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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsSociologists using Warcraft to predict the future of human civilization; sell books
by Fox Van Allen 
Mar 25th 2010 at 7:00PM
When I was younger, I was in a perpetual war with my parents over video gaming. I suppose I still am in a way -- they still ask me when I'm going to "grow" out of them.
Because of this, I'm always on the lookout for ways to justify spending so much of my free time on my electronic hobby. Back in the days of the Super Nintendo, I insisted that I was building hand-eye coordination. Thankfully, I now have new ammunition: I am a participant in a "virtual prototype of tomorrow, of a real human future in which tribe-like groups will engage in combat over declining natural resources." One that scientists are actively studying and using to learn about our real-world society.
Those are the words of MIT Press, the publisher of a new book by sociologist Williams Sims Bainbridge, The Warcraft Civilization. The book is a product of over 2300 hours worth of game play by the author. New Scientist's Culture Lab has a fascinating interview with Bainbridge, giving insight into Warcraft and religion, Warcraft as the next afterlife, and Warcraft as a predictor of the future of Western civilization.
Because of this, I'm always on the lookout for ways to justify spending so much of my free time on my electronic hobby. Back in the days of the Super Nintendo, I insisted that I was building hand-eye coordination. Thankfully, I now have new ammunition: I am a participant in a "virtual prototype of tomorrow, of a real human future in which tribe-like groups will engage in combat over declining natural resources." One that scientists are actively studying and using to learn about our real-world society.
Those are the words of MIT Press, the publisher of a new book by sociologist Williams Sims Bainbridge, The Warcraft Civilization. The book is a product of over 2300 hours worth of game play by the author. New Scientist's Culture Lab has a fascinating interview with Bainbridge, giving insight into Warcraft and religion, Warcraft as the next afterlife, and Warcraft as a predictor of the future of Western civilization.
Bainbridge poses some pretty interesting questions about society, using the World of Warcraft as a medium to answer them. He notes the role of religion as a part of Warcraft -- players write it off as fantasy, but understand it being necessary to appreciate the game:
The horrendous question that always troubles me is, what if religion is factually false but necessary for human well-being? What does science do then?...Maybe we will move to a time when we no longer make a distinction between belief and the suspension of disbelief. The difference between faith and fantasy might not have been very distinct in ancient times, and it's possible that we will move towards a time when instead of religion, people's hopes can be expressed in something that's acknowledged to be a fantasy but also, on some level, sort of real. WoW might exemplify that kind of post-religious future.
For those of us who invest a little too much time in Warcraft, we can at least take solace in the fact that we're taking part of a culture that is, in its own special way, indistinguishable from the real world. One that needs to be preserved:I feel we need to create some kind of public digital library of the culturally or historically most interesting virtual worlds, many of these game-like, as they go out of business. There are at least three already out of business that need to be preserved, such as The Matrix Online. You can hear an authentic performance of Claudio Monteverdi's L'Orfeo opera from 1607, but you can't go to The Matrix Online. It's gone.
There's plenty more in the article, including a description of the world's first scientific conference where participants drowned and were mauled by hyenas. Or, as I like to call it, the most awesome scientific conference ever.
For those interested, The Warcraft Civilization was released on March 20 in the U.K. and is scheduled for release on March 31 here in the U.S.
For those interested, The Warcraft Civilization was released on March 20 in the U.K. and is scheduled for release on March 31 here in the U.S.
Filed under: News items
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
Zalvi24 Mar 25th 2010 7:47PM
barbie is a Nazi, she a NAZI MAN
devilsei Mar 25th 2010 11:09PM
Of course Barbie is a nazi. She's part of a neo-nazi political regime based solely upon spreading the ideals of Arianism upon the weaker willed women of the world, hoping to forcefully encourage blond hair and blue eyes upon them all through the use of plastic dolls with unrealistic proportion (and no genitalia).
Kaz Mar 26th 2010 9:56AM
Barbie's Horse Adventure is only life ruining if people find out you play it.
Seriously, you have no idea how annoying it is to show up for a job interview and the HR person takes one look at you and starts to laugh, this goes on for about 15min when he just motions you out of the room...but no I'm not bitter at all. Nope not me. No sir. Not one bit.
....jerks...
Craig R Mar 25th 2010 7:28PM
I misread the title as scientologists...
that would have made this more... "interesting".
joel Mar 25th 2010 7:50PM
Same, i doubled back after having mistaken "sociologist" for "scientologist". :P
MusedMoose Mar 25th 2010 9:16PM
Thirded. And I was about to get really upset before I realized my mistake. @_@
erico Mar 25th 2010 7:46PM
"the most awesome scientific conference ever"
erico Mar 25th 2010 7:47PM
Comment got cut off. Meant to say:
> "the most awesome scientific conference ever" --LOLZ
greenthumbs Mar 25th 2010 8:12PM
Scientific conferences are pretty damn awesome in general really. All I seem to do is sleep during the vast majority of talks in the morning to recover from the previous nights drinking and partying.
Despard Mar 25th 2010 8:37PM
That's what we all do, greenthumbs.
Except in *your* talk, obviously. ;)
maniraptor Mar 26th 2010 11:52AM
I went to that conference. It was held on Earthen Ring-US a couple of years ago. It was both intellectually satisfying and spectacularly hilarious.
CDave Mar 25th 2010 7:53PM
2300 hours eh, that's what, 96 days of /played? So very casual of him.
Zandalis - BS Mar 26th 2010 2:35AM
I am fairly sure that doesn't mean 96 days /played, but starting with MUDs back in the day and play your way through MMOs from the very beginning.
0rph3n Mar 25th 2010 8:20PM
If I play World of Warcraft, i will be prepared when world becomes... Warcraft lol
delphinus87 Mar 25th 2010 11:49PM
My my my, they let Fox out of his shadowy box to write non sequitur articles now, grats =D
NRD80Y Mar 25th 2010 8:34PM
For anyone that would like to read an awesome story based around the idea of a computer becoming self aware and the future of the human race (with a lot of good MMO comparrisons) check out "The Metamorphis of Prime Intellect" http://www.kuro5hin.org/prime-intellect/
warning: this online novel contains strong language and extreme acts of sex and violence. Readers who are sensitive to such things should exercise discretion.
Catacomb Kid Mar 25th 2010 11:01PM
did you add that warning so that we would be more interested? I'm onto you, sir.
=D
Sihylm Mar 26th 2010 6:12AM
Oh man that book is awesome.
I think the warning shouldn't be about the gore, but more about the fact this book will make you hope that the skeptics are right and that there is no afterlife
SamLowry Mar 26th 2010 9:41PM
I think I'd rather read a book featuring strong language and extreme acts of sex and violence only if it was entitled "The Metamorphosis of Optimus Prime".
Catacomb Kid Mar 25th 2010 8:54PM
I really, really enjoyed this read. Thanks for the heads up! I am a double major at University in both Religious Studies and Philosophy, so these articles always catch my attention on wow.com. I especially liked:
"The horrendous question that always troubles me is, what if religion is factually false but necessary for human well-being? ... Maybe we will move to a time when we no longer make a distinction between belief and the suspension of disbelief. The difference between faith and fantasy might not have been very distinct in ancient times, and it's possible that we will move towards a time when instead of religion, people's hopes can be expressed in something that's acknowledged to be a fantasy but also, on some level, sort of real."
Thank you!
Very cool stuff.