[
Due to popular demand, this post has now been proofread and corrected. Enjoy the revised version, as it was intended to be read.]
As a backlash to the backlash that was/is the Resident Evil 5 debacle a couple of days ago with N'Gai Croal leading the way, I reacted to what a lot of people were seeing/reading in his comments made about the trailer.
Time and time again, people were coming with comments like "well in RE4 you shoot Spaniards, and that's OK?" This is not the point, and Croal,
among others tried to emphasize that over and over again, and
still get the same fucking response!
I had some issues with Croal's statement early on, because his thoughts didn't correspond at all to my thoughts about the trailer. Then I started looking, and noticed what he meant. It was just that, to me this wasn't what the trailer showed. I saw a depraved village in Africa/Haiti where the people where impoverished and trying to cope with reality. And thats not happy-go-fun-time. For anyone.
I've talked to South Africans myself who come from parts that are plagued by alcoholism, pedophilia and extreme poverty. A few years back, I saw a South African play about these issues with my class, and had a discussion about it with the actors afterward. We each had to do research and write a paper about a specific part we found interesting. So I've studied this, read about it and written about it before. Not trying to sound like an ass, but I'm an educated consumer when it comes to this matter.
What Croal was suggesting is that the imagery holds a history, a weight that just simply can't be lifted, and therefor you have to be careful when you're dealing with these issues. I don't agree, but I understand what he's saying. The problem is, dick-warning, not all people are educated consumers like myself in this matter.
A lot of people didn't understand. Jim didn't. Even though his arguments were well informed and intellectual, he seemed to have missed the entire point. Like so many others.
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I know, that's very oblivious of me to say, but dammit, Aim and Pew the zombies sounds alot more fun than the social implications of using the background of a third world country where one race is killing another. You know?
Also, no ent in correspond. And no me in some.
Sure it has a history to it but I bet N'Gai wouldn't care about the game if it was set in a dilapidated, war torn area of Eastern Europe or impovished areas of China.
again, i don't think this should be regulated or censured, because you should be able to do anything and everything when it comes to art. but you have handle some things with care and understand what kind of message you're sending out.
And what message do you think Capcom is sending out by making RE5? That they don't care about African villages because they get "virused"?
Again. Your statements are proving that you've completely missed the point. I'm not going to try to explain it either since Xper's blog already does and it's still gone straight over your head.
How is he playing the race card? I need a full quote; not taken out of context.
You may be smarter, but I grammar better, even if I do verb words occasionally. ;P
He noticed it, I believe, in part because he is black. And, he was *asked about it* because of a discussion about black people in games. I don't think he'd make a comment about the game being based on another setting, or another race, because either the weighted imagery is not there, or he wouldn't necessarily see it. Which I think is fine. But I'd understand if someone else, of that race/culture/nationality would.
By saying "playing the race card", I feel like you're immediately shutting down to any discussion of race, perception, culture, or anything.
but we don't take kindly to trolls around here. i've seen you before, i know what you're about.
It hits you for 9000hp
TheDespised has slain xper's Grammar Ability.
zper's Argument takes no damage.
Isnt that how the old saying goes?
"Neglect or regret the past, and your bound to repeat it?"
I know Im butchering the quote, but you get the idea.
Shakespeare used to have two iterations of his plays, the dummy play for the peasants, and then the regular play for the educated. And, within that "educated" play, there were different levels, meanings and allusions from the face value of the story.
I think RE5 could pull off something special by at once being a kick as game (which I don't think many could doubt) AND a game that makes a statement or at the very least plays with/into the idea of discussing racial/cultural perceptions. Its kind of what I personally hope happens with the game.
But its also completely possible that the discreet end product they're putting out can look like something they totally didn't intend, just for a non-malicious lack of cultural awareness.
MISTA SPARKAAAAA!!!
For the most part I believe Shakespeare didnt hide his true intentions with his play, there was social commentary for those who chose to delve deeper into what he wrote. But just like any book or movie that you want to dissect and analyze, Im sure you can pull comparisons to just about everything, from social status, phiolosphy, etc.
It would be awesome if they managed to make a crazy awesome story that really delves deep into racism and its impact on society. But this is fucking Resident evil.
Fucking "JILL SANDIWCH" resident evil. I highly doubt theyll put too much thought into the dialogue, let ALONE the story.
so, if we weren't acknowledging it, we would be bound to repeat the past. and so, isn't this a more appropriate quote:
"Those who fail to understand past mistakes, are bound to repeat them."
Yeah I know my quote was wrong, I think I said that like twice in ym post..heh, thats the right one. Same gist man. dont split hairs.
and it's not the same gist man, even if you got it wrong, you said something completely different. and if you meant the quote that i wrote, then your whole argument falls to the ground.
"if we're going to be sensitive about things in the past, then we're bound to repeat it". that's not what the quote i wrote says at all. it's the opposite, in fact.
so if we fail to understand past mistakes, which we will if we stop acknowledging history and be "sensitive" about it, then we're bound to repeat it.
i like splitting hairs.
hm i think we mean the same thing here... i thought your comments about being sensitive involved croal's reaction, and his acknowledgment of an issue. i thought that "being sensitive" involved acknowledging and getting upset, and should be avoided.
we are clearly on the same page if you mean this: acknowledge an issue, and history won't repeat itself.
are we on the same page?
-thumbs up- glad we came to an agreement :)
Meeeeemorieees. hahaha :D
I dunno, just seems like a waste of a great opportunity to add some weight to the medium
But yeah. This is "JILL SANDWICH" Resident Evil we're talking about here. I'm not holding my breath.