Anthropologist with Business Cards

The real reason why I am writing this now is to show off my new business cards. While working PAX, doing all that cool research I came to some realizations. They were about how being an anthropologist in a videogame culture is not the way anthropology is done traditionally.

What I figured out was that the traditional anthropologist goes to a place that is remote. There is little communication between the studier and the outer world he knows. Because the world I work in is full of people who are super connected, I have to become connected myself. Within this culture, it is a really good idea to have a business card. I need a web presence on Facebook, and even this blog is to let people know about me. Although I don’t go to the homes of those I study, I talk to them frequently online.

The vast majority of stories about anthropology involve remote areas that few modern men have travelled. The people are completely cut off from the modern world, and live out their lives without Western influence. This is actually a bit of a lie today, most places that people imagine to be far off and remote have interview, cell phones, and all sorts of modern technology. In fact, it seems that a lot of this remoteness is only from the world of Europe. We don’t know how big the networks of communication for, say, the Americas really get.

The basic idea is that the anthropologist goes to this place, and spends years with a people. He learns the customs, dons the gear, and tries to go as native as possible. He writes notes, and gives as many details as he can to his work. There are a lot of stories about how an anthropologist was welcomed into the tribe. One guy didn’t really get the right info until he went nuts after a mean prank, and began to destroy boats.

At the end of the time, the anthropologist goes back to wherever he is from, and explains this new culture. Marco Polo in a sense did just that, though I don’t think any of us would reference him. The feeling of dealing with a large foreign group is a common description, and feeling within studies. A new modern trend for this has been for the foreign tribe to study themselves, and report on it. The term given is Native Anthropologist means the person is native, or grew up in the culture, and is writing about it.

The reason why I call myself a Native Videogamer, is because I grew up playing videogames. I talk with people that play videogames all the time. We tell stories of exploits, and the big news within the culture. This is very much so part of the culture I grew up in. I could be in North Shore Oahu, the Navajo or Yakama Rez, or all over the North Western US and be found playing videogames. The people I talk with will play games with me. So, it doesn’t matter what they look like, they are part of my culture because they play videogames.

This changes the remoteness, and far off feelings for a culture completely. It doesn’t matter where you go, there will be someone around you that plays videogames. Even if you don’t want to admit it, you play them. This is especially true if you are reading a blog by an anthropologist who studies videogame culture.

To help my fellow gamers know about my findings, I fill out this blog. I also go to tumblr, and twitter. To be honest, I don’t get either of them very well. My preferred quick news social place is pinterest. It lets me check out Ukiyo’e and videogame pictures with style. Still, I try to keep up with twitter, and tumblr as best I can. Also, there is a facebook page.

The page is to show things that I found that i think hold interest to someone studying gaming culture. The GamerGate problem is something that gets referenced a lot lately, along with the new Star Wars POD game. Seriously, a Star Wars POD game. Weeeeeee

Because of how I used the page, I put my picture up as the main image. The reason why, is in case folks I interview look me up, they know this is my page. It’s not always fun, because it means sort of pointing things at myself, instead of the stuff I am working on.

During PAX, I began to realize that I needed another form of communication. It was a very strange moment, but after chatting with a few people, I was given a business card. It suddenly hit me that I was the only person doing all of the chatting, and meeting folks without some of his own in a random pocket. The culture demands business cards.

So I designed one today. Hopefully they will be printed out before I drive to Portland. The back is showing various characters dancing around a fire. This is something that even anthropologists stereotype in their work. They do the dance of the people around the fire, and show they are part of the tribe. Really, the way I did this was to mention games, and talk about what is being played at the moment.

I added the various ways to see what I am up to by way of Tumblr, email, blog, and twitter. Pinterest would be awesome, but the reason why I like it is because it just shows the fruit, not the person behind it. Though I try to reference cultural stuff on videogames, I doubt that is why folks enjoy it.

The card is so that those I meet can contact me. It also means that my name gets spread a bit as a good anthropologist. This means a few better interviews, and more people talking to me about my work. On the other hand, it means I may have to get out of my coma. Most cons have a coma period for me where I work, but barely think for a few days.

Anyway, if you don’t see something here, make sure to check out either Alfred909, or Native Videogamer on various websites. I am doing something. For example, I upload most of my pictures from an event to Facebook and Tumblr so I can retrieve them easier for blog posts.

Anthropology is usually known for researching foreign groups on the fringes of the world. This really isn’t true, but even fellow anthro folks believe it to a point. For my studies, I need to be connected, and talk to folks through several mediums. Not always easy, and time consuming every now and then. At PAX I realized I needed Business Cards, and thus designed some with an anthro feel.

No really, this was just to talk about the Cards. I can just write about one thing. Watch me. See, i am talking about writing one thing. Woot! er… dang...