The Art of Staging Simulations: Mise-en-scène, Social Impact, and Simulation Literacy

That is not to say that the social efficacy of simulations is entirely a matter of staging the output; on the contrary, it starts at the very beginning of choosing a model. Philine Warnke argues that the choice of a model in simulations already has a social dimension and changes such as, for example, the potential social acceptability of the technology that results from the simulations. The real-world environment where such technology is used has to be adjusted according to the simulation in order to make the technology work properly (Warnke 2002).

Or simulations imitate one process, structure, dynamic, etc. by means of another. Hartmann adds: “In this definition, the term ‘process’ refers solely to some object or system whose state changes in time. If the simulation is run on a computer, it is called a computer simulation” Hartmann (2005, p. 5). The point here is to focus on imitation.

For an overview, see Dotzler (2010).

Dotzler describes a tendency to reject the mimesis category [“Tendenz zur Absage an die Mimesiskategorie” (Dotzler 1991, p. 12)].

“[T]he adjective ‘poetic’ (with its implied noun, ‘art’). It alone puts the mark of production, construction, dynamism on all the analyses, and first of all on the two terms muthos [mythos, BG] and mimesis, which have to be taken as operations, not as structures” (Ricœur 1984, pp. 32–33).

See note 5.

“The same mark has to be preserved in the translation of mimesis. Whether we say ‘imitation’ or ‘representation’ (as do the most recent French translators), what has to be understood is the mimetic activity, the active process of imitating or representing something. Imitation or representation, therefore, must be understood in the dynamic sense of making a representation, of a transposition into representative works” (Ricœur 1984, p. 33).

See note 7.

This high-end “simulation theatre” with black curtains, “ushers,” five huge screens including floor and ceiling, ten 3D projectors, etc. is incredibly impressive and as close as it gets today to Star Trek’s holodeck. It allows users to manipulate interactive simulations in real time, thanks to high-performance computing as well as high-speed parallel rendering, 3D interfaces, and tracking systems (see HLRS 2016).

For Ricœur, the importance of this connection can hardly be overestimated. He argues that the special structure of the configurations (in his case, narratives) both reflect and shape human worldviews, especially the concept and perception of time. His basic hypothesis in Temps et Récit is “that between the activity of narrating a story and the temporal character of human experience there exists a correlation that is not merely accidental but that presents a transcultural form of necessity. To put it another way, time becomes human to the extent that it is articulated through a narrative mode, and narrative attains its full meaning when it becomes a condition of temporal existence” (Ricœur 1984, p. 52).

This nearly classic statement has received renewed attention in the context of big data technology: “Peter Norvig, Google’s research director, offered an update to George Box’s maxim: ‘All models are wrong, and increasingly you can succeed without them’” (Anderson 2008). For a critical view on this renewal in high-performance computing, see Gransche (2016).

Other advantages are cost efficiency and safety when imitating something observable, but expensive or dangerous, e.g., nuclear chain reactions or the spread of an epidemic.

The relationship between the concepts/terms staging and theatricality can be understood such that ‘staging’ means the aspect of theatricality which aims at creative production (“Das Verhältnis zwischen den Begriffen Inszenierung und Theatralität läßt sich also dahingehend beschreiben, daß ‘Inszenierung’ den Aspekt von Theatralität meint, der auf die schöpferische Hervorbringung zielt,” Fischer-Lichte 1998, p. 86).

One might think of today’s terror phenomena: Terror groups like ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) stage themselves and their performed or threatened deeds in macabre media plays and simulate—that is, they create the impression of being something they are not, e.g., a state. Even the current spread of terror attacks across the world can be interpreted as the simulation of presence and power where there is little (because of massive recent losses in manpower, territory, and sources of funding). Worldwide suicide-bombing attacks are staged in order to recruit members; the less attractive terror groups become in terms of territory and money, the more these staging means are mobilized as a substitution. They attempt to create the appearance of something which has no essence—to simulate. It could be discussed what advanced computer simulation power in terrorist hands could cause, e.g., if as many millions could play Call of Jihad as now play Call of Duty (more than 20 million). How closely computer (game) simulations are linked to military and thus political decisions can be seen in the case of Dave Anthony, the writer, director, and producer of the Call of Duty series, the world’s biggest first-person-shooter game. Anthony currently advises Washington on the future of warfare and “non-traditional threats” as a fellow at the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security of the Atlantic Council, “where he focuses on the future of conflict and warfare, as well as the defense and security implications of global trends. Due to his expertise in visualizing the future of conflict, Anthony assists the Scowcroft Center in creatively thinking about what warfare will look like, how it will be fought, and what strategies will be required to deter and defeat enemies” (Atlantic Council 2016). That is one emblematic example of the power of a simulation artist whose “expertise in visualizing” is shaping war and politics. “[I]n video games the military is able to try out its theories, to simulate its strategies, to set a devastating domino run in motion and see where the pieces land, without consequence. Anthony believes that, for all their historical ties, perhaps games and war aren’t close enough after all. ‘I would like to see more collaboration with the military and game developers,’ he says” (Parkin 2014). Parkin is wrong, or at least inaccurate, when he claims this is “without consequences.”

“Theatre, theory” in Harper (2016).

Saying that some of these literacies might be better developed than simulation literacy is not to say that they are themselves sufficiently or equally developed, nor that they are equally distributed throughout society. Maybe—once simulation literacy is more common—many other literacies could benefit from the refiguration skills taught by ubiquitous simulations. If it has become common not to take even the most realistic-looking video footage as proof of real events, then this might nurture an adequate level of doubt concerning the direct representational character of pictures.

“It was found that exposure to idealized commercials led to increased body dissatisfaction for girls but not for boys. Idealized commercials led to increased negative mood and appearance comparison for girls and boys, although the effect on appearance comparison was stronger for girls” (Hargreaves and Tiggemann 2004, p. 351); “Results indicated that relative to a control group, the exposure to thin-and-beautiful media images adversely influenced the state body image of participants with high internalization levels. Media-literacy psychoeducation prior to the media exposure prevented this adverse effect” (Yamamiya et al. 2005, p. 74).

“The promotion of unrealistic body images in some advertisements and magazines is thought to have a role in triggering eating disorders, […] and some countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Norway, are now considering legislation to require digitally altered images to be labelled as such” (Graham-Rowe 2011).

How should these aspects be balanced in order to deliver new insights? An entirely and perfectly imitating simulation would be an “emperor’s map,” a map as detailed as the world, and as such of no use at all (see Borges 1975, p. 131).

Ars Electronica (2016).