The DoFuss Podcast – Aimlessly Wandering
Like my art home work back at high school just getting this one in just in time. After the last rather light podcast we have hit back with a content packed but somewhat undirected episode. So a full month of gaming and news fill the majority of the show.
Darren takes on the iPhone discussion, yet some how manages to keep it retro with Pole Position and Wonder Boy. I try to keep things more current we head back to Resident Evil 5 and rub on a little Madworld. Then we avoid talking about the Watchmen.
News is sprinkled through out. We touch on a number of topics that have been affecting gaming in the UK recently. Then we bitch about Nintendo. Because they deserve it sometimes. We wrap up with the usual Darren’s old games with is a breathless summation of the wonderful Sensible Software.
Tags: iPhone, Mad World, Nintendo, Racism, Resident Evil, Sensible Software, UK, Watchmen
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Sorry, wrong file up for a bit there. I think we are all good now though.
I downloaded the new one this morning, it seemed to be working.
I cannot comment on any potential racism in RE5 but there have certainly been some folks out there who were personally offended by it. Some of them expressed rational explanations of their feelings (see the COOP video podcast) while others just got angry and indignant (see BlackTokyo.com). I don’t think you’re song is going to convince either side to reconsider their position, but it made me giggle. I will eventually have to play this game and see it for myself.
Tough break about the Wii 4.0 firmware killing Freeloader. I can’t believe they’re still spending so much time and effort to protect their antiquated region-locking philosophy. That’s the biggest reason I don’t want a DSi!
PS: I hate to break it to you, but you’re BOTH the John Davison of the podcast. Minus the wife and kids, of course.
I have not heard/seen the BlackTokyo comments (I will look soon) but the reactions on COOP I personally didnt agree with. But thats the beauty of it every one can have their opinion and reaction to it and all are valid (never expected the song to change peoples minds).
To the question is the game racist though I feel it is unfair to claim it is. Or at least an more so than any other media which included race. We have to consider who made it and the legacy it has. A great many people say that blowing away Spaniards is okay because they once ruled the world but in fact the exact same stages were moved through. First the crazy villagers (no black zombies here and I believe there are black people in Spain) then the regression to a past culture. It’s just fortunate that stereotyped historical elements of Spanish culture are more flattering than the majority of African countries.
Personally I find the suggested shared consciousness more of a concern because to regress the knowledge of that behavior would have to be present. Interesting implications there.
Simply many of us currently commenting are aware of the environment where this was produced and where it was received. It is totally acceptable to believe that Japan opinions of race are naive but I don’t feel they ever actually perceived as disrespectful or condescending withing the Japanese audience. There is a lot of media consumption of a wide range of African cultures. Celebrities regularly take trips and immerse themselves in the culture more than I am ever aware of their western contemporaries doing so. I cant help but feel Capcom drew a lot of their inspiration from the popularity of these shows. The nativity in this however is seen in something that was said on the COOP (or maybe Rebel FM) show which was that the cultures they drew on were blended in a way that would never be seen withing the a single real country.
The majority of consumers however are not in this environment. They exist in a country where the issues of race are more sensitive and they have to be placed within the context of that environment. Where the race images used could be perceived as racist.
It all reminds me of a South Park line though – ‘Token, I get it now! I don’t get it!’ And maybe I never will. I have never lived in a country where I have been openly discriminated against, or were my races history culture had been used as an attack against me. I would make me more sensitive to things which drew on element of history being used insensitively in media.
That brings it right back to “intent,” because you and I HAVE been discriminated against because we live in Japan. We’re judged and pigeonholed a hundred times a day by Japanese people simply because we’re white guys. It’s not because everyone in this country hates us, it’s simply because they all have very specific ideas about what a “foreigner” is and how they behave.
I think a lot of the (apparent) racist imagery in Resident Evil 5 is born out of that Japanese naivete. This is a country that still uses blackface (and whiteface, honestly) without remorse. As you said, the game seems to openly channel B-movies and use representations with a history in film. It just so happens that some of the images the chose (natives in grass skirts) carry an extra level of baggage in the West. There’s no way the Japanese could have known that…even though they should really know by now that blackface isn’t cool.
I agree with that. Its also why I said openly. Though maybe I should have said actively. Or even vindictively.
I don’t know names but they have a Japanese guy as Obama (who they have describe with some interesting animal similes) and a guy whited out as Tarenteno. No body bats an eye.
Maybe that is my real problem. I coming at it with all these environmental factors, and knowledge of its background. Like I said (or am saying in the post I’m writing) its experience that determines reaction to these things.
I remember that I didnt ever realise the uproar to Obama becoming president was because he was black. It honestly didn’t cross my mind. I just though people were happy to see the back of Bush.