Poll: Is Resident Evil 5 Racist?

[anti_strunt]

A lot of people forget Capcom do not make games to perpetuate any myths, or to make any political point. Resident Evils are, and always have been, fucking silly little games with dodgy dialogue about killing zombies. End of.

After years of being stuck in dank urban environments, and the series crashed downhill, RE4 put the series in a rural, alien environment where it had never been before. The change worked, and the game was a roaring success, criticially and commercially. So, any company with half a brain would naturally want to set the game in an unusual (in that many games avoid being set there), alien environment again so they can continue making piles off money off it! It seems like Africa was chosen as a location based on continuing the success of RE4 rather than to elicit any dread from the setting.
People forget another change made by RE4 was the gameplay - it's not even a survival horror, ergo not scary! The pace was shifted much more towards action, and so it seems to be the case with RE5 - the horror and "dread" apparently given off by the setting clearly takes a back seat to an increased pace and more action.

A lot of people forget to not make crazy straw man arguments. Unless of course there was a post claming that Capcom is actually a cover for a secret racist cabal with no concerns in the world other than hating black people and always portraying them in the worst possible way which I accidentaly missed.

19th-century minstrel shows also cared about nothing other than making money, fuck, so did the damned slave owners! They didn't keep slaves just because they hated black people and wanted to take every opportunity mistreating them, but to make loads of money using cheap labour for picking cotton.

Racism is not only direct, punch-to-the-face, burning cross genocidal hatred. It is much, much more than that which is one of the very reasons why it's so dangerous. To think that nothing not brandishing a swastika in one hand and a good hangin' rope in the other can ever possibly be racist is silly. As I've repeatedly stated, it doesn't take ill intent - only ignorance, apathy or poor understanding - to perpetuate racism.

 

[GuerrillaClock]

A lot of people forget to not make crazy straw man arguments. Unless there was a post claming that Capcom is actually a cover for a secret racist cabal with no concerns in the world other than hating black people and always portraying them in the worst possible way which I missed.

19th-century minstrel shows also cared about nothing other than making money, fuck, so did the damned slave owners! They didn't keep slaves just because they hated black people and wanted to take every opportunity mistreating them, but to make loads of money using cheap labour for picking cotton.

Racism is not only direct, punch-to-the-face, burning cross genocidal hatred. It is much, much more than that which is one of the very reasons why it's so dangerous. To think that nothing not brandishing a swastika in one hand and a good hangin' rope in the other can ever possibly be racist is silly. As I've repeatedly stated, it doesn't take ill intent - only ignorance, apathy or poor understanding - to perpetuate racism.

What? My point was that RE5 is set in Africa purely to continue in the successful vein of RE4, and that simply setting a game there is not insensitive. Given the commercial reasons for the setting (which you can hardly blame them for), then the point which has been raised a trillion times before comes back into play - if it is going to be set in Africa, it should have black enemies. This is not ignorance, nor is it insensitive.

No one raised this point with CoD4 being (partially) set in a country very clearly meant to be Iraq and dealing with the touchy and very current subject of terrorism. It is a commercial decision which in no way perpetuates racism, and if you're implying RE5 is exploitative of blacks by comparing it to slavery then you should be thoroughly ashamed. You are not killing black people, nor are you even killing humans for that matter, the colour of their skin and the setting is totally irrelevant. It's just a game, and it's just as easy to argue that saying the setting IS relevant is more ignorant than not thinking twice - I am sure the majority of African villages don't give a damn about RE5, so why should any of us?

Oh, and please stop dismissing every point against you as a "straw man" argument, it serves no purpose whatsoever makes you sound quite arrogant.

 

[anti_strunt]

What? My point was that RE5 is set in Africa purely to continue in the successful vein of RE4, and that simply setting a game there is not insensitive. Given the commercial reasons for the setting (which you can hardly blame them for), then the point which has been raised a trillion times before comes back into play - if it is going to be set in Africa, it should have black enemies. This is not ignorance, nor is it insensitive.

Claiming that the game was accused of racism only because it portrayed Africans as inhabiting Africa is a straw man argument. No sane person would argue that there shouldn't be black people around in such a location. The question is why they picked Africa as their location and how they portray it. That it is just about the most commonly mentioned argument in the thread only speaks of the quality of the debate.

I elaborate here:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.78737?page=6#997643
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.78737?page=6#997676

No one raised this point with CoD4 being (partially) set in a country very clearly meant to be Iraq and dealing with the touchy and very current subject of terrorism. It is a commercial decision which in no way perpetuates racism, and if you're implying RE5 is exploitative of blacks by comparing it to slavery then you should be thoroughly ashamed. You are not killing black people, nor are you even killing humans for that matter, the colour of their skin and the setting is totally irrelevant. It's just a game, and it's just as easy to argue that saying the setting IS relevant is more ignorant than not thinking twice - I am sure the majority of African villages don't give a damn about RE5, so why should any of us?

I haven't heard many complaints about FarCry 2 (a fact I've mentioned before), but this only further disproves the silly "They don't want Africans in Africa" argument. To quote myself:

Consider this though: if this was only about knee-jerk political correctness against any portrayal of Africa what-so-ever, where is the storm of rage about FarCry 2?

Perhaps there is controversy here because the portrayal is less well balanced, or at least appears to be so based on present information.

Oh, and please stop dismissing every point against you as a "straw man" argument, it serves no purpose whatsoever makes you sound quite arrogant.

As I have mentioned, the most frequently mentioned argument is a straw man and should be called out as such.

I do however apologise of accusing you directly. That was unnecessarily antagonistic.

My point was only this: racism need not come out of hate. A commercial decision can still perpetuate racism. While involving slavery might have been a bit abrupt and too deliberately "attention grabbing", you should note that I didn't make a direct comparison between this game and slavery. I only pointed out that a decision can make all the commercial sense in the world, and still be racist. Commercialism, for all its vaunted rationalism, does not offer fool-proof protection against racism.

 

[Rahnzan]

If you took a game setting to China, and your protagonist wasn't Chinese, but the majority, if not all of the enemies in the game happened to be Chinese. Would you consider the game to be racist against the Chinese? I'd call it proper setting. What sense would it make to go to Africa and find the Australians all over the place?

Dead Space lets you kick mutated baby fetuses, unborn or otherwise. Why hasn't anyone hopped on THAT gravy train yet? Because it's a game. How screwed up would it be if the game designers built up Africa to look like a country featuring a bunch of cities that leapt right out of Mirror's Edge? Maybe this game can build some awareness in the game. There are likely ignorants out there who will play RE4 and think the Spaniards actually live in those conditions and wish to help them, maybe this game will do the same for Africa where there actually are problems.

 

[GuerrillaClock]

My point was only this: racism need not come out of hate. A commercial decision can still perpetuate racism. While involving slavery might have been a bit abrupt and too deliberately "attention grabbing", you should note that I didn't make a direct comparison between this game and slavery. I only pointed out that a decision can make all the commercial sense in the world, and still be racist. Commercialism, for all its vaunted rationalism, does not offer fool-proof protection against racism.

But is having the faintest potential to perpetuate racism the same as actually being racist? Potentially, nigh on everything has the potential to perpetuate racist behaviour in some form or another, and although racism is a real problem in the world, I find it somewhat silly to jump on a game purely for being in a setting which has been rarely used by designers. This is not aimed at you in particular, rather the likes of N'Gai Croal who seemed to make it an issue because it was a slow news week.

 

[anti_strunt]

My point was only this: racism need not come out of hate. A commercial decision can still perpetuate racism. While involving slavery might have been a bit abrupt and too deliberately "attention grabbing", you should note that I didn't make a direct comparison between this game and slavery. I only pointed out that a decision can make all the commercial sense in the world, and still be racist. Commercialism, for all its vaunted rationalism, does not offer fool-proof protection against racism.

But is having the faintest potential to perpetuate racism the same as actually being racist? Potentially, nigh on everything has the potential to perpetuate racist behaviour in some form or another, and although racism is a real problem in the world, I find it somewhat silly to jump on a game purely for being in a setting which has been rarely used by designers. This is not aimed at you in particular, rather the likes of N'Gai Croal who seemed to make it an issue because it was a slow news week.

Perfectly true, of course. We can't be completely, 100% sure that we aren't doing some perpetuating right now, even as we speak. But no one said it was supposed to be easy to be human!

I'm sure most of the mass-media hot air is nothing but just that, but I won't extol the game until I have the final product in my hands. Who knows; Capcom might drop the ball completely and prove all the critics right, although I certainly hope not.

 

[Worr Monger]

It's not racist, they gave you a black (sort of) female partner.

So it's ok. They played it safe.

 

[Mizaki]

I would really like to know why this thread is so long. This is stupid. The fact that people cry racism about everything is why racism stays afloat. Calling this game racist supports notions like "seperate but equal" which causes racial tension in the first place.

 

[Ray Huling]

The fact that people cry racism about everything is why racism stays afloat.

I don't know what you mean exactly by "stays afloat", but if you're trying to suggest that racism is the fault of minorities who complain about racism, you're wrong.

 

[Maddenfreak]

im a gonna say, no

 

[Cheesebob]

Can't any game have black enemies without it being called racist?

 

[Mizaki]

The fact that people cry racism about everything is why racism stays afloat.

I don't know what you mean exactly by "stays afloat", but if you're trying to suggest that racism is the fault of minorities who complain about racism, you're wrong.

No, I mean the non-minorities who compalin about nonexistant racism against minorities. I mean when a white person tells a black person to not use the "n word" and whatnot.

When I say "stays afloat" I mean that most racism I see is 'percieved racism' where people just whine on the internet about it.

 

[Nebiros3]

In bad taste? Maybe a little bit, considering the situation over there. Racist? Not really. Zombies are all equal in the sights of my gun!

 

[Nivag the Owl]

Racism has been blown completely out of reason. I PERSONALLY just try to imagine the same situation but with my race. If I wouldn't find it racist then I don't see how it could be racist to anyone else. Before you flame me for that, I do of course mean if it's a stereotype attack or an attack based on the cultures past, I'll think of the equivillent, not just the same one directed at me. I know that Political Correctness nowadays pretty much just means give smypathy to anyone who isn't a white male. So officially, YES! It's stupidly racist.

P.S. No.

 

[Lukeydoodly]

Of course it isnt you idiot.

Oh its fine killing white people but not black? THATS racism!

Why do you have to call the people which bring up this issue idiots?
You're what's wrong with the gaming industry, instead of acting maturely and explaining in a polite way why they're wrong you instead decide to take the easy prick way. Seriously why is that? Is it Internet anonymity that entitles you to say such things?

Yes.

 

[Ray Huling]

No, I mean the non-minorities who compalin about nonexistant racism against minorities. I mean when a white person tells a black person to not use the "n word" and whatnot.

Which happens just about never and isn't happening here.

 

[Bulletinmybrain]

The game is in Africa. STFU YOU HOOTING DICKWADS THAT CALLED RACISM BECAUSE YOU FIGHT BLACK PEOPLE.

Has this not been done to death?

/Violent Vent.

 

[shadow skill]

The game is in Africa. STFU YOU HOOTING DICKWADS THAT CALLED RACISM BECAUSE YOU FIGHT BLACK PEOPLE.

Has this not been done to death?

/Violent Vent.

Where are all of these people? Where are they?!

 

[Mizaki]

No, I mean the non-minorities who compalin about nonexistant racism against minorities. I mean when a white person tells a black person to not use the "n word" and whatnot.

Which happens just about never and isn't happening here.

I wanted to say something witty until I re-read that. And realized that I shouldn't bother arguing with you. No matter what section of my post you decide to belittle with empty one-liners, the fact still remains:

This thread is pointlessly long. There isn't any progress going here. It's just people spouting whatever they feel like. I would've never thought of racism if nobody decided to start whining about what they thought it was. The point I was trying to make in the first place is alot of the racism that is percieved in entertainment is all in the person's head. They read incredibly far into it and start making up the intent of the creator. They start using the word "maybe" which then leads to "it is" because they become so sure of themselves. I did support what I said in both posts but it was skillfully left out of the quote, so I will now break it down to you. Ready? Okay.

1. Seperate but equal. That is the biggest sore spot. If in a game, black people being on the hostile side = racism, then isn't the person complaining about it implying that black people are, as a whole, different? Seperate? Not of the same class? Untouchable, even. That's unfair to themselves, actually. As far as I can see, there aren't undertones or overtones of racism. If you look for them, however, you probably will see them in the same way people see religious figures in their toast.

2. Stays afloat, meaning that alot of the time, it isn't even intentional, but people keep picking at the scab of racial tension. I see it way too often. Somebody says something with an innocent intent, and somebody whips it out of context and goes "THAT'S RACIST". Have you heard about the 'black hole' controversy? Hmmm. I get the feeling that the first person to quote me is implying that I'm blaming racism itself on minorities, and no, that's just mean. Incredibly mean. So I will give an analogy to explain what I meant: Something that is floating is visible. If it is offensive to the person seeing it, if it floats, it will bother them. However, if it sinks, it may still exist, but it is not visible, and the offended can do what they do and not experience its sight or whatever other affect it has on them. Buuuut, to continually lift it with their hands.. they're asking for the discomfort.

In the end, however, -Ism does not mean 'hatred of'. It means 'practice and theory of'. Remember that.