Feed Addictions

I’ve been watching a lot of video games, lately.

And it’s an amazing nostalgia.

If you didn’t know my origin story – the short version is that I was video game geek who wore colorful socks turned into a buffed out, bald, bearded grown man.

Video games were my jam – I even to school for it, briefly, and now I’m going into marketing as a career, cause I love to sell and write, and am on Twitter like a mad man.

So, now I just watch video games on Youtube, and recently I finished watching God of War and Fortnite.

And given my marketing knowledge – I saw a big idea in video game design that is good for marketers.

The big idea is to make your product/ service/ idea addicting.

God of War – designwise – is freaking good cause it’s addicting (besides the amazing story, acting, etc, etc).

It’s so addicting – that after watching a video, I found myself saying Kratos’ dialogue like – Boy!

Or performing his actions (the man throws his axe around a lot.

Like this –

God of War 4

Man, I used do that when I was a kid…. Acted out certain characters…

… Anyway, the more I watch – the more addicted I become. I can’t get enough.

God of War sold me, hard.

Just because of it’s addicting nature.

The best products do this – iPhones, cigarettes, cars, grass fed burgers, etc.

That’s what I try to do with my personality, writing, and ideas.

I try to find an addiction and feed it – again and again and again.

Cause that’s what lasts.

Always Be Funny – The Male Protagonist in 2018

So, I was just on Twitter talking about the new God of War video game, which I’m watching via YouTube.

I love this damn game. It’s amazing.

But I did notice something about the main character – Kratos.

Dude is uber serious. Never crack jokes. Never smiles.

Even Wired wrote a piece on Kratos – and his appetite for violence, claiming that’s he’s toxic.

I disagree. I think Kratos is just a personality type. Strong, but silent type. A warrior. And that’s the thing with the personality type – they don’t think, they just do. Tough, stoic.

Much like the John Waynes, Clint Eastwoods of the old Westerns, which I love.

These characters don’t talk much, quick to anger, disagreeable, grumpy, strong, leaders, and blaze their own lane.

They’re my favorite type of characters. Which seems to be a relic, nowadays.

I hardly ever see those type of characters anymore. When I was growing up, you had characters like Blade, Leonidas from 300, Mel Gibson, greek myth movies, war movies of the 80s.

Those types were all over.

Nowadays, the main characters have to be funny. I call them the “Woody Allen” types.

Male characters, to me, are pushed to be funny. Even the brawny ones. I saw Thor Ragnarok a while back. And while I liked it a lot – it’s pretty funny – I think it’s kinda weird to have these big, hulking guys cracking jokes.

I was thinking – Would John Wayne approve?

Cause sometimes I like serious. I like my toxic masculinity. I like my grumpiness. My disagreeableness. My beard. It’s what I’m drawn too.

Action, violence, competitiveness.

Girls like talk shows, feel good stuff.

Men like sports, and violence.

There’s nothing wrong with that, you know?

Movies + Video Games Are Ideals

I’m patiently waitin’ to view the new God of War video game on Youtube. I stopped playin’ video games four years ago … But…

You know those cool walk throughs? Yeah, they’re dope.

I sometimes watch them when I wanna get some new storytellin’ ideas.

Have you seen a new video game lately? They’re bananas. The graphics are butter now. Smooth, creamy, delicious.

Oh, boy – as I’m writing this – I thinkin’ bout pancakes and bacon, ugh.

So, for the God of War video games, the creators re did a lot of things. Firstly, the main character – Kratos.

He’s really… matured – he’s now a dad, has a full beard, and a bald head. Instead of being a wild womanizer. He still has a bad, bad temper, though.

Sounds cool, right?

This got me thinkin’ – Movies and Video games – through storytellin’ – are tryin’ to sell consumers ideals. An ideal to live up to.

If you look at Kratos, he’s perfect. Perfect body, beard, weapons, fightin’ ability.

In commercials, dudes are shredded and the girls are thin.

In superheroes, the main characters are buffed out & crazy strong.

Now, most people in their life never achieve that level of fitness – at all.

Why?

Takes too long. Too hard. Etc, etc.

But these are the things that people want. And is what self improvement is built on.

Gettin’ the better body, better relationships, more money, a nicer house or car, a better degree, etc.

Self improvement is bout seein’ the ideal on the screen, and addin’ it to your life – no matter how it takes.

Could take a day, could take 20 years.

Doesn’t matter.

These ideals are what life is about. Strive for something greater. Anything.

Why?

Cause it makes life crazy more fulfilling.

That’s why you should try to your best to live up to that ideal as much as possible.

Go for it.