I am starting a new series that looks at the trend to blend fantasy with reality. Recently, I read that someone bombed a funeral in Iraq. I think this was one of the most horrible crimes that someone can commit. I was deeply saddened by the news. A funeral is a moment where people gather to pay their last respects to the departed and I think any violation of this sacred rite is not to be forgiven.
People gather at a funeral to recognize that the person lived, shared their lives and recognize that the person's life had meaning for them...it is a sacred time.
I recalled a video that I had seen about a group on a PVP server that bombed a funeral. Let me give some background. A PVP server is a server in a MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role-playing game) where the participants agree to be able to fight one another. By playing on that server they accept certain rules, certain standards of play. The play is harsh...often cruel, but those who choose to play there know that when they sign on.
The video in the above post is from You Tube. In the video a guild (group of players who band together for fellowship in the game) set out to destroy the participants attending an in-game funeral for someone, who had played on that server, who had died in real life.
The video contains imaginary characters, invoking imaginary violence, using imaginary weapons to do imaginary destruction and uses profanity. With that in mind, you can decide for yourself if you want to view it. It contains profanity and imaginary violence.
The funeral in question was held by a girl's father after she passed away in real life. As you watch bear in mind that the girl and her family chose to participate on a PVP server where people play so they can attack OTHER PLAYERS. Obviously the girl and her family enjoyed inflicting violence against other imaginary foes piloted by other human participants or they would not have been there.
The video raises a host of questions in my mind. Is it bizarre to hold a funeral in a game? Is there a moral issue with the assault upon the funeral in an imaginary setting? I am torn about this. I think the video editing is superb. This video has had nearly a million views. If you hold it totally apart from reality it can be very funny to watch. The idea of holding a funeral in an imaginary setting is a bit bizarre. The group that raided the funeral was within their right as players on the evil side on a PVP server to do so. The question is can you totally separate fantasy and reality?
--The Clever Cynic, http://theclevercynic.blogspot.com/
E-mail: the_clever_cynic@yahoo.com
