Wow. I really enjoyed this game.
I thought it was interesting that when you talked to people, the conversation bubble had a black and a white area, and the waves you sent out came from your particular color, and that the whole point was to meet in the middle. Then, with every successful wave, their side of the bubble would grow more and more gray. I also thought it was interesting that even though you turned their side of the conversation bubble gray, instead of turning gray themselves, they still turned to one extreme (either black or white) when they "converted". I kind of saw that this way: Once you presented a valid argument, instead of just changing and reevaluating their view points, they blindly followed yours just because you made a good case. To me it was a very good example of people's need to be led, a weakness of will that seems to be present in many of us (especially in America). Just as your arguments are meeting theirs in the middle, you have to remember, their arguments are meeting yours as well. And since they are making valid points, it leads you to question your own beliefs. This brings the change.
When your character switches sides, maybe it's because he is confused. Through learning about the beliefs of the other group, he's realized that there is a good reason they are fighting for their own ideals. And this process repeats itself until he realizes that neither side is entirely correct, and that the only way to solve the conflict is to say, "To each, his own."
And I'm not sure how to look at what happens after your character turns gray. Maybe it's the fact that it was a neutral point of view, and therefore a very peaceful or non confrontational one, and there is an overabundance of people in the world who refuse to just let things be. It's this attitude of self-importance. Very few will put away their pride and agree to compromise. And in the United States, specifically, the majority of people seem to have a need, or a craving for dramatics. No one is willing to listen to the person who is telling them to just let their fellow man make his own choices instead of trying to force the views that they think are right. We all are indoctrinated to have a specific sense of right and wrong. Black and white. But there are so many variables, and so many different interpretations of things, that in all actuality, nothing is black and white. Just shades of gray. And it's those variables and interpretations which cause your character to switch sides in the first place. And there's always a point when you can't take the conflict any more, and to find any peace, you have to relinquish your opinions, because really, they are inconsequential. And far too many people never realize that in order for there to be true peace, you must let go of concrete belief. This can be said for politics, religion, war, interpersonal relationships...Pretty much every part of life.
The only thing that confused me is, why was your character the only one trying to talk to people. Everyone else was rioting in the streets. What makes you so special? Why weren't there other little guys running around trying to "talk sense" into the other faction? Why weren't there other grays? I guess maybe that's over-analytical. Those questions may not even matter, and are probably straying far from the overall point. Though, there is no exact point, since it's open for interpretation.
Lastly, I think that when interpreting this game, you have to take into consideration the commentary within the game. You can't just see things black and white. So in your interpretation, you always have to keep an open mind and leave room for alternative ideas. The way I looked at it might not be right. In fact, I can safely say it's not at all right. And the same can be said for everyone else on this forum. I've really enjoyed seeing how the meanings that other people carried away from it (or didn't) were so different from, or very similar to my own. Not once did I say, "Oh yeah, that guy is misled." All I want to know now is this: what about the artist's interpretation? There's no way the maker of this game could have just made it without any of their own ideas on the situation depicted.
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Maybe because the protagonist is suppose to interpret you. Maybe your gray isn't another persons gray. Why even be gray, why not think outside the box, not be blue or green or whatever but something else? Besides, from what I observe you may be gray and say you are a wise person among sheep, and many others think the same thing. The question is , are you (we) really not a sheep?
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