Detroit Become Human | Quantic Dream: Practice What You Preach
Quantic Dream's recent release Detroit Become Human is a gorgeous cinematic adventure where the player gets to experience a social revolution from the perspectives of three different androids. By doing so, the AAA title manages to expose a multitude of conundrums or growing pains that society faces during the emergence of a new social class. From the musical scores and the graphics to the action sequences and the dialogue, this masterpiece presents an emotionally charged ride advocating for social progression. Ironically, the video game company behind such art recently filed libel lawsuits against the journalists who published an investigative report into employee rights abuses.
It is alleged that Quantic Dream has fostered a toxic work environment by manipulating contracts to skirt around French labor laws, encouraging extended work periods during projects, and not properly addressing internal harassment. When confronted with such allegations, David Cage responded "Do we want to talk about homophobia? We [worked] with Ellen Page, who is fighting for LBGT rights. Do we want to talk about racism? We are working with Jesse Williams, who is fighting for civil rights in the United States... Judge my work." As one commenter so eloquently put it, this is "textbook use of association with activism to distract from [one's] own shitty behavior".
The French publication had gathered evidence for, at the very least, a toxic work environment. At the most, the report detailed worker rights abuses and the intentional decision to cover up the avoidance of French labor laws. Clearly, if it is true, the company needs to restructure its culture immediately. This reeks of a video game sweatshop. It's hard to champion products when the employees who made it are taken advantage of. What is always unacceptable, is the slick dodge of social responsibility because your products push for social justice. What good is a virtue in theory and not in practice?
Social justice advocates and supporters are human. Sometimes humans are hypocritical. It's beyond easy to preach morals by creating industry-changing titles while living immorally with the 'by any means necessary' attitude. Everyone is problematic in some way. No one is perfect. But that's no excuse for abandoning self-improvement or ignoring the empathy you preach. How will you see the change in the world you seek, if you're not an example of what you seek? Because what good is a signaled virtue if it's not executed?
Support for social justice is great but treating every human interaction with compassion (especially for those in power) is even better. People in positions of authority or influence (employers, public servants, celebrities) need to be aware of how their actions reach even more people. If the investigative report is true, up to 200 people are subjected to toxicity at work. No matter how many "woke" video games Quantic Dream produces, no matter how many activists they work with, employers must be held accountable for an apathetic work culture.
Initial thoughts and reaction to Detroit Become Human below:
It is alleged that Quantic Dream has fostered a toxic work environment by manipulating contracts to skirt around French labor laws, encouraging extended work periods during projects, and not properly addressing internal harassment. When confronted with such allegations, David Cage responded "Do we want to talk about homophobia? We [worked] with Ellen Page, who is fighting for LBGT rights. Do we want to talk about racism? We are working with Jesse Williams, who is fighting for civil rights in the United States... Judge my work." As one commenter so eloquently put it, this is "textbook use of association with activism to distract from [one's] own shitty behavior".
Social justice advocates and supporters are human. Sometimes humans are hypocritical. It's beyond easy to preach morals by creating industry-changing titles while living immorally with the 'by any means necessary' attitude. Everyone is problematic in some way. No one is perfect. But that's no excuse for abandoning self-improvement or ignoring the empathy you preach. How will you see the change in the world you seek, if you're not an example of what you seek? Because what good is a signaled virtue if it's not executed?
Support for social justice is great but treating every human interaction with compassion (especially for those in power) is even better. People in positions of authority or influence (employers, public servants, celebrities) need to be aware of how their actions reach even more people. If the investigative report is true, up to 200 people are subjected to toxicity at work. No matter how many "woke" video games Quantic Dream produces, no matter how many activists they work with, employers must be held accountable for an apathetic work culture.
Initial thoughts and reaction to Detroit Become Human below:
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