151.Boredomamusesonlyitscritics.Theystruggleagainsttheirownlassitudetokeeptheirindignationuptodate.TheodorAdorno:"Th
eteamsofmodernsport,whoseinteractionissopreciselyregulatedthatnomemberhasanydoubtabouthisrole,andwhichprovideareserv
eforeveryplayer,havetheirexactcounterpartinthesexualteamsofJuliette,whichemployeverymomentusefully,neglectnohumanori
fice,andcarryouteveryfunction.Intensive,purposefulactivityprevailsinspiritineverybranchofmassculture,whiletheinadequ
atelyinitiatedspectatorcannotdivinethedifferenceinthecombinations,orthemeaningofvariations,bythearbitrarilydetermine
drules."Ingamespace,porno,likesport,nowhasitsstarpitchersandhitters,specialistsforeveryposition,andtheinadequatelyin
itiatedspectatoronceagaincannotdivinethedifferenceinthecombinations,orthemeaningofvariations,bythearbitrarilydetermi
nedrules.Butitisthesametoowithcriticaltheory,whichbecomesformallyindistinguishablefrompornography.Thispornographyoft
heconceptisameresubsetofgamespace,ahypocriticaltheory,withdifferentspecialists,playingbydifferentrules-equallyworthy
ofdeSade.152.AspectacletauntsAmerica-thespectacleofitsownboredom."Thisspecterofboredom,anexquisitelybeautifulyoungma
nwhoyawnsandwalksaroundwithabutterflynettocatchgoldfish.Hecarriesinhispocketapedometer,apairofnailscissors,apackofca
rds,andallsortsofgamesbasedonopticalillusions.Hereadsaloudthewordingonpostersandsigns.Heknowsthenewspapersbyheart.He
tellsstoriesthatnobodylaughsat.HepassesahandofshadowsoverhiseyesÉpunctuatinghiswordswithaterribleexpletive:What'sthe
good?Hecannotseeaknobonanelectricdialwithoutturningit,ahousewithoutvisitingit,athresholdwithoutcrossingit,abookwitho
utbuyingit.What'sthegood?Allwithoutcuriosityorpleasurebutsimplybecauseonehastodosomething,andbecausehereweareallthes
ame,afterall.AndwhatwasthisALLwhichswellsupinthevoicethatpronouncesit?"TheSurrealistpoetLouisAragonprovidestheanswer
,aswellasthequestion:nothing.Boredomisnothing,nothingness,thefaintesttouchofthevoid.Inboredomyouopentowardsomethingt
hatdoesnotopeninreturn.Itleavesnothingbutindifference,neitheronenortheother,thegrungeoftime,thelintthatstickstoallth
ingsdigital.153.AsthatinconsolablephilosopherArthurSchopenhauerwrites:"Work,worry,toilandtroubleareindeedthelotofalm
ostallmentheirwholelifelong.Andyetifeverydesireweresatisfiedassoonasitarosehowwouldmenoccupytheirlives,howwouldtheyp
assthetime?Imaginethisracetransportedto[anA]topiawhereeverythinggrowsofitsownaccordandturkeysflyaroundready-roasted,
whereloversfindoneanotherwithoutanydelayandkeeponeanotherwithoutanydifficulty:insuchaplacesomemenwoulddieofboredomor
hangthemselves....".Asthistopologyoffunandgamesspreadsandcongeals,carvingoutmagickingdomsindifferenttoworkandsufferi
ng,itcarrieswithinitthestrangeectoplasmthatbothdrivesitandcanoverturnit-boredom.InourfantasmicAmerica,adigitallogist
icssendsturkeysflyingaroundthehighwaysready-roasted.Theycomehometoroostinthefrozenfoodssection.Loversmeetwithfleetin
geaseontheinternet,andafterwardsrankandratetheirencounters,accordingtoarbitrarilydeterminedrules.Andmanydo,indeed,di
eofboredom.Eveniftheydon'tknowit.Thereservearmiesoftheboredzombietheearth,fiddlingwiththeircellphones,checkingtheirw
atches.Boredomisthemeterofhistory.154.Ifhistoryisanendlesslistofthingsthatshouldnothavehappened;boredomiswhatrefuses
nottohappen.Historydistractsitselfwithheroicfablesaboutthestruggletowrestfreedomfromnecessity.Suchiscivilization,not
tomentionCivilizationIII.Historyhassomuchlesstosayaboutthedecisivemomentwhenfreedomfromnecessityactuallyarrives.Neit
hercivilization,norCivilizationIII,knowswhattodoattheend,exceptperhapsdreamofasequelthatismoreofthesame.JohnBerger:"
Necessityproducesbothtragedyandcomedy.Itiswhatyoukissandbangyourheadagainst."Withoutnecessity,thestorylinefalters.Bu
zzcocks:"I'mlivinginthismovie,butitdoesn'tmoveme."Whatmightbethecontentofthispositivefreedom,notfreedomfrombutfreedo
mto?Atsuchtimes,thereisnothingbutboredom,thestickylingeringwithnothingnessitself.Thisisthemomentofdanger.CyrilConnol
ly:"TheboredomofSundayafternoon,whichdrovedeQuinceytosmokeopium,alsogavebirthtoSurrealism:hourspropitiousformakingbo
mbs."155."Onthewholeasocietyalwaysproducesmorethanisnecessaryforitssurvival;ithasasurplusatitsdisposal.Itisprecisely
theuseitmakesofthissurplusthatdeterminesit."SowritestherogueSurrealistGeorgesBataille.Thissurplusmaybegatheredupandd
ispersedinspiritualquestsorinmakinglifeoverasaworkofart.Itcanbesquanderedonbombs.Oritcanbeinvestedalongthelinesofstr
ategicexpansionoreconomicaccumulation.Thisinvestment,thislayingdownofnewlines,buildingfromtopictotopographytotopolog
y,onlyincreasesthesurplus,andpostponesandmultipliestheproblem:Whattodowiththeidlecapacitiesofapeople?Whattodowithene
rgiesthatsoeasilyspilloverintoriotorrevolt?What'sthegood?Boredomistheambivalentgiftofthesurplus.Boredomarisesoutofth
eabsenceofnecessity,ofayes,ano,astraightline.Boredomdemandsnewnecessities,andifnotgrantedthem-producesitsown.History
isastruggletowrestnecessityfromboredom.Inthisrestlessage,there'snothingtheywon'tdotoraisethestandardofboredomunderth
eflagofnecessity.Constantrevolutionizingofseduction,uninterrupteddisturbanceofallconsumerrelations,everlastinguncert
aintyanddistraction,distinguishthemilitaryentertainmentcomplexfromallearlierpowers.Itmuststayonestepaheadofboredom,w
ithwhichitdeludesandwithwhichitcolludes.156.Topologythreadsallspacestogether,caveaftercave,eachasludicrousasthenext.
Nowonderpeoplefindtheirleisureasdullastheirwork-leisureiswork.HowtimeschangeÉ.KarlMarx:"Theworking-daycontainstheful
l24hours,withthedeductionofthefewhoursofreposewithoutwhichlabor-powerabsolutelyrefusesitsservicesagainÉTimeforeducat
ion,forintellectualdevelopment,forthefulfillingofsocialfunctionsandforsocialintercourse,forthefree-playofÉbodilyandm
entalactivity,eventheresttimeofSunday(andthatinacountryofSabbatarians!)Ñmoonshine!"Butthatmoonshinehasbecomelegitima
tebusiness.Thefreetimeavailableforeducation,culture,sport,evenfaith,wereoncethehard-wonfruitsoflabor'sstruggletofree
timefromwork.Thisfreetimegaverisetoheterotopiasofsportandartthatatleastheldtheintoxicatingillusionofautonomyfromthen
ecessityofwork.Nowtheybecomework,disguisedasgames,justasgamesbecomethedisguiseofworkitself.Thesportingmetaphorsandsl
ogansmigratefromleisuretowork-andbackagain.Theyceasetobemetaphorsandbecomemeredescriptions,inalanguagestrippedofanyt
ermsotherthanthoseofcompetition.Almosteverymomentissweptintoarelentlessagon.157.Andasforthoseslacktimesbetweenengage
ments,whoknowswhattodowiththem?Youaresitting,forexample,inthetastelessdepartureloungeofsomeprovincialairport.Itisfou
rhoursuntilyourflight,which-ofcourse-isdelayed.Theshopsaroundareuninspiring.Youdohaveabookinyourbackpack.It'sHeidegg
er,boughtonimpulse.Shallyouread?No.Orthinkthroughsomeproblem?No.Orplaygamesonyourhandheld?Noteven.Youareunableto.You
lookatthedeparturesandarrivalsonthescreen.Youlookattheclock,again.Youcountthechairs.Youwalkupanddown.Topassthetimeyo
ulookatthestoresintheairportmall,buttheyallseemmereclonesofeachother,orofstoresinotherchains.Look,thereisevenafranch
iseofTheCave(tm)!Youimaginethesatisfactionofthrowingarockthroughtheplateglasswindow.What'sthegood?MartinHeidegger:"W
hatisatissueinboredomisawhile,awhiling,apeculiarremaining,enduringÉ.Aconfrontationwithtime."158.Youaresitting,forexa
mple,atyourPlaystation,withastackofgamestochoosefrom.Theflightwaslongandtedious,andnowyouarehomefree.YouputinStateof
Emergency,ifonlyforthepleasureofwatchingtheautomatedriotoftwohundrednon-playercharactersransackthemallinwhichthegame
begins.YouchooseChaosratherthanRevolutionmode,soyoucantrashtheplacewithoutworryingaboutmissionsandobjectives.Whilefa
irlyagreeablebeatspound,youpickupweapons,smashthings,thumpandarethumpedbysecurityandgangbangers,lookingforthemomentt
otossthebomb.Still,youarebored.Butthisisadifferentkindofboredom.Attheairport,itwaseasytoblameitonthecircumstances.No
w,athomewhereyoucandowhateveryoulike,itisn'tanythingoranyone'sfault.Youputthegameaway,andwonderwhyyouarestill,stillb
ored.Heideggeragain:"WasIwhatwasboringmyself?"Perhapsitisnotthingsthatareclosedtome,butmyownbeing.159.Thenagain,perh
apsitsnotthingsthatareboringyou,norevenyourselfthatisboringyou.Perhapsthereissomethingelse.Somethingyoucan'tputyourf
ingeron.Youarebored.Whyfightit?Whynotjustdeclareit?IggyPop:"I'mthechairmanofthebored!"Perhapshereonecanthinkthroughe
verydayboredomtoaboredomofHeideggerianprofundity,andconfronttemporalityitself!Boredomcouldbethetunetowhichoneturnsto
wardstheory.PhilosopherofboredomLarsSvendsen:"Theessentialdifferencebetweentheboredandthe'theoretical'gazeisthatthef
ormeristheresultofaninvoluntarylossofmeaning,whilethetheoreticalgazedeliberatelyremovesit."Startingwiththisevermorep
resenteverydayboredom,onemightfollowHeideggeroutofthemallandintothesacredgrovesofacertainbrandoftheory.160.PauseStat
eofEmergencyandtakethatHeideggerbookthatyouboughtonyourtravelsoutofyourbackpack.Idlyflippingthoughitspages,youfindth
atHeidegger'sboredom,strangelyenough,haslevels.Thinkingthroughfromoneleveltothenextpresents,ashewillsayagainandagain
,tasks,tasks,stillmoretasks.Thesetasksareorganizedasamazeofpathsandstillmorepaths.It'salltasksandpaths,tasksandpaths
.Tothegimleteyeofthegamer,thistheorystartstolookjustlikeanothergame.Levelone:NewbieBoredom.Leveltwo:MoreBoredom.Leve
lthree:ProfoundBoredom.Bonuslevels:World,Finitude,Solitude.Hisbookisastrategyguidefortheoryasagameofbeing.Agamewhich
,likeanyother,positslevelingupasagoalinitself,approachingtheever-recedingbigbadbossoftimeitself.Acannymoveforagamert
heoryisalwaystorefuseanysuchgamewhichclaimstotranscendgamespace.StepoutsideTheCave(tm)andwhatdoyoufind?Anothercave,d
isguisedasanexit.BettertoreturntoTheCave(tm),playthegameandtrytofinditsform.BacktoStateofEmergency:it'saboringgamein
manyways,butthatmaybeitscharm.OneimaginesBenjaminandHannahandtheothercharactersonesocarefullycultivatesinTheSimsgett
ingsoboredtheyjointhemayhem,smashingwindows,lootingbigscreenTVsoftheirdreams.161.Whatifboredomhaslesstodowiththeesse
nceoftimeandmoretodowithparticularqualitiesofspace?Benjamin(theSim):"Boredomisthebasisoftheallegorithmicinsightintot
heworld.Boredomlayswastetotheappealofthegameasgame,andcallsattentiontotheambiguousrelationofgametogamespace."Boredom
isn'talonging,alengtheningoftime.Itisaspaceyfeeling,ofbeingspacedout.Whatisboringisaspaceinwhicheitheronecannotact,o
rone'sactionsamounttonothing-waitingatanairportmall,orchoosingonemoreorlessidenticalgameoveranother.Whenyouarebored,
evenhomefeelslikeawaitingroom.GangofFour:"Athomeshefeelslikeatourist."Whatdisplacesboredomisthecapacitytoactinawayth
attransformsasituation.Itdoesn'tmatterthattheChaosmodeinStateofEmergencyispointless.Itdisplacesabitofthegamer'sbored
ominamaking-overofgamerandgame,changingthespacethegamercanaccess,extendingtheplaceoftheriotfromtheCapitolMalltoChina
towntoDowntowntotheCorporateCenter,changingthepowersofthegamertochangethespaceitself.Atleastwithintheconfinesofthega
me,atleastforawhile.Whenitstopsworking-bootupanothergame.162.Asthegamerbecomesattunedtothegame,gamerandgamebecomeone
event,onebattle,oneaction;anoscillatingbetweenthelinedividingselffromother,andthelineconnectingthemasonesubstance.If
thelinedividingprovidesamomentofautonomousself;thelineconnectingprovidesamomentofselflesspurpose.Ingames,actionhasit
slimits.Itisanendlessbit-flipbetweentargeter,targetingandtarget.Andyetatleastiteffectsatransformationofgamerandgame.
Gamesarearepositoryforacertainatopianlabor,whichhasthepowertoconfrontthenecessityofitsownchoosing.Gamesdonotofferaco
ntemplativeresponsetoboredom.Ifanything,topologymakeslaboralltoocontemplative.Rather,gamesareaspaceforaction,theyres
torealostqualityofthetopical,whereHomer'sheroesstruttedtheirstuff,intheparadoxicalformofapuretopology.Allthescopefor
actionthatgamespacebothpromisesanddeniesisrestoredinthegame.HencethedoubleeffectofStateofEmergency.It'sbackstoryisan
allegoryofnegationanddestruction-inthepre-releaseversion,thebadguyswereevencalledtheAmericanTradeOrganization.Andyet
asanallegorithm,itispurposeful,constructive.Theimagesdon'tmatter;thestoryisjustanalibi.Underneathitisagamelikeanyoth
ergame,builtoutofarbitraryrules,butwhichonemakesone'sown.163.ForHeideggeramoveawayfromameditationontimeitselftothink
ingabouthowoneactsinaparticularspaceisaretrogradestep,backtoatbesta"higherformofjournalism"oratworsta"fashionablephi
losophy",whichsetsoutwhatiscontemporary,butdoesnotmovebeyondthesurfacesofthepresent.Itdivertsyoufromthegameofreflect
iononyourownbeingandinsteadassignsyouaroleintheworld.Inthiscase,theroleofthegamer.Heidegger:"Havewebecometooinsignif
icanttoourselvesthatwerequirearole?WhydowefindnomeaningforourselvesanymoreÉ?Isitbecauseanindifferenceyawnsatusoutofa
llthings,anindifferencewhosegroundswedonotknow?Yetwhocanspeakinsuchawaywhenworldtrade,technologyandtheeconomyseizeho
ldofmanandkeephimmoving?"Perhapsthisispreciselywherethegamerfindsawaytospeak,to'dotheory'(howeverfashionableorjourna
listic).Isitnotthisspace-thistopologyoftradeandtech-thatisintimatelyconnectedtothepersistenceandpervasivenessofbored
om?164.Boredomnolongeraffectsjusttherestlessyoungortheidlerich.GamespaceoffersnothingtoanybodybuttheSisypheanlaborof
rollingtherocktothetop,untilthisarbitrarynecessityabates.Thenwhat?One'sactionsatthecrestofthehillbecomeuseless,indif
ferent-boring.StateofEmergencyrestoresaroletoactionbymakingoutoftheintricatetopologyoflines-oftrade,technology-amatr
ix,ifnotofmeaning,thenatleastofmeasuring.Thegameinstallsintheworldanartificialnecessity;gamesareallegorithmsofthenec
essityofnecessity,inaworldinwhichwhatisnecessaryisarbitraryandwithoutform,wherethelineannihilateseverytopic.Intopolo
gicaltimesitwastheheroandhisbandwhoacted;intopographictimestheherobecomesabstract-anation,aclass,areinventedfaith-bu
titstillacted.Onceuponatime,onecouldtellthisstoryÉKarlMarx:"Thepeoplemakehistory,butnotastheyplease;notunderthecircu
mstancesoftheirownchoosing."Nowthepeoplechoosetheircircumstances,justastheychoosethefinishfortheirkitchencabinets,bu
tthereisnohistorytobemadeofthem.165.Whatcharacterizesthegamerisarelinquishingofarolethatmighthavequalitiesbeyondtheg
ame-assaviororsoldier,priestorprophet,rectororrevolutionary.Thegamercertainlydoesnotexpecttoomuchoftheroleoftheorist
,beyondentrŽeintoanothergame.Itcannotovercomeboredom.Onemightaswellchooseinsteadaboringgame-likeStateofEmergency.Wha
tcharacterizesgamertheoryisaplayingwiththeroleofthegamerwithinthegame,notbysteppingbeyondit,intoatimeorarolebeyondth
egame,butratherbysteppingintogamesthatarerelativelyfreeofthepowerofgamespace.Thegameisjustlikegamespace,onlyitstrans
formationsofgamerandgamehavenopowerbeyondthebattleinwhichtheymeet.Inthegameyouarefreebecauseyouchooseyournecessities
.Inagame,youcanhideoutfromagamespacethatrenegesonitspromises.Inagameyoucanchoosewhichcircumstancesaretobethenecessit
yagainstwhichyouwillgrinddowntheshapeofaself.Evenif,insochoosing,youclicktooptoutofmakinghistory.166.Boredomcanbedis
placedonlysofar.Eventhemostdeludedofgamerscaneventuallyrealizethattheirstrivingshavenopurpose,thatalltheyhaveachieve
disahollowtrophy,thedelusionofvalue,ameaninglessrankbuiltonanarbitrarynumber.Boredomalwaysreturns.GiacomoLeopardi:"T
heuniformityofpleasurewithoutpurposeinevitablyproducesboredom."Theveryactionofovercomingboredomreproducesit,whengame
randgamereachsomeimpasse.Thereisalwaysalimit.Ingamesthislimititalwaysgiveninadvance.That'stheverymeritofgames.InStat
eofEmergency,thegameisanallegorithmofitsownlimitedinterest.Itturnsthemomentofboredom,thehourpropitiousformakingbombs
,intoagameaswell.It'sagameaboutthedestructionofgamespace-asitselfagame.Thedestructionofgamespaceisagamethatprovidesa