Line between a friend and a foe is paper thin. You just need to see the other side of the paper to come to understanding and find empathy (Why I’m against empathy).
What is the meaning to go on living after the gods are dead? We invent our gods, become as gods, live for our fellows?
Playing NieR is a visceral way of experiencing what it means to live after the death of god. I feel like this is why so many resonate with it’s themes and questions. The way we are left without answers: isn’t that precisely what it feels like? Thrust into this world without consent, handed only questions, no instructions. At best, given a slap on the butt and told to find answers. But for what purpose, for who, why exactly?
Worse then, that humans are creatures of purpose. For some reason, we have this need to feel that there are answers and conclusions for everything and especially suffering. Human finds a purpose and they can endure man-made horrors beyond comprehension, but without one? Even a getting up from a bed with the support of first world all-needs-met luxuries becomes a task of insurmountable trouble. Human brain seems to implode on itself without meaning and purpose. So it latches on to anything it can.
To the expectations of those that came before, to what we’re told, to what feels good, to what feels comforting.
First thing it latches to are those that came before. Anyone that helps find the footing seems to become this primary object of purpose. “They helped me so they are now my meaning.”
That aforementioned slap usually comes from those that came before. And they usually more or less help us get on our feet if nothing else. Great! Now there is something to strive for! with a whole truckful of expectations of
But there’s a problem: those that came before are not immortal. Unlike the gods in the past. How wonderful was it to wake into this world with such concrete rules, clear expectations and incorruptiple undying examples to follow. The promise to achieve happiness, peace and salvation if you are good to others. Now there’s a sister to protect, a friend or parent to live for. But no rules.
Few that are told that god is still on the moon, holding purpose, answers; find their world-view and purpose collapse as their curiosity grows enough to find out about the details.
Humans are creatures of purpose. No wonder then that it’s so easy to cling on to anything that lands in front of the eyes.
Pyramid of Meaning
Maslow’s pyramid of needs describes the stages machine groups have gone through in the game:
- physiological - beginning of the game the machines are shown as only being able to understand the basics: reproduction, awareness, sustenance etc. No real survival instinct, just charging at you, but still kind of being able to survive.
- safety - the desert robots have grouped together, run away when threats pose to be too dangerous.
- belonging - the robots in the amusement parks are doing things together, have their own customs, need to be part of something.
- esteem - need for pride and accomplishment, satisfaction in work, forest kingdom has a structure, concept of loyalty and honor.
- self actualization - need to be creative and have a moral framework, to be able to express yourself, religious groups, pascals village
Viewing machines and relating to them in by going up the pyramid leads to ever growing empathy towards them.
Perspective and Empathy
Nothing is black and white, each good and bad has its different shades and perspectives like each playthrough gives fresh angles on the plot, characters, villans etc
Asks the player if they are able to show empathy
Perspective changes from character to character:
- 2B sees robots only as mindless killers so the UI does not have names from them and in the 2B playthrough we are not shown that the machines can talk to each other, 9S UI shows names for robots, he sees them talking, planning, being altruistic etc
Scattered Notes
existential vacuum
worry about survival vs accumulating gold and estate
treadmill (!)
have to find meaning yourself, but why, for what, why does this desire exist in us
emotions prohibited but what purpose do they serve then
happy endings vs joy of destruction (similar to Metal Gear Rising - Revengeance “Everyone you killed, maybe they are people too?” and Metal Gear Solid 1 and 2 “Why did you come here?”)
by the end the players learns just like the characters that all they’ve been doing is meaningless, the war is just a cycle (!), its purposefully repeating and endless, all that is left is destruction and video gamey rewards?
Answers to Question of Meaning
- Simone, “look at me”, exercising femininity to gain approval, validation through appearance
- Pascal, pursuit of knowledge, peaceful coexistence, living in fear, fear vs peace
- Machine Cult: religion becomes and institution which justifies itself by becoming increasingly conservative and fundamentalist about its own beliefs. Eventually it degenerates into a cult, where the followers become meaningless/expendable
Nier loop (!): philosophy of existence or identity is referenced, then subverted. Each ending in bitter or outright unhappy result.
Backbone of meaning and the loss of it comes from:
- machines killed off their masters, but soon saw themselves stagnate, never improving (No change = death as mentioned in Corporeal Mime - GUILLAUME PIGÉ), so they started mimicking humanities aspects to see if that would propel them into becoming something greater.
- androids keep fighting a lie, because they need a god/cause/reason/hope worth fighting for, a reason to exist. “Without hope, they would drown in their sorrow” - Final Fantasy
truth - salvation through pain delusion - imprisonment through comfort solution: create sustainable system of values problem: sustainable values is near impossible to create
Interestingly in Nier, the ones that go crazy are the ones who lose their companions
The ones who gain new insight and strength usually gain it through new connections and relations
Cycles
Spiral of life and death. Is this a curse or punishment? Will we have a chance to kill god for this pain?
Spirals, cycles and loops define Nier, whether it is going through actions on repeat, or finding one answer after another to the question of purpose only to have that find its bitter end too, or the moon base and android operation restarting etc
Mirrors Samsara - endless cycle (!) of life, death, rebirth. Break free by detaching ourselves from the earthly/desires
Ultimate Answer
Nier’s ultimate solution: Meaning and salvation in struggle and sharing the struggle with others, defiance of impossibility/suffering/struggle (interestingly this is a trait that is respected in cultures around the world, depicted in all mediums in different forms). Requires hell of a strength of character though.