Kelly Denton - kdentsxo - Section 41 - Journey Log #5 - Ranger - Openness
In class this week we watched clips from Moana and Mindcraft videos. Based on the habit of mind of openness, I researched their origins. I wanted to know how both of these highly entertaining things came about.
Moana follows the story of a girl who sets out to end the curse put on the world by a demigod named Maui. The resident's of Moana's island home haven't traveled in hundreds of years but she changes that and helps to bring an end to the curse so the islanders begin to sail again. Moana is inspired by Polynesian folklore but it also theorizes the story behind the end of the Long Pause. The Long Pause was a time of about 2,000 years that those who were colonizing the Polynesian Islands took a break and did not travel (Herman). There is no verified explanation as to why there was a break in colonization but the story of Moana seems to create a theory.
Moana wasn't without challenges though. Animators were working on this project for years before it was finally released. Trips to the Polynesian Islands started five years ago because they wanted to "experience the islands as observers" (Lehane). They struggled with the correct cultural aspects and some will still argue that "there is much to criticize" (Herman). No matter the criticisms, Moana is still an international hit that is sure to turn into a Disney classic.
The origin story of Minecraft wildly different than Moana. A guy named Markus, aka Notch, quit his programming job so they he could make his own game and ended up calling it Minecraft. If you can believe it, Minecraft is actually a combination of the words mine and craft (Larrson)! According to Markus, the idea came from the two things he was incorporating into his game, mining ore in shafts and being able to create something.
Markus was worried that his game would never be successful. When he would tell others about his idea, no one seemed to understand the direction he was going. However, some sources say that Minecraft is actually "the most successful casual game on the planet" (Minecraft).
Although these creation/origin stories are wildly different, it shows that in order to create something new, the creator has to be completely open. Openness is defined as the willingness to consider new ways of being and thinking in the world. Inventors such as the animation team for Disney and the creator of Minecraft needed to be open to criticism and failure. They also needed to be able to think of something so original but also appeal to a wide variety of audiences. Creators such as these are people to look up to when trying to be open and original.
Herman, Doug. “How the Story of “Moana” and Maui Holds Up Against Cultural Truths.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 2 Dec. 2016, www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-story-moana-and-maui-holds-against-cultural-truths-180961258/. Accessed 27 Feb. 2017.
Lehane, Scott. “'How Far I'Ll Go': The Incredible Journey Behind Disney's 'Moana'.” Animation World Network, 31 Jan. 2017, www.awn.com/animationworld/how-far-i-ll-go-incredible-journey-behind-disney-s-moana. Accessed 27 Feb. 2017.
Larsson, Daniel Goldberg and Linus. “The Amazingly Unlikely Story of How Minecraft Was Born.” Wired, Conde Nast, 5 Nov. 2013, www.wired.com/2013/11/minecraft-book/. Accessed 27 Feb. 2017.
“Minecraft – The Worlds Most Successful Casual Game?” Game Sparks, Game Sparks Technologies Ltd, www.gamesparks.com/blog/minecraft-the-worlds-most-successful-casual-game/. Accessed 27 Feb. 2017.