Out of all of the themes in digital literature we’ve discussed, the idea of the dysfunctional was probably the least relatable and most uncomfortable for me. As a perfectionist, I am often obsessed with aesthetically pleasing, complete, functional things. If I see something broken, missing, or askew, I feel the need to correct it. Therefore, exploring works like “Game, Game, Game, and Again Game” and “Perfect World” where images are blurry, text is ‘glitchy’ and misaligned, and scribbles fill the screen is difficult to enjoy.
One reason for my perfectionism in a digital space is the result of what I have learned in classes like web design and game development. Centering text/images, using aesthetically pleasing color palettes, and managing clutter are universal tenets of web designers and game developers. Any sort of misalignment or mistake at the pixel level is noticed, critiqued negatively, and considered ‘bad practice.’ Digital education has shaped my preconceptions to block out works like “Game, Game, Game, and Again Game.”
Playing “Game, Game, Game, and Again Game” immediately reminded me of another example of the dysfunctional: noise music. Noise music is a niche genre of “music” that attempts to transform everyday sounds into “music.” The reason I put music in quotation marks is because noise music pushes the limits of what society considers music. To some listeners, including myself, noise music sounds like meaningless commotion, while others find it relatable and expressive. The reason I connected noise music to “Game, Game, Game, and Again Game” is because of their shared chaotic and seemingly disorganized nature.
To tie it all together, Dr. Sample poses a question at the end of his video that resonated with me: “is it possible that dysfunction, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder?” “Game, Game, Game, and Again Game” and noise music have very small, specialized fanbases. In the eyes of these fans, these works are quite ‘functional’ and appealing, but as I have said, I am not the biggest fan. This subjectivity allows for all types of digital works to thrive and find unique audiences all around the world.