[Topic Unique] Left 4 Dead 1/2

First off, I'd like to say that I am a huge fan of the Counter-Strike franchise. I especially like the fact that it's a game that I can play with my son (the older computer that he uses can run Counter-Strike 1.6) and I like the fact that it's a powerful learning tool for him; learning to use grenades and compensate for gun recoil has taught him a lot about physics that I've been able to incorporate into lessons when teaching him (he is homeschooled and although physics isn't part of the elementary-level curriculum, I like for him to get a head start in academics).

My son is also a huge fan of zombie literature as well. I enjoyed reading through Max Brooks' books with him, and we've played several Counter-Strike zombie mods together. Left 4 Dead struck me as a great game for my son because it runs on a physics engine which more accurately reflects reality. (The Half-Life engine, for example, ignores forward momentum when jumping from a moving vehicle). I was considering getting my son an upgraded computer and a copy of this game as an early Christmas present, knowing how much he likes zombie-related media.

However, after viewing the video that went up on Steam yesterday, I am certain that I will not be buying this game for my son.

Why?

One of the first things I noted about the trailer was that it featured four survivors. Of these, only one of them was female, meaning that the male survivors outnumber the female survivors three to one. Clearly, Valve is implying that females lack the survival skills to withstand a zombie apocalypse with the same tenacity as males such that males have a chance three times better than females in terms of survival. Furthermore, the female character Zoey is depicted wielding hand pistols, rather than a shotgun or an automatic weapon as the male characters are. Is Valve implying that women lack the upper body strength to hold anything but a pistol? This is not only sexist, it is an incredibly backwards way of thinking that I do not want my son to be exposed to.

On this subject, one quarter of the party is composed of African Americans. However, African Americans constitute less than 15% of the population of the United States. The implication is obviously that African Americans have a higher chance of surviving a zombie apocalypse than Caucasians, presumably because Valve believes that African Americans pursue athletic endeavors (and other exploits more conducive to surviving a zombie apocalypse) rather than engaging in activities which are deemed "productive to society." Furthermore, none of the characters depicted are of Hispanic, Indian, or East-Asian decent, indicating that Valve believes that members of these races are "unfit" to survive a zombie apocalypse. The racism here is subtle, and it's in this form that I fear racism is most dangerous: We all know to remove our children from environments where they may be exposed to outrageously racist behavior such as the use of racial slurs. However, many parents may be deceived into believing that the subtle racism present in media like Left 4 Dead may be "harmless," and allow it to enter their homes. Parents, as a parent, I can tell you that the number one way to ensure that bigotry succeeds is to allow it to enter your home.

Secondly, the characters portrayed in the "teaser" video are not even close to being ideal role models for a young child. Francis, the bike-covered tattoo, is a particularly poor example. Besides his choice to get tattoos (something I definitely don't want my son doing at this point), he has an incredibly disrespectful attitude. Although Bill, the war veteran, is his elder, Francis speaks to him in an almost derisive manner. If my son spoke to me or an authority figure the same way that Francis speaks to Bill, I would be both outraged and disappointed in my son.

Another incredibly offensive portion of Francis' behavior is his use of the phrase "merry Christmas" when killing an infected. Is Valve suggesting that all families ought to appreciate the values of Christmas? I imagine that there are many Jewish families who are going to be very offended when they find that their winter holiday is not recognized but the Christian one is. Furthermore, how does Louis, the African American man, feel about Francis' failure to mention Kwanzaa? Francis could have just as easily said "Happy holidays!" but instead chose to refer to a Christian holiday for no reason other than to offend those who do not share the same religious custom. Even worse is that he delivers this message immediately after firing a shotgun held with only one arm, which is an incredibly unsafe practice.

There is one part of the trailer so outrageously offensive that it almost startled me to hear it. When Louis, the African American man, sees the hoard of infected coming, he can only use an expletive known as "the S word" to express his anxiety. Is Valve further playing on racial stereotypes and depicting African Americans as unsophisticated members of society who lack the linguistic ability to express their feelings without using swearwords? Even disregarding the racial implications of his utterance, the word in and of itself is incredibly offensive. And let me tell you, I was even more shocked to find that the word was not uttered one time, not even twice, but three times in rapid succession. I certainly do not want my son exposed to this language, nor be taught to use it in such a brazen manner. Even if a man is faced with his death and the death of his comrades, is it really so much to ask that he refrain from using swear words, especially when his behavior will be displayed on the computer monitors and television screens of millions of people?

Just when I thought that this montage could not get any worse, I reached the video's conclusion, which depicts Bill lighting a cigarette and smoking it. I can't think of any worse influence for my child. It's no small secret at all that one of the biggest influences on children is the figures that they see in the media: children by nature emulate the behavior they see. Valve, by showing one of your characters smoking a cigarette, you have in effect told every child who plays your game, "go ahead, light up!" I am absolutely disgusted that a game developer would try to poison young minds with this kind of thinking. With hundreds of thousands of people dying to lung cancer each year, I'm certain that if the infected don't kill Bill, his smoking habit will!

I am taking a stand against Valve and boycotting this game. I am encouraging my friends (especially those with young children) to also ban this game from their households this holiday season. If Valve wants me to buy a zombie shooting game for my son, they can make one that omits the sexism, racism, disrespectful attitudes, bad language, and cultural insensitivity present in Left 4 Dead. And learn how to spell the word "for" without using a numeral.