#70: Videogames & programmable desire! (ft. Dr Alfie Bown)

We speak to Dr Alfie Bown about the role videogames play in our mental health and our lives. Are they a modern day opiate for the masses or are they something more?

Alfie is Lecturer in Digital Media Culture and Technology at Royal Holloway in London. Alfie also writes journalism for places such as The Guardian, The Paris Review, The Independent, New Statesman and Newsweek.

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Links:

Enjoying It - Candy Crush and Capitalism: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/enjoying-it-candy-crush-and-capitalism/9781785351556

The Playstation Dreamworld: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/the-playstation-dreamworld/9781509518036

“There were 2.69 billion video game players worldwide in 2020. The global games market had $159.3 billion in revenues for 2020, almost half of which came from the Asia Pacific market.” https://financesonline.com/number-of-gamers-worldwide/

The Twittering Machine: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twittering-Machine-Richard-Seymour/dp/1999683382

Harun Farocki - Serious Games: https://vimeo.com/370494311

ATTENTION! This is a Boring Dystopia/Obligatory 'don't sue us' message:  This podcast provides numerous different perspectives and criticisms of  the mental health space, however, it should not be considered medical  advice. Please consult your medical professional with regards to any  health decisions or management.