead who brings everyone in line, there’s still more than one person involved in the process. Unless something is a one man project like Cave Story, I don’t credit it to just one person. At least I try not to. That’s probably why I don’t care for Tim Schafer. He is but one man who worked on a few games. While I love Full Throttle and the LucasArts adventure games should be brought back in full, I found Psychonauts poorly designed and mostly boring. (This, mind you, coming from someone with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology.)

Still, people revere Tim Schafer because he continues to bring funny dialogue to video games. There are definitely worse things to bring to the table. Still, he’s just one guy. He’s working on a game right now called Brutal Legend, which apparently is a heavy metal action game or something. People are looking forward to it, and I don’t know why. It could be fun, but there’s no demo or anything.

But there’s enough deification of Schafer that people at his studio, maybe with his involvement, created a flash game in the style of the old LucasArts adventure games. The game stars Schafer as he prepares for the Games Developer Conference, and you are meant to explore his room and find jokes for his hosting duties. If he was involved in its creation, he’s being self-indulgent. If he’s not, then I think he needs to fire the people who work for him because he shouldn’t surround himself with people who worship him like this.

It is possible that I’m knocking him because I didn’t find Psychonauts entertaining, and that’s supposed to be one of his greatest entries in gaming. Still, seriously, Nintendo hasn’t made a Shigeru Miyamoto game yet, nor have they included him in Smash Bros. This is a good model to follow.