The Republic of Venice was once a powerful maritime state spreading across the Mediterranean and Balkan peninsula with multiple Mediterranean islands. Venetian merchants and sailors traveled across the Mediterranean Sea, selling luxurious goods and establishing Venetian influence. Throughout its millennia-old history, the Venetian political system evolved with the republic and played a crucial role in the republic’s prosperity. Read on to understand the political structure of La Serenissima, one of the biggest economic powerhouses of the medieval and early modern period.   The Doge Portrait of the Doge Francesco Foscari by Lazzaro Bastiani, c. 1460. Source: Museo Civico Correr, Venice   One of the most prominent parts of the republic’s political structure was the office of the Doge. The Doge was the official representative and the leader of the Republic for over one millennium. We can trace the title to the Latin word dux, which means “the leader.” According to historical sources, the first Doge was Lucio Anafesto, when the office and title were ingrained. It was established to represent and lead Venetian people in pursuing autonomy from the Byzantine Empire.   The Venetian leader had to be elected from one of the aristocratic merchant families. The Great Council of Venice was responsible for the Doge’s election to prevent a single aristocratic house from gaining too much power in the republic. The Doge had many roles in the political life of Venice and famously resided in the Doge’s Palace. He had a significant ceremonial role and wore distinctive attire, including a ceremonial hat and the corno ducale.   The interior of the Sala Maggior Consiglio, The Doge’s Palace, Venice, with patricians voting on a bulletin for the election of new magistrates by Joseph Heintz the Younger, between 1648 and 1650. Source: Bonhams   The Doge had executive powers—he was the naval commander and had broad duties in internal and external affairs. He was essential in establishing economic policies and signing trade treaties, the backbone of the republic’s prosperity. The Doge was an important part of maintaining Venetian influence through diplomacy. However, over time, the powers of the office were limited by other governing bodies like the Great Council or the Council of Ten.   After the Napoleonic invasion in 1797, the office was abolished, and the last Doge was Ludovico Manin. Some of the most prominent Doges were Enrico Dandolo (1192-1205), Pietro Orseolo II (991-1009), and Francesco Foscari (1423-1457).   The Great Council The Final Moments of Doge Marin Faliero on the “del Piombo” Staircase by Francesco Hayez, 1867. Source: Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan   The Great Council of Venice, or Maggior Consiglio, was one of the most important and influential political institutions of the Republic of Venice. Like the office of the Doge, the Great Council was established with the birth of La Serenissima, or the Venetian Republic. Its origins date back to the 8th century, and over the millennium, it adapted according to the political climate. The Great Council was a true aristocratic and oligarchical element of the Venetian political system. Initially, it had 480 members from noble aristocratic families known as patricians. Over the centuries, with economic development, the number of members increased. However, it remained an exclusive political office composed of wealthy and noble merchant families.   The Great Council of Venice had many functions and roles in the republic, the most important being the election of the Doge. The Great Council was responsible for assembling and selecting the electors who would choose the Doge from among the noblemen. The Great Council also held supreme legislative power, making decisions regarding the state, passing laws, and having the final word on important matters like international treaties and declarations of war. The council operated in their special chamber behind closed doors. The members were sworn to secrecy and were protective of their positions.   Just as the Great Council limited the powers of the Doge, other bodies were in place to prevent the abuse of the Great Council’s powers. Their actions were checked by the Council of Ten, a political office tasked with securing the stability of Venice. Over the Republic’s final centuries, the Great Council’s influence was overshadowed by the Council of Ten. The millennium-old existence and political activity of the Great Council ended with the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797.   The Council of Ten The Bacino di San Marco on Ascension Day by Canaletto, c. 1733-1734. Source: Royal Collection Trust, London   The Council of Ten, or Consiglio dei Dieci, was one of the prominent political institutions within the Republic of Venice. It didn’t have a millennia-old legacy like the office of the Doge or the Great Council; however, its powers were as great as they got. Established in 1310, the Council swiftly became one of the most influential bodies despite its relatively recent inception. Primarily tasked with uncovering conspiracies and plots against the republic, the Council operated secretly.   Comprising ten Venetian noblemen whose mandates lasted for one year, the Council wielded legislative, judicial, and executive powers. It operated behind closed doors, and its affairs were closely guarded secrets. In addition to passing laws, the Council oversaw the activities of other political entities and had the authority to prosecute offenders. The Council of Ten supervised the work of the most important institutions, such as the Doge and the Great Council.   Aristocratic families viewed the Council with fear and apprehension, as it functioned like a secret service capable of accusations of treason, corruption, or espionage. Over time, its responsibilities expanded to include law enforcement and the maintenance of public order and safety. Historical sources portray the Council of Ten as both feared and renowned across the Mediterranean Sea and Europe, highlighting its influence beyond the borders of the Republic of Venice.   The decline of the Council unfolded with the decline of Venice itself. The institution of the Council of Ten was abolished with the fall of La Serenissima in the late 18th century.   The Quarantia  The Hall of the Full College in Venice by Pietro Malombra, 1606-1618. Source: Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid   The Quarantia, or the Quarantia Civil Vecchia, was an important political and judicial institution in the Republic of Venice. This significant administrative body was established in the 12th century to regulate and resolve disputes among citizens and all the residents of the Republic. The aim was to create a fair and effective system of civil justice. As the name says, the Quarantia comprised forty noblemen (Quaranta meaning forty in Italian). Members of every essential and high political institution in the Republic were wealthy aristocrats, and the Quarantia was no exception.   The Bucentaur in front of the Doge’s Palace by Canaletto, 1727-1729. Source: Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow   The Quarantia functioned primarily as a judicial body, adjudicating civil matters like contracts, property disagreements, or issues with debts and inheritances. It was also the appeals court; people unhappy with the lower court’s ruling could bring their inquiries to the Quarantia. This would allow them to appeal for a review of their issues. This judicial body also had some administrative functions. Under its responsibilities were matters related to civil law and legal reform.   The Quarantia functioned exactly like a court of law. Disputed parties would present their cases in front of judges, and after hearing both sides and examining the evidence, the judges would deliver their rulings. For the Republic to last as long as the Venetians did, it was necessary to have a trusted and fair judicial system. The esteemed judges of this high court were giving their best to deliver impartial and efficient rulings.   Like the other Venetian institutions, the Quarantia was disbanded with the end of the Republic in 1797.   The Senate  The Audience granted by the Doge of Venice in the College Hall at the Doge’s Palace in Venice by Francesco Guard, c. 1770-1780. Source: Musée du Louvre, Paris   The Senate of Venice, or the Consiglio dei Pregadi, was another vital institution in La Serenissima. Its primary responsibilities included foreign affairs, military matters, administration, and monetary issues. The Senate originates from the 13th century; however, according to some historical works, its origins can be traced to the Consilium Sapientium, or the Council of Wise Men. The Senate of the Venetian Republic had approximately 300 members, all high-ranking officials and Venetian noblemen.   The Senate had many functions and powers: legislative authority, foreign policy, and economic and financial matters, for example. The senators drafted and proposed laws regarding legislative issues and brought them up to the Great Council to be considered. The Senate played a significant role in the Venetian diplomacy and diplomatic missions of the Republic’s ambassadors. By educating skilled diplomatic missionaries, the Senate had a huge role in the economic and naval endeavors of the Republic. Through their work and influence, senators participated in the most important parts of Venetian prosperity: trade, military, and finances.   The Senate was a proactive institution; senators regularly met, often daily. The sessions were held behind closed doors, and a majority vote was used to make decisions. One of the most critical parts of the Venetian political system was that institutions were working and overseeing each other; that would prevent one institution from becoming too powerful. Because of this, the Senate usually worked alongside the Great Council or the Council of Ten.   The Senate of the Republic of Venice remained one of the most influential political institutions until the end of the Republic in the late 18th century.   Minor Councils, Administrative Divisions, & Local Governance Procession in St. Mark’s Square by Gentile Bellini, 1490s. Source: Galleria dell’Accademia, Venice   In addition to the major political bodies and institutions previously mentioned, smaller parts of the political system of the Republic of Venice were equally important for everything to run smoothly.   As every political head of state, the Doge needed advisers and counselors. The Doge had six counselors, each representing one of the six districts of Venice. They were Venetian noblemen and often people of trust and provided the Doge with advice, information, and insights. They would regularly represent the Doge as ambassadors and envoys.   With his six counselors and several magistrates from other political institutions, the Doge formed an executive committee known as the Colegio, or the Minor Council. The Colegio became an official political institution in the 13th century. It oversaw the work of other institutions, went through pressing matters, and was heavily involved in financial, economic, military, and diplomatic affairs.   Another important political institution in the Republic of Venice was the Signoria. The Venetian Signoria was established in the 13th century to ensure the stability and security of the republic. It comprised the Doge, the Minor Council, three representatives from the Quarantia, and occasionally the Council of Ten. The Signoria was an executive political institution with legislative, judicial, diplomatic, and administrative functions. It oversaw and was a part of almost every important matter in the republic.   For the Republic of Venice to manage its vast maritime empire, it was necessary to establish local governance. Venetians did this by appointing local governors, or podestà. Local governors did exercise a degree of autonomy; however, they were still accountable to Venice on important issues like taxation or economic policies.   Venice’s Political System: Pragmatic & Practical The Entrance to the Grand Canal, Venice by Canaletto, c. 1730. Source: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston   The political system of Venice was complex and unique. It was built to last, and it adapted to different political climates over one millennium. By combining elements of three very different forms of government, Venitans successfully managed their vast maritime empire. The Doge was a monarchistic element; however, his powers were limited by other political institutions. The Minor Council and the Council of Ten added oligarchic elements to Venice’s political system; however, their power and influence were limited by the Great Council and other political institutions. The Great Council and the election of the Doge added democratic elements to the system; however, the selection was limited to the aristocratic social class of the republic.   Every political institution and legislative body in the Republic of Venice had one common goal: for the republic to flourish and become the most powerful economic force in the world. Their policies and laws were highly oriented toward economy, commerce, and manufacturing. Because of wise diplomatic endeavors and investments, La Serenissima had the most skilled sailors, captains, and admirals. Their ships were carrying precious cargo across the Mediterranean Sea and beyond. The republic would import valuable textiles, resources, and spices, which would later be sold to other states and courts.   The Republic of Venice and its political system were a true symbol of the Italian Renaissance. Decisions were made in Machiavellian style, pragmatic and emotionless. Ceremonies, rituals, and elections were glorious, captivating, and full of glamorous attire. The goal was to show the prosperity and wealth of the Republic and the strength and stability of its political institutions.   Further Reading   Hazlitt, W. C. (1900). The Venetian Republic: Its rise, its growth, and its fall 421-1797 (Vols. 1-2). Adam and Charles Black.   Jackson, T. G. (1905). Venice and its story. E.P. Dutton and Company.   Lane, F. C. (1973). Venice: A maritime republic. The Johns Hopkins University Press.   Norwich, J. J. (1982). A history of Venice. Alfred A. Knopf.

  In the mid-14th century, Catherine of Siena became one of the most influential holy women in the Roman Catholic Church, gaining an extensive following due to her asceticism and charitable work. Born when the papacy underwent considerable challenges, Catherine of Siena was also active in the political landscape, calling for religious reforms and lobbying for support for Pope Urban VI among the European elite. After her early death, Catherine of Siena’s mysticism and faith continued to influence believers through her doctrinal treaty and extensive collection of letters. Here are 9 facts about this Catholic saint:   1. Catherine of Siena Had 24 Siblings (and She Was a Twin) The house in Siena where Catherine was born in 1347, now the Shrine of the House of Saint Catherine. Source: Santa Caterina   Born Caterina di Benincasa on March 25, 1347, Catherine of Siena was either the 23rd, 24th, or 25th (historical accounts vary) child of Jacopo di Benincasa, a dyer, and Lapa Piagenti, the daughter of a Sienese poet. Most of her siblings, however, tragically did not survive to adulthood. In the years immediately following her birth, the outbreak of a pandemic known as the Black Death (probably caused by ​​Yersinia pestis, the bacterium causing plague) ravaged Tuscany, the Italian region where Siena is located, causing widespread death, especially in the densely populated towns.   Catherine’s twin sister, named Giovanna, died shortly after being given to a wet nurse, a common practice at the time. When Catherine was two years old, her parents had another daughter.   According to her confessor and biographer, Raymond of Capua (Raimondo delle Vigne), the Master General of the Dominican Order beatified in 1899, Catherine was a happy child whose cheerful attitude earned her the nickname Euphrosyne, meaning “joy” or “satisfaction.”   In his Life of Saint Catherine of Siena, Raymond reports the young Catherine, already deeply religious, had her first vision of Jesus Christ when she was around six years old. According to Raymond, Catherine saw Christ surrounded by the Apostles Peter, Paul, and John while walking home with one of her brothers after paying a visit to a married sister, Bonaventura. The vision inspired Catherine to pursue a religious life.   2. She Experienced a Mystical Marriage With Jesus The Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine of Siena, by Giovanni di Paolo, c. 1460. Source: Wikimedia Commons / Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City   While Catherine vowed to dedicate her life to Jesus, her mother still hoped to persuade her daughter to find a husband and marry. Young Catherine initially yielded to Lapa’s pressure to take more care of her appearance, however, she later made her intention to remain a virgin clear by cutting her hair. Her father then allowed her to use a room in the family house to pray and meditate.   In the following years, Catherine spent most of her time in isolation in her room, praying and fasting. Then, around 1368, she experienced a mystical marriage with Jesus Christ. According to her biographer’s account, around the Carnival season, Jesus appeared to Catherine while she was praying in her room and said to the young woman, “Because thou have shunned the vanities of the world and forbidden pleasure, and have fixed on me alone all the desires of thy heart, I intend, while thy family are rejoicing in profane feasts and festivals, to celebrate the wedding which is to unite me to thy soul. I am going, according to my promise to espouse thee in Faith.”   The Ecstasy of Saint Catherine of Siena, by Agostino Carracci, 1590. Source: Wikimedia Commons / Galleria Borghese, Rome   In a letter to Sister Bartolomea Della Seta, Catherine herself recounted her mystical wedding, remarking, “Well seest thou that thou art a bride, and that He has wedded thee and every creature, not with a ring of silver, but with the ring of His Flesh.” The wedding ring was only visible to Catherine.   Known as “spiritual espousals,” the mystical marriages appear in several lives of the Catholic saints. Indeed, in the Old and New Testaments, the link between God and his chosen people is often described as a relationship between a bride and a groom. Celebrated in a ceremony attended by Mary, various saints, and angels, the marriages symbolize a deeper connection with Jesus Christ and his sufferings and inspire the chosen person to become more charitable.   After her vision, Catherine of Siena became more active in her community, tending to the sick in the Hospital of Santa Maria della Scala.   3. She Received the Stigmata Saint Catherine of Siena receiving the stigmata between Saints Benedict and Jerome, by Domenico Beccafumi, 1515. Source: Wikimedia Commons / Pinacoteca Nazionale, Siena   In 1375, Catherine of Siena experienced another pivotal religious ecstasy. According to Raymond of Capua, Catherine confided to him that, during a stay in Pisa to persuade the town’s government not to join the anti-papal league, she saw “my crucified Saviour who descended upon me with a great light; the effort of my soul to go forth to meet its Creator, forced my body to arise. Then from the five openings of the sacred wounds of our Lord, I saw directed upon me bloody rays which struck my hands, my feet and my heart.”   Visible only to herself, Catherine of Siena’s stigmata was officially recognized as valid by Pope Urban VIII in 1623. In Christian mysticism, the stigmata refers to the wound marks corresponding to those inflicted on Jesus Christ by the crucifixion. Often received during religious ecstasies, these alleged miraculous marks may be temporary or permanent and symbolize a special union with Jesus Christ’s suffering. Saint Francis of Assisi was famously the first one to allegedly receive the stigmata.   Today, the wooden crucifix from which Saint Catherine received the stigmata is located in the Church of the Crucifix, a Baroque-style place of worship built in the Shrine of the House of Saint Catherine in Siena.   4. Catherine of Siena Was an Ascetic The room where Catherine of Siena prayed and meditated. Source: Santa Caterina   Throughout her life, Catherine of Siena followed a rigid asceticism. In particular, she was used to fasting frequently to achieve a more complete spiritual union with Jesus Christ. “Knowing as I do that no other food can please or satisfy the soul, I am saying we must walk along the way, and he is the way. What was his food? It was what he ate along this way: pain, disgrace, torment, abuse, and in the end the shameful death of the cross. So we must eat this same food,” she declared in a 1376 letter to Frate Niccolò da Montalcino.   Originating from the Greek askeō, meaning “to exercise” or “training,” asceticism originally referred to abstaining from various pleasures to achieve an ideal level of bodily fitness. In many religions, including Christianity, the term asceticism is linked to the belief that living a simpler life, devoid of physical or psychological desires, preserves a person’s spirituality.   5. She Was a Political Activist View of the Palais de Papes (Palace of the Popes) in Avignon, by Jean-Marc Rosier, 2008. Source: http://www.rosier.pro via Wikimedia Commons   As her following grew, Catherine of Siena began to play an active role in the Papal States’ affairs. In 1309, Pope Clement V moved the papal capital from Rome to Avignon, a town in southeastern France, inaugurating the period known as the Avignon Papacy.   In 1376, Catherine of Siena visited Pope Gregory XI in Avignon, where she sought to negotiate peace in the conflict known as the War of the Eight Saints between the pope and an anti-papal league headed by Florence and lobby for a crusade. While her calls for peace and a crusade did not bear the results she hoped for, Catherine of Siena was more successful in urging Gregory XI to return to Rome, believing that restoring the former papal capital may put an end to the hostilities in the Italian peninsula. Gregory XI finally agreed to leave Avignon the following year.   However, the end of the Avignon Papacy did not benefit the papacy, nor did it bring peace across the peninsula. Following the election of the Bishop of Bari as Pope Urban VI, a group of cardinals in Agnani elected a rival pope (Clement VIII), who, after failing to challenge Urban VI’s legitimacy, relocated to Avignon. It was the beginning of the so-called Great Western Schism, a period when several antipopes vied for power with disastrous results for the papacy’s prestige and political stability in Italy.   During these turbulent years, Catherine of Siena traveled across Tuscany to persuade various local governments not to join anti-papal leagues while urging Urban VI to unite the Catholic Church.   6. She Was Not a Nun The Basilica of Saint Dominic in Siena, photograph by Luca Aless, 2013. Source: Wikimedia Commons   While Catherine of Siena led a deeply religious life, she never became a nun. Instead, she opted to join the Dominican Third Order in Siena, an organization that allowed lay men and women to follow their religious vocation without living in a convent.   In Siena, the tertiaries of the Dominican Order were commonly known as Mantellate (cloaked) after the distinctive cloak they wore above their clothes. As a mantellata, Catherine began gaining widespread attention because of her charity work (especially following her Mystical Marriage) and rigorous lifestyle. Among her growing number of followers were both secular people and members of the clergy.   Around 1370, Catherine began corresponding with several of her disciples, offering advice and encouragement on how to achieve their spiritual goals. Though she had probably already learned to read, she dictated most of her letters.   7. She Died of Starvation Tomb of Saint Catherine of Siena in the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, photograph by Labicanense, 2023. Source: Wikimedia Commons   In the last years of her life, Catherine of Siena’s long-term fasting practice led to a decline in her health. Like other ascetics, Catherine saw fasting as a means to cleanse her body and soul from sins and share Jesus Christ’s sufferings. “In our sufferings we will experience eternal life even in this life. Though we are in pain we will not suffer. Rather, suffering will be refreshing for us when we consider that suffering can make us like Christ crucified in his disgrace,” she declared in one of her letters.   The extreme fasting eventually depleted Catherine’s body. She died in Rome on April 29, 1380, at the age of 33. Her body is buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in the Italian capital. Her thumb and mummified head, however, are revered as relics in the church of St. Dominic in Siena, her hometown in Tuscany. A relic of her foot is in the Basilica of Saints John and Paul in Venice. 8. She Is One of Only Four Women Named Doctors of the Church A page from The Dialogue of Divine Providence, c. 1475. Source: Wikimedia Commons / Biblioteca Europea di Informazione e Cultura, Milan   In 1970, Saint Catherine of Siena became one of the 37 Doctors of the Church, a title only three other women received: St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and St. Hildegard of Bingen. To this day, Catherine of Siena is the only laywoman ever named a Doctor of the Catholic Church.   In the Roman Catholic Church’s theological system, the title of Doctor of the Church is given to saints whose writings are thought to be of particular importance in Catholic Catechism. Before her death, Saint Catherine of Siena recorded her theological doctrine in Il libro della divina dottrina (translated into English around 1475 with the title The Dialogue of Divine Providence).   A combination of four treaties (Of Divine Providence, Of Discretion, Of Prayer, Of Obedience), The Dialogue is a detailed record of the saint’s ecstatic experiences and mysticism written in the form of a series of dialogues between God and Catherine of Siena’s soul. In giving readers direction on how to achieve a deeper connection with God, Catherine often refers to Jesus Christ as a “bridge” between God and the souls of the believers. Indeed, her theology revolves around the figure of Jesus Christ, whom Catherine describes as the symbol of divine love.   Influenced by the works of Saint Augustine and Saint Bernard and written in the Tuscan vernacular of the 14th century, The Dialogue would, in turn, influence early Italian literature. Besides her doctrinal treaty, Catherine of Siena left behind 26 prayers and more than 380 letters. Among her correspondents were influential figures of 14th-century Europe, such as the kings of France and Hungary, the queen of Naples, various members of the Visconti family from Milan, and popes Gregory XI and Urban VI.   9. Catherine of Siena Is a Co-Patron of Italy and Europe Saint Catherine of Siena, by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, c. 1746. Source: Wikimedia Commons / Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna   Canonized in 1461, Saint Catherine of Siena became chief co-patron of Italy in June 1939, sharing the title with Saint Francis of Assisi. Citing the troubling times Italy and Europe were facing (Nazi Germany would invade Poland in September, starting World War II), Pius XII expressed his hope that the two saints, who lived during “extraordinarily difficult times,” would inspire believers through their virtuous examples.   In particular, Pius XII remarked that Saint Catherine (described as “the most powerful and pious virgin”) played an instrumental role in ending the papacy’s “exile” in Avignon, thus acting for the “honor and defense of the Fatherland and Religion.”   In 1999, John Paul II proclaimed Catherine of Siena the patron saint of Europe, declaring: “By the assurance of her bearing and the ardour of her words, the young woman of Siena entered into the thick of the ecclesiastical and social issues of her time.”

When it comes to the Joe Biden White House, the details get more damning by the day -- and the written record proves it. The 46th president's unprecedented blizzard of pardons and commutations in the dying days of his walking-dead presidency have already been tarred by revelations that Biden was...

Sen. Ted Cruz slams Gov. J.B. Pritzker over crime & illegal immigration

DEI has taken root in the world of video games for years, but it may soon be game over for that hopelessly woke initiative. The fight against woke culture spans every industry, and often makes headlines in relation to schools, libraries, retailers, and restaurants. But there’s another space infected by the relentless scourge of wokeness that has likely affected the teenage boys in your life.   It turns out the gaming industry has more pressing issues than just screen time limits. The industry has become a battleground for the culture wars, especially for younger Americans. Now, after one of the most expensive failures in Sony’s history, fans are wondering if the obsession with DEI quotas and virtue signaling in the video game industry has finally reached its breaking point. Less than a year ago, Sony pulled the plug on Concord, a highly anticipated first-person shooter that was billed as the next Overwatch. The game reportedly had a development budget of up to $400 million, though this figure is disputed. Overwatch, the wildly successful shooter that Concord aimed to rival, boasts an estimated 30 million active monthly users. Instead, the title was pulled from online servers just weeks after launch, with full refunds offered to players. Fans had warned early on that the game looked like yet another case of developers prioritizing politics over fun. Still, the absolute magnitude of the disaster was shocking even for the most dialed-in gamer. When it premiered last August, Concord only peaked at 697 concurrent players on its release day on PC, which is a terribly low number for a major release from a company like Sony. By comparison, competing hero shooter Marvel Rivals reached a peak of approximately 600,000 concurrent players shortly after its December 2024 release. Analysts also estimate that only 25,000 copies of Concord were sold, according to IGN. Amid such dismal sales and widespread ridicule, Sony was forced to shut the whole thing down and issue refunds within two weeks of the game’s release date. In a statement from Sony in September 2024 that seemed to echo those sentiments, the company said that “aspects of the game and our initial launch didn’t land the way we’d intended.” The studio attempted to blame the flop on other factors, but users and industry insiders pointed out a major issue with the game that likely contributed to its lack of resonance with players. A former World of Warcraft developer wrote that Concord was “so focused on ‘inclusive’ teams that they forgot the white guys in their game. Inclusive should not mean racist against white people, but it too often does.” Another person on X agreed, saying the game “features five black women, four aliens, three robots, and one white man. It’s incredibly diverse and non-heteronormative. Plus, it has pronouns. Are you excited?” Concord is a new progressive and modern shooter for Pc & Playstation. It features five black women, four aliens, three robots, and one white man. It’s incredibly diverse and non-heteronormative. Plus, it has pronouns. Are you excited? ? pic.twitter.com/DpLfjIvpp1 — LearningTheLaw ✝️ (@Mangalawyer) May 31, 2024 Even Elon Musk chimed in to say that he was frustrated with “DEI woke bullsh*t” that’s ruining video games. Elon Musk: Can you just leave the video games alone? “It’s really annoying when a video game gets interrupted by some DEI woke bullshit. And I’m like, Jesus, I was playing a video game here. Can you just leave the video games alone? You don’t want to do things that damage art.… pic.twitter.com/cMrMZZBctN — ELON CLIPS (@ElonClipsX) November 24, 2024 And it’s not just this one game. Last fall, Call of Duty caught heat for introducing Volta Rossi, a “nonbinary” character who uses they/them pronouns.  One person who understands why gamers are so fed up is Jason Ruchelski, better known online as jasonR. He’s a former professional Counter-Strike player who now streams to thousands of fans on Twitch. He’s lived through the rise of DEI and cancel culture in gaming firsthand. “As far as I’m concerned, there has been a massive shift in how people and how the demographic of this industry kind of looks at this cancel culture, woke type stuff,” Jason said. “If you would have asked two or three years ago, everyone was terrified. Every developer, every gamer, every streamer was scared to say anything wrong because of cancel culture.” That fear was not unfounded. Jason himself went viral in 2019 when he revealed that, as a married man, he refused to play online with women to avoid drama and protect his relationship. The backlash, he explained, was extreme. “I was trending on Twitter for two weeks straight,” he recalled. “I was called a sexist, a misogynist. They even went after my wife. All because I set boundaries.” Jason’s story highlights a broader trend where traditional boundaries are punished in the name of “progress.” But he says, fortunately, the tide is starting to turn in the gaming industry. “In the last year, maybe two years, there has been a dramatic shift,” he said. “Games are flopping because they’re adding in woke or DEI stuff. Movies are flopping. The industry is so dry because people are turning so heavily against it. There’s just nothing these games can hold on to, so they’re dying.” Concord is the most recent example of a massive flop. Players mocked the game’s roster of “ugly,” DEI-inspired characters and complained about being forced to use preferred pronouns. On Reddit, fans pointed out that developers seemed more focused on “representation checklists” than on actual gameplay.  As one commenter said, “They keep insisting we asked for this stuff. We didn’t. No one did.” Jason said he believes there may have been some activists asking for leftist elements in games, but that group was far outnumbered by normal players who either didn’t care or were annoyed by it. “The people these [developers] are listening to are just the loudest. They’re not the ones actually playing your game,” he said. “They’re the ones offended on Twitter. But they’re not buying your product. And finally, people are starting to realize that.” That “vocal minority” effect has been seen across industries, from Cracker Barrel to Hollywood. In gaming, it’s played out in absurd ways. Jason recalled one instance from Valorant, another massively popular first-person shooter game, where developers introduced a “they/them” character. “The whole community of streamers started banning viewers for not using the right pronouns,” he said. “If you called the character a ‘he’ or ‘she’ by accident, you were permanently banned from the chat. They even pinned comments saying, ‘if you don’t respect the pronouns, you’ll be banned.’ And this was all over a fictional character.” The result? Players were on edge in a space that was supposed to be fun. For Jason, it all circles back to authenticity. “Back in the day, you’d turn on your stream because you loved the game and wanted to build a community. Now it’s, let me turn on my stream and see what people want me to love,” he said. “It’s all fake people, fake content creators, just searching for income. The genuineness has flown out the window.” Still, he’s cautiously optimistic. “Yes, there’s been a shift. But now you have people trying to be edgy, standing on that line of being canceled because that’s what gets them fame. So it’s fake in a different way,” he explained. “Nobody knows what anyone really believes anymore. It’s just a big show.” He also offered some advice for game developers who want to avoid creating the next Concord. “Focus on your product. Quit worrying about what Twitter thinks. Be innovative. Stop recycling the same boxes to check. Just make the best game you can,” he recommended. That may sound simple, but as Jason pointed out, too many developers have convinced themselves that the majority of gamers care about pronouns, rainbow flags, and inclusiveness. In reality, they just want to play the game. And at the end of the day, it’s all about the money. The Concord flop led to a major shakeup at Sony, with leadership admitting that “increased oversight” was now necessary for future games. It’s safe to assume they won’t let another $400 million flop happen because developers are obsessed with pushing some DEI agenda. Meanwhile, gamers are making their preferences loud and clear: make great games, and keep the identity politics out of it.

All the biggest science news stories of the week.

It’s been 56 years since NASA landed the first humans on the moon. Since then, our knowledge and technology has exploded. Today, we know more than ever about space exploration, computing, robotics, and materials science — far surpassing the capabilities and innovations that made the Apollo 11 mission possible.So why haven’t we been back?Former nominee for NASA administrator Jared Isaacman tells Glenn Beck that the bureaucracy at NASA is what’s barring America from achieving her potential in space.“There needs to be some sort of a reorganization of the agency so you can kind of get back to concentrating on the real needle movers — the things that if NASA doesn't do it, no one will, or if it is done, it'll be done by the Chinese or the Russians,” he says. Another moon landing is important, says Isaacman, because of “what we may learn from a scientific perspective,” the potential for “economic benefit,” and for reasons related to “national security.”But “despite having a space station up there for 20 years, the biggest accomplishment we've had is keeping people alive continuously for 20 years in the harsh environment of space, which is good. But we haven't figured out that magic wand” that “treats cancer” or “improves technology,” he says.The problem isn’t that we can’t get to the moon; it’s that we keep standing in our own way.“There's a lot of bureaucracy [at NASA] that's impeding progress,” says Isaacman.For example, “NASA has yet to approve iPhones to go to the space station for their astronauts,” even though Russian astronauts have consistently brought theirs to the space station and even share them with American astronauts.Isaacman says this is a “petty example,” but it paints a picture of just how severe NASA’s bureaucracy is.One of the main problems, he says, is that “we've become very risk averse.”But “there are some risks worth taking. Exploring the worlds beyond ours is a risk worth taking. You're not going to get there if you're not accepting some risk,” he says.But how can we even begin to take calculated risks when there are “50 different departments” at NASA dedicated to safety?“That's not to say safety isn't important, but if you have lots of people in a position to say no rather than bubbling it up logically to a single organization, it's going to be easier to just say no,” says Isaacman. “I mean the best way to keep astronauts and pilots safe is don't fly and don't go to space.”To hear more of the conversation, watch the full interview above.Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.