Written by MigsDC
The present landscape seems rife with
growing censorship and renewed moral panic, much of which is derived,
in some form, from the “Think of the children” hysteria of
yesteryear. Increasingly people from across ideological lines are
calling out such narratives and those pushing them. At the same time,
however, there seems to be a small, yet noticeable, trend that
not only risks repeating history even further but also ties into what
I call the “Everything is X” trap.
It manifests in different forms, be it
the notion that “everything is political,” derived from
second-wave feminist activists in the 1960s-70s. Or the more modern,
“intersectional” sentiments invoked by Anita Sarkeesian’s
now-infamous 2015 quote:
"Everything is
sexist, everything is racist, everything is homophobic and you have
to point it all out to everyone all the time."
Whichever way it manifests, the end
results speak for themselves. For such mindsets, there always seems
to be something “problematic” lurking in video games, film and
every other form of media in need of correction. It doesn’t matter
if it’s cleavage in Mortal Kombat, a problem “solved” in
the latest entry, or even the notion of a gruff male protagonist in
Days Gone, which a
Eurogamer review chides as a negative. Even in
works that in some form suit their tastes, it’s not guaranteed to
be enough. As seen in the vitriol thrown against Blizzard’s
Overwatch for
its supposedly “toxic” community, despite
increasingly heavy-handed reactions. Or
a recent petition to have Captain Marvel be
played by a “gay woman of color” rather than Brie Larson, despite
her movie being lauded for its progressive virtue-signaling. There’s
no real respite. Only the cause. Only the outrage.
It’s not hard to see how those
pushing for censorship and justifying their glorified moral crusades
are deep into the “Everything is X” trap. Nor is it hard to see
how many of them turn out to be rather bitter and jaded killjoys, for
whom no fun is allowed. What isn’t mentioned as much, however, is
how this mentality can be infectious.
In confronting such narratives, it can
be tempting to grow cynical and just a bit paranoid. Whether it’s
from expecting the worst case as a given or having the well poisoned
too many times, it seems all too easy to find proverbial ghosts
everywhere, real or imagined. A solid game like Horizon: Zero
Dawn, for instance, could be tossed aside due to perceived
feminist indoctrination despite it, warts and all, not really showing
much of that. An otherwise good film like Avengers: Endgame
could feel “ruined” because of the politics expressed by some of
the people involved or even a small handful of scenes that don’t
really harm the whole picture. In other words, while the specifics
vary, anyone could slide into the same, bitter trap if they’re not
careful. And in doing so, cultivate apathy and repeat the miserable,
censorious cycle all over again but from the other side.
I remember when
the activists and moral guardians of yesteryear lambasted Dungeons
and Dragons for being Satanic, going so far as to produce
booklets warning of the dangers of the game. I remember when they
attacked the
original Harry
Potter
books for supposed paganism and Western degeneracy.
This isn't to discount legitimate concerns and fears regarding censorship or unwanted politicization, but if the past couple of decades have shown me anything, it’s that
history doesn’t have to repeat again. The future needn’t be an
endless shouting match between different camps of censorious
killjoys. Nor would I like to see the cynicism accompanying that trap
get the better of me. Let alone make me, or anyone else for that
matter, forget why fiction, entertainment, free expression and even
the very notion of fun are worth defending.
*All images are owned by their respective copyright holders and are used under fair use guidelines
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