A video game that helps us understand loneliness | Cornelia Geppert

Summary

The speaker, an artist, shares their personal journey with loneliness, which led to the creation of the video game 'Sea of Solitude.' The game, a metaphor for the artist's emotional struggles, allows players to navigate through various manifestations of loneliness, such as social exclusion and mental health issues. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and balancing emotions rather than seeking constant happiness. The game's release resonated with many, inspiring hope and prompting some to seek therapy, showcasing the power of art in connecting and helping people cope with their inner struggles.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The speaker uses art as a medium to process and express their emotions, particularly loneliness.
• 🤝 Deep emotional connections are essential to combat loneliness, even when surrounded by people.
• 🏙️ The speaker's move to a new city for work led to a neglect of personal relationships, highlighting the balance needed between work and personal life.
• 😔 The struggle with emotional expression and the tendency to hide real feelings behind a facade of happiness is a common issue.
• 🔄 The turning point in the speaker's life was an emotionally abusive relationship, which paradoxically made them confront their loneliness.
• 🎮 The video game 'Sea of Solitude' is a creative expression of the speaker's journey through loneliness, using interactive storytelling.
• 🌊 In the game, the protagonist's emotions manifest as a physical world, with weather and environment reflecting her mental state.
• 🧳 The backpack symbolizes the emotional baggage we carry, which can grow overwhelming if not managed.
• 🐦 Loneliness can manifest in various forms, such as social exclusion, unhealthy relationships, and mental health issues, all represented in the game.
• 🐺 The game portrays the struggle with depression and the importance of addressing one's own well-being before helping others.
• 🌈 The message of the game is not to eliminate negative emotions but to embrace all emotions and strive for balance.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the artist's speech?

The main theme of the artist's speech is the exploration of loneliness and the power of art in expressing and overcoming emotional struggles.

How does the artist describe their experience of loneliness?

The artist describes loneliness as a feeling of being a monster among humans who know how to function, feeling isolated despite being surrounded by people, and experiencing a deep sense of disconnection.

What role does art play in the artist's life?

Art plays a significant role in the artist's life as a medium to process and share their emotional world, creating connections with others through the expression of feelings.

Why did the artist move to another city?

The artist moved to another city for their first job as a comic artist, which led to a focus on work life at the expense of nurturing personal relationships.

How did the artist's approach to handling emotions contribute to their loneliness?

The artist's tendency to camouflage their real feelings by appearing always happy and trying to fix others' problems contributed to their loneliness by avoiding dealing with their own issues.

What was the turning point in the artist's life that made them confront their loneliness?

The turning point was falling into an emotionally abusive relationship, which isolated the artist and led them to feel loneliness for the first time, prompting a wake-up call.

What is the name of the video game created by the artist, and what is its main premise?

The name of the video game is 'Sea of Solitude.' The game's main premise revolves around a character named Kay, who turns into a monster due to her overwhelming loneliness, and the player navigates through her emotional struggles.

How does the game 'Sea of Solitude' represent the character Kay's emotional state?

In 'Sea of Solitude,' Kay's emotional state is represented by the game's environment, which is flooded by her tears, and the weather changes according to her mood.

What is the significance of the backpack that Kay wears in the game?

The backpack that Kay wears symbolizes the emotional baggage that everyone carries throughout life, and it grows larger as she struggles with her emotions.

How does the game portray different manifestations of loneliness?

The game portrays different manifestations of loneliness through various characters, such as social exclusion experienced by Kay's brother, loneliness in relationships depicted through her parents' conflict, and mental health issues shown through Kay's boyfriend.

What is the key message the artist wants to convey through the game 'Sea of Solitude'?

The key message is to embrace all emotions, not just happiness, and to find balance, accepting that it's okay to not be okay sometimes.

How did the release of the game impact the artist and the audience?

The release of the game led to thousands of fans sharing their stories, feeling less alone, and some even seeking therapy, which made the artist feel grateful for the positive impact of their art.