Let's workshop this portion from my book White Supremacy on Its Deathbed, a portion that showcases the performative allyship and tokenism displayed by a gaming company anxious to appear woke
In "Before Overwatch’s New 'Hamas Hero' There Was Darnell," M. A. Istvan Jr. delves into the intricate landscape of cancel culture and the complexities of digital reparations. The poem highlights a provocative scenario in which a game designer's actions spark a chain reaction of social and cultural shifts within a popular video game, Overwatch. Through this narrative, Istvan explores themes of identity, accountability, and the contentious nature of contemporary social justice movements.
The poem opens with the white game designer whistleblowing on a colleague for retweeting criticism of a university’s decision. This criticism centered around the university cutting ties with a star athlete because of a video showing her father rapping the n-word in the 90s. This act of whistleblowing triggers immediate and severe consequences for the colleague, deemed an “irredeemable bigot.” The subsequent firings and cyber shaming underscore the poem’s examination of the punitive measures often associated with cancel culture, where past actions are scrutinized and lead to severe social penalties.
Istvan satirizes the process of “digital reparations” through the transformation of a central character in the game from Dustin to Darnell. This name change symbolizes a broader cultural shift and the desire to align characters and narratives with contemporary social justice ideals. The brainstorming sessions to redefine Darnell’s “ultimate ability” reflect a hyperbolic and somewhat absurd attempt to incorporate “Black-is-King sentiments,” a reference to Beyoncé’s visual album celebrating Black culture.
The poem’s depiction of the brainstorming results adds layers of dark humor and critique. The third-place idea involves Darnell summoning a stage for twerking and chants, mesmerizing nonBIPOC characters into vulnerability. This visual not only mocks the superficial incorporation of Black culture into media but also questions the authenticity and effectiveness of such gestures.
The second-place idea introduces a “liberation scream” causing spirits of lynched individuals to subdue nonBIPOC characters, highlighting the tension between historical trauma and contemporary activism. This image juxtaposes the gravity of historical injustices with the potentially performative aspects of digital reparations, suggesting a dissonance between the two.
The first-place idea, where Darnell summons bot-controlled men to pummel nonBIPOC characters until they answer questions on “Black epistemology,” serves as a biting commentary on the perceived gatekeeping of knowledge and the pressures to conform to specific ideological perspectives. The multiple-choice questions address controversial topics like colorblind auditions, the legitimacy of historical narratives, and societal responsibilities, encapsulating the contentious debates surrounding race and education.
Istvan’s poem ultimately critiques the extremes of social justice movements and cancel culture, emphasizing the performative and often punitive nature of these phenomena. By presenting a scenario where game mechanics are altered to reflect radical ideological shifts, the poem questions the authenticity and impact of such changes. It invites readers to consider the complexities and potential contradictions inherent in efforts to address historical and cultural injustices within contemporary digital spaces.
M. A. Istvan Jr., poem, cancel culture, digital reparations, social justice, Overwatch, video game narrative, identity, accountability, contemporary activism, satirical poetry, Black culture, historical trauma, cultural shifts, social penalties, ideological perspectives.
In "Before Overwatch’s New 'Hamas Hero' There Was Darnell," M. A. Istvan Jr. delves into the intricate landscape of cancel culture and the complexities of digital reparations. The poem highlights a provocative scenario in which a game designer's actions spark a chain reaction of social and cultural shifts within a popular video game, Overwatch. Through this narrative, Istvan explores themes of identity, accountability, and the contentious nature of contemporary social justice movements.
The poem opens with the white game designer whistleblowing on a colleague for retweeting criticism of a university’s decision. This criticism centered around the university cutting ties with a star athlete because of a video showing her father rapping the n-word in the 90s. This act of whistleblowing triggers immediate and severe consequences for the colleague, deemed an “irredeemable bigot.” The subsequent firings and cyber shaming underscore the poem’s examination of the punitive measures often associated with cancel culture, where past actions are scrutinized and lead to severe social penalties.
Istvan satirizes the process of “digital reparations” through the transformation of a central character in the game from Dustin to Darnell. This name change symbolizes a broader cultural shift and the desire to align characters and narratives with contemporary social justice ideals. The brainstorming sessions to redefine Darnell’s “ultimate ability” reflect a hyperbolic and somewhat absurd attempt to incorporate “Black-is-King sentiments,” a reference to Beyoncé’s visual album celebrating Black culture.
The poem’s depiction of the brainstorming results adds layers of dark humor and critique. The third-place idea involves Darnell summoning a stage for twerking and chants, mesmerizing nonBIPOC characters into vulnerability. This visual not only mocks the superficial incorporation of Black culture into media but also questions the authenticity and effectiveness of such gestures.
The second-place idea introduces a “liberation scream” causing spirits of lynched individuals to subdue nonBIPOC characters, highlighting the tension between historical trauma and contemporary activism. This image juxtaposes the gravity of historical injustices with the potentially performative aspects of digital reparations, suggesting a dissonance between the two.
The first-place idea, where Darnell summons bot-controlled men to pummel nonBIPOC characters until they answer questions on “Black epistemology,” serves as a biting commentary on the perceived gatekeeping of knowledge and the pressures to conform to specific ideological perspectives. The multiple-choice questions address controversial topics like colorblind auditions, the legitimacy of historical narratives, and societal responsibilities, encapsulating the contentious debates surrounding race and education.
Istvan’s poem ultimately critiques the extremes of social justice movements and cancel culture, emphasizing the performative and often punitive nature of these phenomena. By presenting a scenario where game mechanics are altered to reflect radical ideological shifts, the poem questions the authenticity and impact of such changes. It invites readers to consider the complexities and potential contradictions inherent in efforts to address historical and cultural injustices within contemporary digital spaces.
M. A. Istvan Jr., poem, cancel culture, digital reparations, social justice, Overwatch, video game narrative, identity, accountability, contemporary activism, satirical poetry, Black culture, historical trauma, cultural shifts, social penalties, ideological perspectives.