Iceborne, Colonialism, and Bad Faith Journalism

[@marcster6767]

Wait a second. There are people complaining about the fact that you kill monsters in a game called... Monster Hunter?!

[@ktt3171]

"Monster Hunter? what do you do in that?"

[@Hentacle_Tentai]

@@ktt3171 "you hunt monsters"

[@ktt3171]

@@Hentacle_Tentai THATS NOT WHAT IT SAYS IN THE SCRIPT kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXrLc5ZmmNFmqJY

[@westernjustice3824]

@@Hentacle_Tentai you also spend hours trying to get that one part you need

[@pickybusiness8549]

@@westernjustice3824 that's a game mechanic to make you spend more time. realistically, a single monster would have enough parts to field several pieces of armor and weapons. But that wouldnt be all that fun in a video game.

[@titania396]

“I can’t believe Craftsdwarf called the writers of the articles white suprematist” -Nun probably.

[@silverbro13]

Humoring the concept of Monster Hunter, there's an important distinction to make between the stories in Monster hunter as opposed to the weird interpretation: Hunters are just as much a part of the natural ecosystem of the world as are the monsters. We control the populations of said monsters in the best of cases, and canonically it is illegal for Hunters to overhunt. The only times we ever are directly antagonistic with the monsters is when there are active threats to the ecosystem that the Elder Dragons aren't able to hash out themselves, and even then we often have to remove the dragons because they would actively hinder the process of keeping nature in check.

[@jdellabeat6245]

This is, undoubtedly, one of your best videos. I never knew that novel existed, but after hearing about it, I really wanna read it. I never expected a Monster Hunter to be so intriguing.

[@snivy400]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention Fatalis in this video when talking about Monster Hunter’s themes regarding the balance of humanity and Nature because Fatalis itself, as well as the other black dragons like Dire Moralis and Alatreon, serve as a reminder to humanity as to its place in this world. Fatalis said to only appear at the time of humanity’s hubris when the balance of nature is disrupted. Fatalis being the final boss of Iceborne bringing that idea to light. The black dragons exist to defy all known understanding of nature. Beings so powerful that some would go so far as to destroy records of them ever existing in the first place as is the case with Alatreon. Fatalis destroying castle shrade due to their own inability to live along side nature and it’s existence in general made to defy humanity by reflecting their cruelty. Melding hunters to its own scales much like how hunters do with monster parts. However, in doing so they disrupt nature and are a threat to not only humans but the world itself monsters included.

[@Necromancer1230]

As an addendum to the glue traps for mice thing, don't use poisons either if you can avoid it. You'll frequently end up having mouse carcasses rotting in your walls stinking up your house and on the off chance the animal gets outside before they die you run the risk of poisoning other animals should they choose to eat the carcass. There's a range of commercially available humane traps that can capture mice without hurting them severely if you're confident the mice can't re-enter the house and snap traps are frequently more effective and humane than the likes of glue traps anyway.

[@dojee8993]

Fantastic video. A nitpick I have is that the section on Monster Hunter's stance on the morality of hunting monsters would be stronger if it relied on more, newer, and better known properties of the franchise than this one lightnovel from 15 years ago. Still, absolutely great work, this has to be one of your best videos.

[@boobah5643]

Well, there is the _Monster Hunter Stories_ subseries, a couple RPGs based around villages that bond with and train monsters. Plus an anime based on those same ideas (and possibly on the first of those games; I've not watched/played either.) And the demo of the second game makes much of the rivalry/distrust between monster hunters and monster trainers.

[@trueDenakori]

Part of me always felt bad when hunting the monsters. This makes me feel better, thank you Craftsdwarf. Good video!

[@arandraco]

Something i always found funny is that immedietly after claiming the Nergigante is a "Natural Purifier" They basically say: Lets hunt it for the lolz. Which has always been so weirdly tonedeaf to me. I dont really think monster hunter takes itself seriously enough where its actually vividly discussing its subject matter. But at least the sentiment its trying to get across kinda works. The whole Harmony with nature thing.

[@5uperM]

Well most of jurnos practice constantly on bad faith since it gets them clicks.

[@Sphnxfr]

eh, I think that's too cynical in a way. journalists often have a bit of a messianic streak, and they really think that it's their job to fix the world by making the general public aware of 'the real problems out there' using their platform (however misguided those attempts might be). there are fewer grifters out there than people think.

[@5uperM]

@@Sphnxfr mayhaps

[@boobah5643]

@@Sphnxfr Well, that's kind of the problem, innit? Journalists claim to be offering true facts but instead offer up the *truth.* And when the two conflict (which they do, because reality is consistently messy) it's facts that get sacrificed for *truth.* Far too many so-called journalists are activists first; 'Popular Game is Problematic' has the bonus of also making clickbait headlines.

[@Sphnxfr]

@@boobah5643 Sure, I don't disagree. My point was more that the people looking to maximize clicks are out there making top-10-lists, doing children react videos, while this kind of journalism is better explained by misguided good intentions and a will to power than by profit motives.

[@akielsteewart8577]

This was amazing and so well researched. I come back to it often and I hope you do some videos like this now and then

[@thatmanjames1647]

When the live action MH movie came out I found myself thinking about the way the games portray environmentalism and the relationship between man and nature. This video communicates those ideas so well! I never expected this kind of video and it made my day. (Also you even thought to include the nuke dukem meme lmao)

[@Hentacle_Tentai]

Players: "maybe we are the bad guys" Journalists: "i'm part of the gamer gang so i'm gonna say it too"

[@elektrikid8463]

As a Brazilian Communications graduate seeing you cite Rafael Cardoso in the end was awesome. This was great.

[@SpookeyGael]

Somehow I don't think anyone writing articles about how Monster Hunter is racist or whatever care if their analysis is accurate or not. Controversy = clicks = $$$$

[@aaa1e2r3]

One criticism I would give would be that you don't really look at how the Guild's practices compare to modern real life hunters associations. Particularly in how the guild reflects the modern practices of those associations, be it population control, and maintenance, dealing with foreign pests or when the animals get too close to human civilizations. Putting aside the colonization argument, it's more accurate to look at Monster Hunter as a what if of what IRL hunters groups would be doing if they had to account for dragons and dinosaurs as well.

[@pangotron338]

One of your better videos. There are few better essayists to learn from than Tim Rogers. Follow that thread of inspiration; this video feels like you’re finding more tools to better express yourself.

[@tw4898]

Great video man. I didn’t know about these articles, but you handled your criticism, research and counter arguments with great care. (Just one small note, maybe slow down a little so you don’t slur your words. If you’re happy making a 45 min video, can’t hurt to extend it a little in return for sections being easier to understand.)

[@arandraco]

I might have misunderstood this. But while i think the handler is kinda annoying, how is she unattractive? She isnt the highest beauty standard but i dont think she is ugly by any stretch.

[@babulbi]

Something about her eyes, mouth, and cheeks. Looks very uncanny when you put her on screen so much.

[@dancorneanu9144]

Is very interesting the idea of balance is represented by the presence of the Hunter, Fatalis and Nergigante. The last boss is Fatalis. A monster so above all, that destroys humanity. Born out of hubris, but who ascended so much that he no longer represents balance, but the hubris that gave birth to it. He is the hunter of hunters. And in doing so, he disrupts nature. The Hunter is the product of the same hubris. Only he hunts in balance with nature. He represents the part humanity has in the world. Understood and acknowledged by Nergigante. The symbol of balance. A hunter amongst hunters, not of. A monster who fights the hunter, but also fights alongside the hunters. Both him and the Hunter are closer to hunters and woodsmen. Men that hunted and nurtured the forests.

[@TimAquila]

Really like this video because I thought that some of these themes also apply to other JRPGs. For example, how you're able to face off against Monsters (representing nature) as a human by learning from experiences (EXP) and using tools. Also the Shinto Ideal of humanity and nature living in harmony by human efforts is very clearly visible in Pokémon (especially Ruby/Sapphire & Black/White)

[@YOUFREAKINNERD]

Oh my gosh this video deserves more views.

[@WhatsUpFella]

Love some of the broader point you’re making here. Cultural imperialism is a fascinating thing to watch being deployed by critics who claim to care about what is and isn’t “problematic” in art.

[@heatfist6]

Well this was out of left field... I'm not complaining though

[@erejnion]

Even if I knew all of what you said in the first section, it was still hard to follow. It becomes much better afterwards, when you stop trying to cover all sorts of tangents and focus just on Monster Hunter.

[@TheKeyser94]

This really remind me of the Witcher, not all monsters are evil, and not all humans are good, sometimes you need to have compassion for the monsters, because not all of them are mindless beasts or they only attacked humans because humans enter in their territory driven by greed, other monsters were driven by hunger so they need to steal food or have a home, humans are capable of doing monstrous things, even more brutal and cruel than the monsters themselves.

[@Glockenspheal]

Game journalists being totally ignorant of the source material they are critizicing?! color me shocked!

[@titania396]

Support character Unattractive? What?

[@somename3424]

if anybody thinks these sites can write good reviews they need a wake up slap because a simple call wouldnt be enough to get them out of their delusion

[@superequinox4185]

i love all the useful conversations critical theory analysis brings to the table like "is bowser racist" and "are samus's boobs too big"

[@cvatvbizarreadventure]

I love ❤ it

[@diegogutierrez7247]

imagine unironically being a "video games journalist"

[@boobah5643]

Once upon a time the phrase meant 'gamer who writes about the games they play.' Now it more often means 'journalism major slumming it until a _real_ job comes their way.'

[@boredfangerrude]

"Dripping with cultural imperialism" What? "To reject a foreign point of view wholesale in service of one's own implies a sort of superiority" While not wrong, the thing is, how are you sure they are rejecting a foreign point of view in service of their own?

[@kibichukai]

Good hat

[@thepositiver9977]

Pog video!

[@weirdofromhalo]

Aang is very clearly not white. This is a terrible reading of ATLA.

[@weirdofromhalo]

Otherwise, good criticism of games reviewers.

[@buldermatts2968]

the most based videos are always the ones that are below 5k viewers, smh

[@malikmuhammad9085]

Huh neat

[@titania396]

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