Ironic Fun

So, I found the image below on the internet and an article to go with it.
I think it's a sick image, and by sick I mean awesome. I get the irony, and I'm disgusted at the human race's ability and readyness to blow us all to bits. But this pic is an ad for the PS3, where there are lotz of games for blowing ppl to up bits and it's totally awesome. Many people enjoy it and so do I, it's a popular theme. Blow up the enemy.
I just wish it wasn't a reality...

So, what do you guys think??

External Image

See the clown face in that mushroom cloud? Ironic, no? Mixing childhood smiles and nuclear detonation to hock Playstaton 3. We’re supposed to read it as “atomic fun” but I can’t help but see it as a perverse commentary: laughter at death. Sexy bombs, slick fun, sick stomach.

Many who encounter “Mushroom Clown,” though, seem to focus on the (admittedly impressive) art direction rather than the twisted irony of its message (see discussion at aotw). And I guess we shouldn’t be too surprised. After all, “weapons of mass destruction” is part of our daily vocabulary now — more a slogan than anything real. What those weapons do to people seems an afterthought.

As a lover of unusual games, I very much want to see the industry push the envelope in every way imaginable. And sometimes that means offending folks. But Sony could have done better. Games like DEFCON and Balance of Power, for example, let us use nukes without ever letting us forget the damage they do. The specter of nuclear winter hangs over both in very different but equally potent ways. That’s important stuff.

It’s easy to trivialize nuclear war. It’s art to make it matter. Sony should learn from its mistakes.

  • "Whoa that image is excellent!" - Justin Ruckman
  • "I agree. Totally amazing execution.
    But I also find the idea a bit disturbing. Whenever I look at it, I find myself sickened by the blatant trivalization of war. I wonder if the artists thought at all about the irony of what they were saying. Is mass murder really that entertaining?" - Jason

  • "Society has lost the plot, you people need to stop wrapping yourselves in bubblewrap, perhaps look at the picture instead of looking at the person next to you and copying him/her.

    In conclusion, the picture made me laugh, and it is very detailed. Stop reading into thinks too much." - Luke

  • "I think everyone needs to take a chill pill on this one. It is funny! It is amazing… Whoever made this is a great artist, and has a great sense of humor!" - William
  • "i find the nuclear explotion quite intreging." - ME

In the list above are some comments I copy/pasted to show you the range of people's thoughts. Some just wanted to know what game it was from *shrugs*.

So what's your take on it??

-------------------------------------------------

[9.tailed]

End