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Assistant Professor (Lecturer), Division Of Games
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Adjunct Assistant Professor, Philosophy
Presentations
- “Centering Sociality: Playing Games Together”, co-presented with Stephanie Patridge (University of Iowa), Pacific Division of the American Society for Aesthetics, Berkley.
Presentation,
Accepted, 03/09/2024.
- Rock, Paper, Horns: Heavy Metal and Play
Shelby Moser
American Society for Aesthetics
The defining characteristics of Metal could be described as chaotic, aggressive, vigorous, and rebellious, to name a few. For some, these attributes may also extend to metal enthusiasts, often referred to as metalheads, who might be perceived as equally uncontrolled as the concerts they attend and the music they embrace. Within this subculture, there are a lot of formal and aesthetic features to address, but one of the most prevalent symbols of metal is the "sign of the horns," which could potentially reinforce the notion that metalheads, as a collective, are emotionally troubled, antisocial, and prone to deviant behavior, and so on. Formed by connecting the tips of the thumb with the middle and ring fingers while extending the pointer and pinky, this gesture symbolically resonates with the perceived mood of a genre that is musically characterized by dissonance, growling vocals, and distortion. However, despite the intense nature of metal, there exists a vibrant aesthetic community that loosely adheres to certain rules and engages in playful expression. In this context, I suggest that metal culture encompasses a kind of play that can be both serious and lighthearted, where play is a social, impromptu, and voluntary endeavor, all of which contributes to metal’s value.
Conference Paper,
Presented, 11/18/2023.
Publications