I saw the leaks and thought I knew. I was still not prepared for ‘The Last of Us Part II’ - The Washington Post | Canada News Media
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I saw the leaks and thought I knew. I was still not prepared for ‘The Last of Us Part II’ – The Washington Post

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4 years ago

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I tried to sabotage the hype for myself by diving straight into all the leaks and rumors that surfaced in April. Part of it can be blamed on journalist’s curiosity. After all, these leaks were huge, and my level of excitement was already pretty low. Seeing these leaks would’ve affirmed my biases. And sure enough, what I saw and read left me severely disappointed and angry. The leaks made the story sound trite, uninspired and misguided. “I knew it,” I thought. “They never should’ve made a sequel.” This was my mind-set as I booted up “The Last of Us 2.”

By the end of it, I had changed my mind. Despite my early and strict skepticism of the premise, I now believe the sequel to “The Last of Us” feels justified. It dives deeper into character motivation than ever before, and it’s at least as good as the first game, which many believed to be almost perfect. It does not worsen or remove that ending’s significance or impact. It grapples with its traumatic consequences directly, without any of the coy teasing and walking on eggshells that dominate much of pop art, including film.

While I will not confirm details within any of the leaks, I can deny some of them. Game director Neil Druckmann (who co-wrote the story with screenwriter Halley Gross) made an early claim that there were “a lot of other false rumors out there.” This is not a lie, and is a reference to many false narratives and plot summaries spread across sites like 4chan and Reddit. Some made up entire details and scenes, while making false assumptions about the story and its characters.

In April, an hour and a half of footage from the game leaked onto the Internet. Kotaku reported in May that hackers may have exploited a security vulnerability of a prior Naughty Dog game. The magnitude of these leaks was unprecedented, particularly for a narrative-driven game shrouded in mystery and mainstream anticipation.

The game’s release date was pushed up to June 19 after the leaks ravaged the initial rollout plan. Naughty Dog and publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment went into damage control while launching an investigation into the hack. Joel’s voice actor Troy Baker, a celebrated talent in the industry, also tweeted in support of the game: “You might think you know. But you don’t.”

Baker was right. I went into the game, armed with all the knowledge of the leaks, thinking I could fill in the blanks of the story. The game still left me in shock. It is very much an extension of the first game’s themes and storytelling tricks. It’s less concerned about the lore of the world, and more about how these characters find strength and meaning in a world stripped of it all.

Game director Neil Druckmann told The Washington Post that this sequel is “so much about hate and how we dehumanize each other. And you can see that happening with the leaks.”

The leaks caused many players, including myself, to take nuggets of information and cast a blanket judgment on the whole game and its concepts before engaging with it. The fallout was nasty, spawning hard-to-avoid memes, many of which were hateful and based on the presumption that Naughty Dog is trying to cater to liberal audiences. YouTube influencers reacted immediately with disappointment to the story details, ready to turn down their excitement for the game. I muted my excitement in turn.

But as the game played out scene by scene, my skepticism was disarmed, and my mind was open to a story I thought I knew, but clearly didn’t. The game’s first few seconds comforted me. It begins with a confessional from Joel to his brother Tommy as he grapples with his actions from the first game. Tommy’s face expresses both horror and compassion as he comes to grip with what his brother did. The stories told on all their faces are unlike anything we’ve seen in games. It’s worth the price of admission alone.

If you were to break down the first story of “The Last of Us,” it would’ve sounded similarly trite and uninspired. “The Last of Us” was special because of the length

s the writing went to get us to know and understand these character’s motivations. Joel is a coldhearted killer, and we know that because we live through his trauma, and understand his decades of doing whatever it takes to survive. We understand Ellie because she’s a young girl looking for purpose and fulfillment in a world empty of it. We understand them both because we watch them grow and fight together.

“The Last of Us” was not simply a “father-daughter” road trip across America, any more than its sequel is a story about revenge and violence. Like a folk tale or historical fable, hearing it is not the same as living it. People loved Joel and Ellie because of how they grew on each other, how their personalities changed as their relationship evolved into something deeper, without conditions.

Here, in Ellie’s story, we have a tale about how the ones dearest to us are capable of wreaking the most havoc in our lives. We witness her happiest moments, and stay with her in her deepest anguish. No, it’s not a particularly new topic for pop art, even video games, to address. But it’s rarely been told with such discomforting bluntness. Even if I thought I knew the story’s beats (and I usually didn’t), the way it was framed and performed chilled my blood, even when it dared me to smolder in my own blood lust.

“The Last of Us Part II” still works, even in a so-called spoiled state, because it’s rare to play a video game that listens so intently to who its characters are, one that portrays them with doting sympathy.

In the coming weeks, I predict there’s going to be a lot of conversation around the events in “The Last of Us Part II”; how they’re portrayed, what the characters do, and how players feel about it. As much as I enjoyed and appreciated its intentions, it will divide opinion. There will be furious debate. And the only way you can honestly engage with these discussions is to play “The Last of Us Part II.”

The stories of Ellie and “The Last of Part II” are one and the same: Beyond hope and rationality, they scream to justify their existence. The only way you can know and understand their argument, in the end, is to play the game.

Washington Post reporter Elise Favis contributed to this report.

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Slack researcher discusses the fear, loathing and excitement surrounding AI in the workplace

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16 hours ago

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October 21, 2024

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Artificial intelligence‘s recent rise to the forefront of business has left most office workers wondering how often they should use the technology and whether a computer will eventually replace them.

Those were among the highlights of a recent study conducted by the workplace communications platform Slack. After conducting in-depth interviews with 5,000 desktop workers, Slack concluded there are five types of AI personalities in the workplace: “The Maximalist” who regularly uses AI on their jobs; “The Underground” who covertly uses AI; “The Rebel,” who abhors AI; “The Superfan” who is excited about AI but still hasn’t used it; and “The Observer” who is taking a wait-and-see approach.

Only 50% of the respondents fell under the Maximalist or Underground categories, posing a challenge for businesses that want their workers to embrace AI technology. The Associated Press recently discussed the excitement and tension surrounding AI at work with Christina Janzer, Slack’s senior vice president of research and analytics.

Q: What do you make about the wide range of perceptions about AI at work?

A: It shows people are experiencing AI in very different ways, so they have very different emotions about it. Understanding those emotions will help understand what is going to drive usage of AI. If people are feeling guilty or nervous about it, they are not going to use it. So we have to understand where people are, then point them toward learning to value this new technology.

Q: The Maximalist and The Underground both seem to be early adopters of AI at work, but what is different about their attitudes?

A: Maximalists are all in on AI. They are getting value out of it, they are excited about it, and they are actively sharing that they are using it, which is a really big driver for usage among others.

The Underground is the one that is really interesting to me because they are using it, but they are hiding it. There are different reasons for that. They are worried they are going to be seen as incompetent. They are worried that AI is going to be seen as cheating. And so with them, we have an opportunity to provide clear guidelines to help them know that AI usage is celebrated and encouraged. But right now they don’t have guidelines from their companies and they don’t feel particularly encouraged to use it.

Overall, there is more excitement about AI than not, so I think that’s great We just need to figure out how to harness that.

Q: What about the 19% of workers who fell under the Rebel description in Slack’s study?

A: Rebels tend to be women, which is really interesting. Three out of five rebels are women, which I obviously don’t like to see. Also, rebels tend to be older. At a high level, men are adopting the technology at higher rates than women.

Q: Why do you think more women than men are resisting AI?

A: Women are more likely to see AI as a threat, more likely to worry that AI is going to take over their jobs. To me, that points to women not feeling as trusted in the workplace as men do. If you feel trusted by your manager, you are more likely to experiment with AI. Women are reluctant to adopt a technology that might be seen as a replacement for them whereas men may have more confidence that isn’t going to happen because they feel more trusted.

Q: What are some of the things employers should be doing if they want their workers to embrace AI on the job?

A: We are seeing three out of five desk workers don’t even have clear guidelines with AI, because their companies just aren’t telling them anything, so that’s a huge opportunity.

Another opportunity to encourage AI usage in the open. If we can create a culture where it’s celebrated, where people can see the way people are using it, then they can know that it’s accepted and celebrated. Then they can be inspired.

The third thing is we have to create a culture of experimentation where people feel comfortable trying it out, testing it, getting comfortable with it because a lot of people just don’t know where to start. The reality is you can start small, you don’t have to completely change your job. Having AI write an email or summarize content is a great place to start so you can start to understand what this technology can do.

Q: Do you think the fears about people losing their jobs because of AI are warranted?

A: People with AI are going to replace people without AI.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Biden administration to provide $325 million for new Michigan semiconductor factory

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16 hours ago

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October 21, 2024

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Tuesday that it would provide up to $325 million to Hemlock Semiconductor for a new factory, a move that could help give Democrats a political edge in the swing state of Michigan ahead of election day.

The funding would support 180 manufacturing jobs in Saginaw County, where Republicans and Democrats were neck-in-neck for the past two presidential elections. There would also be construction jobs tied to the factory that would produce hyper-pure polysilicon, a building block for electronics and solar panels, among other technologies.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on a call with reporters that the funding came from the CHIPS and Science Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022. It’s part of a broader industrial strategy that the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, supports, while Republican nominee Donald Trump, the former president, sees tariff hikes and income tax cuts as better to support manufacturing.

“What we’ve been able to do with the CHIPS Act is not just build a few new factories, but fundamentally revitalize the semiconductor ecosystem in our country with American workers,” Raimondo said. “All of this is because of the vision of the Biden-Harris administration.”

A senior administration official said the timing of the announcement reflected the negotiating process for reaching terms on the grant, rather than any political considerations. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss the process.

After site work, Hemlock Semiconductor plans to begin construction in 2026 and then start production in 2028, the official said.

Running in 2016, Trump narrowly won Saginaw County and Michigan as a whole. But in 2020 against Biden, both Saginaw County and Michigan flipped to the Democrats.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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The Internet is Littered in ‘Educated Guesses’ Without the ‘Education’

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2 weeks ago

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October 8, 2024

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Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.

The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.

Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.

The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.

Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.

On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.

The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.

More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.

Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:

  • You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
  • This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
  • In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!

Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.

Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.

There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.

Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.

Successful people tend to be secretive.

Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.

Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.

Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.

______________________________________________________________

 

Nick Kossovan, a self-described connoisseur of human psychology, writes about what’s

on his mind from Toronto. You can follow Nick on Twitter and Instagram @NKossovan.

 

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