I'm in a class called "Interactive Technologies and Live Performance." The title is pretty self explanatory, we learn about new interactive digital technologies and how to perform specifically for them. Every few weeks we have an assignment in which we have to apply the latest concept we learned to a homemade film or video art project. We presented our projects last class and today.
One of the projects that presented today was a girl on screen switching from a fairly androgynous ponytail, tank top and pants to an updo and floral dress, taking hits. The viewer had a Wii remote and based on how they swung it around, the girl would feel the hit in her face, side, stomach, whatever. The creators of the project (one guy and one girl) treated it like it was funny. They giggled a bit when they said it was a "wife beater simulator." I was so offended and shocked that I didn't say anything until we were well into the discussion, mostly about the acting and specific glitches in the software. Finally the professor brought up the problematic implications and I felt comfortable enough to speak. I just brought up how problematic and offensive it is, to trivialize the real issue of domestic violence by turning it into a game, and i immediately got a huge backlash from the rest of the class. One classmate said I shouldn't feel offended because it's not real, no one's actually getting hurt. Another said that the project "has to be made" because I was so offended, to open up discussion.
I call bullshit on both of those. There are much, MUCH more effective ways to bring about a discussion on domestic violence than by making it a game. The way the two creators were presenting their project, also, made it incompatible with sensitive discussion. They didn't even acknowledge how horrible their concept was, even after the professor called them out on it. I'm especially pissed off at the girl who told me I shouldn't feel offended. She has no idea what my past experiences are, and has no right to tell me how to feel about an extremely triggering video I was being shown on a 10 foot screen right in front of me.
I'm still shaken up about this. Thoughts?
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I've noticed this sort of mentality more and more--people deciding they want to be "edgy" or whatever by making a joke or saying or doing something that anyone with half an I.Q. point knows is likely to offend someone, and then when someone predictably does get offended and call them on their shit they backpedal and become hyperdefensive and try to say no one should be offended, it was meant as a "joke" (or in this case a "game") blah blah. Sorry, it doesn't work that way. You don't get to make the wifebeating game and then act all innocent and surprised and "gosh, why so serious?" when people give negative feedback.
Perhaps a suggestion should be made to the instructor that next year, he should make it mandatory that the concepts be approved by him in advance so that this doesn't happen again.
Also check your school's harassment policy and consider making a complaint. If your school doesn't have one, suggest they make one.
Disgusting and I'd definitely speak to the professor in private. While I think depictions of sensitive issues like domestic violence, even in video games, can have artistic credit, it's totally inappropriate to do it in a class, where everyone should be as comfortable as possible--and certainly never be told that it's okay because it's not real, because even when it's not real it's not okay, but sometimes that's the point. You could bring the statistics for domestic abuse, and point out the likelihood of having a survivor (or the child of a survivor, which is just as bad) in the class, and how much it would hurt them, and how uncomfortable they might be about attending the class and being around your classmates afterward.
"Another said that the project "has to be made" because I was so offended, to open up discussion."
I agree with you - there are better ways to open discussion about domestic violence than a video game that depicts domestic violence. And, frankly, there already is a discussion out there about domestic violence. We don't need a lame-ass video game to get the discussion started.
It brings to mind a video game released a few years ago that made a game of bullying and physical violence in a school setting. The creators claimed that they were trying to 'start a dialogue' about bullying. Right. Because schools aren't already talking to students about bullying.
Seriously nasty, and a bullshit response by the creators. I wonder if they are taking as reference the large body of commercial gaming that is similarly violent and disgusting?
I really think "offended" is the wrong word in this case. That kind of violence would traumatize me, especially when I am being encouraged to perpetrate it. If they hadn't giggled at the title of a "wife beater simulator," maybe I would feel more comfortable defending it as art or discussion sparking, but the intention of art is evident in its presentation. I hope the professor gave them a strong talking-to to help with consciousness raising.