Ghettos are Not a Game

Chang’s business, as it were, is producing patently offensive board games, which deliberately traffic in racist and classist stereotypes. His first creation is “GHETTOPOLY,” wherein players try and “buy stolen properties, pimp hoes, build crack houses and projects,” and avoid getting carjacked.

With more than a few references to Malt Liquor addiction, loansharking, and other things that Chang apparently believes typify “ghetto culture,” GHETTOPOLY promises hours of entertainment for people who, naturally, neither live in a ghetto nor have ever visited one, but who can now get off making fun of something they know nothing about.

Only in America. Somehow I doubt that Chang’s father left Taiwan so his son could profit off the misery of people trapped in desperate poverty, but who knows?

Chang insists that his game, which is available both online and in not-so-fine stores everywhere, is not meant to be degrading, but instead to “bring people together in laughter.” But which people is he speaking of? Certainly not those who live in the places he has decided to objectify. He surely knows that his game isn’t likely to sell too well in public housing projects after all, though by glancing at the “feedback” section on his website, it does seem to be a big hit with college kids. Nice: children of privilege having a laugh at the expense of those without–how utterly typical.

Chang claims, “If we can’t laugh at ourselves and how we each utilize the various stereotypes, then we’ll continue to live in blame and bitterness.” But of course he isn’t challenging the absurdity of those stereotypes, and he isn’t laughing at himself. There is no anti-Asian humor here, after all. No plans for “Kung-FuOPOLY,” or FORTUNECOOKIEOPOLY, not that that would be any funnier. He is laughing at others, thus not only GHETTOPOLY, which involves almost exclusively negative references to blacks, or what Chang perceives to be black urban culture, but also the upcoming offerings, HOODOPOLY, HIPHOPOPOLY, THUGOPOLY, and REDNECKOPOLY.

That the last of these makes fun of whites – but only the poorest whites of course (since he wouldn’t want to offend the suburban consumer demographic) – hardly redeems Chang’s venture. It only indicates that bashing low income people, of whatever race, is considered fair game. Whereas the original MONOPOLY venerates the wealthy and encourages us to be like them, Chang’s rip-offs (for which Hasbro/Milton Bradley should sue his happy ass with a quickness) do not actually encourage players to identify with people who live in ghettos, or trailer parks, or whatever.

Chang’s bio notes that he graduated from one of the “most prestigious private high schools in the U.S.” (there’s a surprise), and received a degree from the University of Rochester, both of which naturally gave him a deep understanding of the subject matter covered in his games.

Whatever details Chang may have failed to learn about “the hood” in prep school he made up for by – and these are his words, I am not making this up – “watching TV and studying the lyrics of rap and hip-hop music.”

And if that proved insufficient for the purposes of research, Chang had a fallback source of wisdom. As he puts it in a press release: “Video games provided him insight into the culture of the ghetto.”

That someone could graduate from a prestigious high school and a good college, while believing that images on video games produced by people who do not live in the places depicted, could somehow provide cultural insight into those places is shocking. His alma maters should ask for their degrees back.

Actually if one wants to understand “the ghetto” and the people who live there one has to spend time in such places. Even then, one’s understanding will remain limited compared to those who actually live there every day, navigating the waters of the communities that David Chang and others think it is alright to parody.

If one spends any amount of time at all in such places, one immediately notices that although there are things about poor urban communities that fit the stereotypical imagery, there are also lots of things about the places and the people who live in “ghettos,” which didn’t make it into this game, but which are also typical and not the least bit funny.

Like mothers trying to work two jobs to support their kids, without child care, without adequate health care, having to choose between buying them clothes for school or paying a heating bill.

Like kids who persevere against all odds, going to schools to learn and finding not enough textbooks, or buildings that are crumbling, and yet they still show up every day, hoping to fill their minds with knowledge.

Like elderly women in public housing who look out for everyone’s children, whether or not they are their own, because they see them as a treasure and vital resource in the community.

Like ministers who run day care programs, and job training programs, and whose churches are involved in rehabilitating housing for low income families.

Like families that still pray, despite an environment that would make the most devout wonder if there was a God at all, let alone one who still cared about us.