Raiford Guins: User Generated Content?
11.14.06 | Social networking, it nearly goes without saying, doesn’t appear to be that “social” at times, or maybe “all too social” as social value isn’t easily separated into categories of “on” or “off” line.
NiggaSpace.com is not an isolated situation where limiting conceptualizations of blackness prevail. Not long ago US frats rolled the dice to David Chang’s reworking of Monopoly in the pathetic game, “Ghettopoly.” In this instance, Boardwalk and Park Place were replaced by low incoming housing. Perhaps we could force a reading here, one that would argue for “real world representation”? Seems highly suspect, though. Perhaps those lapping up the “joke” (can’t “you” take a joke, is usually the well rehearsed alibi for privilege) also spend their leisure time “enjoying” the reworked version of the videogame Escape from Castle Wolfenstein where players can shoot black characters and the words “Dead Nigger” appears on screen to “celebrate” the kill. Or maybe it was just a case of college guys slumming as the “hood” and “urban” are quite trendy commodities these days at Urban Outfitters.
Online space isn’t, in any way, exempt from offline biases, prejudices, and power relations. Both inform one another. As users our perspectives on the world and on those who occupy it doesn’t magically disappear when one signs in. Identity isn’t easy to slide out of online as ideas about identity are often reinforced. Anna reminds us of the old adage of the anonymous user as a dog-the color of its coat is made clearly visible, projected into the space of networked computing. It should come as no surprise that damaging/dehumanizing addresses of race and ethnicity occupy the Web as US media conglomerates continue to maximize stereotypes and fabricate self-serving ideas of raced subjectivities for profit and to preserve power establishments. Assuming that Niggaspace.com isn’t already a corporate product, I wonder how long it will take Rupert Murdoch to add it to his empire?
In Part 2, I look more at the positive side of Web 2.0 vis-a-vis race and ethnicity…
Leave a comment
Comments are moderated to ensure topic relevance and generally will be posted quickly.
Comments
Lisa Parks (UCSB)
11/16/06
9:38am
Thanks Anna and Ray for your insights. I just watched a CNN Internatinal report in Berlin about all the long lines in US cities this week filled with people waiting to buy Playstation 3 . Most of those in line in the report I saw were African Americans. Is anyone tracking or writing about this? The implication of the report was that black Americans have time to sit in line and wait all day because they are “unemployed,” but there was little discussion of the way gaming technology has become part of African American social networks. One woman in the report who was interviewed did mention she saw it as a good investment because gaming was a way for her to learn something about digital technologies, but in general the camera just panned across long lines without giving the black consumers of technology a voice. Just saw this a few minutes ago so thought I would ask if anyone is following these discussions/representations in the press this week.
H. Lewis Smith (Author - Bury that Sucka)
11/16/06
5:23pm
Race and ethnicity online aren’t magically freed of biases, prejudices, or power relations because the African Americans has failed to empower themselves to take control of their own fate and destiny. Consequently, allowing society at large to dictate and monopolize the face and image of the African American.
Either you take control of your life or it is done for you and when this happens it is not always going to be in your best interest…but then this is the penalty one pays for refusing to be accountable for their own actions.
There’s nothing magical about any of this, paternalism opens the door and exposes one to a societal peremptory kind of behavior creating an illusion of biases and prejudice.
It is incumbent upon the African American to be the facilitators in bringing to the table a more positive image of themselves which is why Bury that Sucka was written. Please go to: http://wwww.burythatsucka.com
raiford guins
11/18/06
9:19am
Hi Lisa - thanks for bringing this to my attention. i have not seen the CNN footage as I’m in London. Friends based in the US have reported that the PS3 is selling for $2,000 on Ebay! There goes my xmas gift:(
I have written on black gamers and black presence in video game history in Anna Everett’s collection, The Afro-Geeks Anthology. She and S. Craig Watkins are currently working on gaming for the MacArthur Series.
What i find fascinating is that the games industry is steeped in representations/assumptions about blackness (sports and fighting games for example) yet the industry itself is under-represented in terms of black and latino designers (alot like Hollywood). All the industry people that i’ve spoken two have stated that the industry is primarily white and asian. The ‘black gamer’ is overtly apparant in music videos, MTV cribs, and in films. Yet, he or she is nowhere to be found in the line of production (as well as video game criticism in magazines that cover video games). Consumption appears to be the target area for black participation in video games. One would only hope that those wealthy US Universities with game studies and huge monies from Games Companies will pair ethnic and critical race studies with game design. Afterall, games design is a social and public venture.