Vault 11 questions and ruminations.

Cliffy McEdgeface

bitch I will cut you
Potential spoilers.


The Vault 11 story really gets me, every time I play through NV. Probably one of the more interesting Vault experiments.
I've been trying to decide how much applicability it has to real life, whether the seemingly savage indictment it makes has a solid foundation, and why this version of the concept of the death lottery story gnaws at my brain so hard. Does Vault 11 make a statement simply about the world of Fallout? Or does it slit the throat of a real-world modern day sacred cow?

Am I reading too much into a mere story or is the revulsion I'm starting to feel towards the concept of democratic process intended and justified? If the answer to all that is "no, yes, and yes" then is the story of the NCR yet another shot fired at the concept of democracy? Are we simply being primed to find Mr. House that much more appealing in the world of New Vegas, or are there greater implications and statements being made? Is FNV political, and is it so by design?
 
Honestly, I think that it was more a critique of human nature than of any particular social or political system... At the heart of most conflicts in New Vegas is the theme of mankind's inherent selfishness and general willingness to do whatever it takes to ensure self preservation. Civilization as a whole is primarily a manifestation of the mob mentality that guides us as a species, so whatever specific systems of government come into play will still be driven by that basic principal... So, in essence, Vault 11 is the overall theme of New Vegas in microcosm rather than a commentary on one specific group, real or imaginary... that's how I see it anyway.

If anything, I think that the underlying message behind the game is "think twice." It may be difficult or impossible for humans to become fully independent, but the game seems to be telling us that at the very least we should be asking ourselves, "is this really the best idea?"
 
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