My ramble on Yimpy from Mouthwash

No one is really going to read this because 1. Who actually uses SpaceHey for (somewhat) insightful media rants and 2. I will probably limit this post to friends. 

MOUTHWASHING is an incredibly well-crafted psychological horror indie game and the praise it receives is a solid testament to that. Now if you're familiar with the game (or perhaps the fandom in general) you've probably heard the substantially deprecating jokes on a certain character— which also happens to be the protagonist— Jimmy. You may know him from the multiple aliases the fandom has chosen to give him instead; Jimstraining order, Jambalaya, Jingle bells, and the list goes on.

In this ramble/discussion or whatever you choose to call it, I'll be talking about my stance on Jimmy's overall character and role in Mouthwashing. (BEFORE you jump to assumptions, NO I am not writing this with the intention of justifying anything that Jimmy has done, nor am I supporting them because honestly? That's fucked up!)

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Is it wrong to like Jimmy?

I'm not going to elaborate on everything Jimmy did, just for clarification. Simply put he is a terrible person.

DESPITE this being vividly depicted in the game's story, there seem to be a lot of people actively including Jimmy in fanmade content, albeit fanart, edits, fanfiction and etc. Which, isn't a crime. In many fandoms, people tend to gravitate towards villains and antagonists due to varying factors. Character design, complexity, lore. (I'm no stranger to loving villains. The Riddler is one of my favourite characters of all time— the dudes a terr0rist.) In Jimmy's case, many people find his character to be extremely well-written. I agree! Mouthwashing raises the bar on character exploration very high. In the beginning of the game, it's natural for someone to take Jimmy's side in things but later discover he was a unreliable narrator all along.

But is it wrong to say you like him?

It depends on context. Naturally, I hate Jimmy as much as the next person. However, I can appreciate the craft behind delving into a mind so twisted and damaged like Jimmy's— understanding the way he operates and why, even when the 'justification' is simply, unjust. 

Now, if you like Jimmy in a way that's leaning toward infatuating, that's a concern for many, and perhaps you should re-evaluate your life choices. The amount of times I've seen Jimmy fanart drawn in ways making him seem "attractive" and in deep contrast to the real monster he is in the game is BEYOND ME. Stay safe! Don't fall victim to Jimmy propaganda!

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Jimmy is a victim.

Something I don't often see people talk about. There's tidbits of the game that exposes Jimmy's situation back on earth, noting that he probably struggled a lot and never settled into a stable job— leading up to where Curly helped him get a position as co-pilot on the Tulpar. I think it's safe to assume that Jimmy has probably never/rarely worked under a corporate job long enough to know the struggle behind it, too. Especially a corporation like Pony Express.

Now, it's definitely apparent to most that working corporate > being jobless because even if the job is tireless, you're still getting paid. To Curly, despite being at the top of the corporate ladder, he complains to Jimmy about the unsatisfactory lump growing inside him despite "having it all". Curly wishes he could turn back, climb a different ladder. (And for good reason! I'll elaborate on this later.)*

Now, Jimmy (the selfish little prick that he is) doesn't actually show any compassion or worry about Curly's emotional vent session. He takes Curly's complaints as ungratefulness, further adding fuel to the burning fire inside him that I can only label as envy.

*Curly wishes he could turn back, climb a different ladder. It's written all over the Tulpar. Multiple Polle posters are scattered throughout the hallways, indicating the inhumane work ethics subjected onto Pony Express employees, and Curly is no exception. He is, let alone the captain of the Tulpar, too. Mouthwashing shows the irony of the glory and success a corporate job can offer, yet the deprecating effects on its workers belies that. Jimmy doesn't see that. He doesn't see the latter. 

In short, Jimmy is a VICTIM to corporate lies and societal expectations. He's affected by Curly's words when he mentions Jimmy's "struggle on earth". Jimmy is blindly chasing the "success" that's so-called promised to him if he ever reached the top of a corporate ladder (becoming the captain) only to be hit by the brutal reality that— the higher you climb, the bigger the expectations, the heavier the responsibility.

Does this justify his actions on the ship? OF COURSE NOT. Curly was subjected to the horrible treatment Pony Express gave him! Even Swansea was a victim to chasing "success" by working under Pony Express, only to later come to terms that— the best moments of his life was wasting away on his couch. Swansea saw himself in Jimmy, someone blinded by societal expectations, BUT HE CAME TO TERMS, and he took responsibility more than Jimmy ever could. 

In short, Mouthwashing perfectly depicts the harm an evil corporation has on their workers. How the sheer pressure of simply making a living can subject someone to horrible lengths, but of course, it boils down to how the individual copes with this reality. 

What Jimmy did on the Tulpar isn't justifiable by any means just beacause he fell victim to these schemes.

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That's all for my rant! I do believe there's more I'd like to discuss and elaborate properly, so I apologize if there's anything that doesn't quite line up.

Thank you for reading, if you even made it this far.