Propaganda Behind Video Games

After reading Delwiche’s article, From the Green Berets to America’s Army: Video Games as a Vehicle for Political Propaganda, I began to think about video games that are on the market, and the way they are advertised in commercials and such. Since I do not play video games I looked into the example referenced from Delwiche's article, America’s Army.

Within in his article Delwiche states that video games have the ability to shape the attitudes and behaviors of those that partake in this particular past time. I agree with his statement, the media especially in this era of technological advancements has the ability to shape the minds of those who play them. In today’s era the media as a whole as the ability to contort messages to portray a particular meaning to the audience. Video games fall into the category with its ability to influence those and display condescending messages.

To clearly display his message Delwiche compares the difference in definition between an ideology and propaganda. The main contrasts being that the ideas implemented with propaganda are those of which are intended "to promote certain attitudes and behaviors"(93). This kind of propaganda is evident in the video game America’s Army. The creators of this video game do so by “ providing the public with a virtual solider experience.” On the other side of the spectrum are ideologies, which are shared values and beliefs, which are often experienced as natural and the process is also “completely unconscious”(93). Ideologies and propaganda differ in this sense because of the way propaganda comes about. 

America’s Army clearly depicts the concept of propaganda just from its first impressions. When looking at this video game website it appears to replicate what one could see as advertisement for the US army. These are the true intentions of the creators. Colonel Casey Wardynski; the Army's Chief Economist and Professor at the United States Military Academy envisioned this video game to virtually embody what it was like to be apart of the army.

The way an image or idea delivered by propaganda also has a lot to do with the cultural climate of the nation. The debut of this video game was in the year 2002. This time period was shortly after the 9/11 attacks, where the country was at its most vulnerable and had intentions of fighting back. Therefore, the cultural climate was susceptible to the propaganda claims of pro war. America’s Army purpose was to educate the young and be able to give them the soldier experience. This idea could easily be interpreted as propaganda according to Delwiche because it “ is a form of communal propaganda,” which allows for the recipients decisions to be swayed based on the word of the media. 

Overall, propaganda has a strong influence in the media, especially in the depiction of certain video games, such as America’s Army. Delwiche’s claims discussed towards propaganda have validity that can be seen in today’s society.