“I am a radicalized goat hell-bent on jihad” is sadly not an actual line
March 14, 2016 10:54 AM Subscribe
A deep dive into the FBI's bizarre anti-extremism browser game: Don’t Be a Puppet: Pull Back the Curtain on Violent Extremism
In one way what we're seeing here is the death rattle of "serious games" -- loose tradition of games, often sponsored by governments, news media,or NGOs, which framed themselves as conveying specific insight into real-world political phenomena. The classic example is 2003's September 12, an Iraq-inspired blowback simulator in which every "terrorist" you kill merely inspires others to take up arms. Serious games were already dead as a discrete genre – their DNA spliced into consumer titles such as Papers, Please and Prison Architect, their top-down funding model outflanked by the Zinester revolution, and their uniqueness diminished by the gaming public's increased willingness to discuss the politics of Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed. Their adoption by The Literal Feds represents a deliciously final nail in their coffin.
But DBAP is also part of an ongoing attempt by Western governments to police political expressions of Islam on the grounds that non-violent "extremist views" can eventually lead people towards violence. Whether that's true is hotly debated, but it justifies the intrusion of counter-terrorist organizations into the "pre-criminal" space where "radicalization" happens. This is a difficult, maybe impossible tightrope to walk for any government with a constitutional commitment to freedom of speech and thought. Usually they fail, producing a climate of Islamophobic surveillance in which wearing the hijab is described by a US government report as a sign of "passive terrorism" and British Muslim kids are pulled out of class for surreal interrogations about exploding chainsaws.
Related: New York Times: F.B.I. Tool to Identify Extremists Is Criticized
In one way what we're seeing here is the death rattle of "serious games" -- loose tradition of games, often sponsored by governments, news media,or NGOs, which framed themselves as conveying specific insight into real-world political phenomena. The classic example is 2003's September 12, an Iraq-inspired blowback simulator in which every "terrorist" you kill merely inspires others to take up arms. Serious games were already dead as a discrete genre – their DNA spliced into consumer titles such as Papers, Please and Prison Architect, their top-down funding model outflanked by the Zinester revolution, and their uniqueness diminished by the gaming public's increased willingness to discuss the politics of Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed. Their adoption by The Literal Feds represents a deliciously final nail in their coffin.
But DBAP is also part of an ongoing attempt by Western governments to police political expressions of Islam on the grounds that non-violent "extremist views" can eventually lead people towards violence. Whether that's true is hotly debated, but it justifies the intrusion of counter-terrorist organizations into the "pre-criminal" space where "radicalization" happens. This is a difficult, maybe impossible tightrope to walk for any government with a constitutional commitment to freedom of speech and thought. Usually they fail, producing a climate of Islamophobic surveillance in which wearing the hijab is described by a US government report as a sign of "passive terrorism" and British Muslim kids are pulled out of class for surreal interrogations about exploding chainsaws.
Related: New York Times: F.B.I. Tool to Identify Extremists Is Criticized
Watch : Ibrahim Mohamoud of CAGE at Challenge Power: CIJ Logan Symposium
At 32c3 they did another talk The Price Of Dissent, but seems thinner on details.
posted by jeffburdges at 11:34 AM on March 14, 2016
At 32c3 they did another talk The Price Of Dissent, but seems thinner on details.
posted by jeffburdges at 11:34 AM on March 14, 2016
I'm not sure why people are criticizing this. I actually think it's the best thing the FBI has ever done – by which I mean the least destructive, the least damaging, the least likely to cause massive loss of life. When terrible people who are also terribly confused about what justice means get together, you have two things: (a) the slow, painful destruction of all the things our society was supposed to stand for, and (b) a pretty good definition of the FBI.
posted by koeselitz at 11:41 AM on March 14, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by koeselitz at 11:41 AM on March 14, 2016 [4 favorites]
A deep dive into the FBI's bizarre anti-extremism browser game: Don’t Be a Puppet: Pull Back the Curtain on Violent Extremism
Finally, a game that doesn't automatically point the finger at Islam, but instead illuminates the dangers of Trump supporters, the Tea Party, and white guys who shoot up black churches.
Oh.
posted by xedrik at 11:43 AM on March 14, 2016 [4 favorites]
Finally, a game that doesn't automatically point the finger at Islam, but instead illuminates the dangers of Trump supporters, the Tea Party, and white guys who shoot up black churches.
Oh.
posted by xedrik at 11:43 AM on March 14, 2016 [4 favorites]
Comey gives puppets a bad rap.
posted by cjorgensen at 11:51 AM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by cjorgensen at 11:51 AM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
Sikh Americans Fight for Civil Rights In Donald Trump’s America
posted by jeffburdges at 12:07 PM on March 14, 2016
posted by jeffburdges at 12:07 PM on March 14, 2016
Alternatively: Please throw money at me.
"And make sure your phones are unlocked. What am I? Santa Claus?"
posted by Talez at 12:16 PM on March 14, 2016
"And make sure your phones are unlocked. What am I? Santa Claus?"
posted by Talez at 12:16 PM on March 14, 2016
I have more Sikhs in cabinet than Modi: Canada PM Justin Trudeau
posted by infini at 12:18 PM on March 14, 2016
posted by infini at 12:18 PM on March 14, 2016
At the end, you get a certificate which you can print out and sign to show everyone that you’ve completed the course, which is more than you can say for Dark Souls.
I'm picturing a Dark Souls completion certificate as something you'd frame behind your desk like a diploma so visitors to your office can plainly see your unimpeachable gaming qualifications. You'd put it right next to the Veni Vidi Vici certificate signed by Terry Cavanaugh and Souleye.
Conversely, I'm picturing the certificate you actually get from this game as the kind of thing your third grade teacher might have whipped up in Print Shop.
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape at 12:21 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm picturing a Dark Souls completion certificate as something you'd frame behind your desk like a diploma so visitors to your office can plainly see your unimpeachable gaming qualifications. You'd put it right next to the Veni Vidi Vici certificate signed by Terry Cavanaugh and Souleye.
Conversely, I'm picturing the certificate you actually get from this game as the kind of thing your third grade teacher might have whipped up in Print Shop.
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape at 12:21 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm picturing a Dark Souls completion certificate as something you'd frame behind your desk like a diploma so visitors to your office can plainly see your unimpeachable gaming qualifications
Having an "I beat Dark Souls" certificate is like having an "I'm a vegan" certificate: cute, but rendered totally unnecessary the second the person in question starts talking.
posted by Itaxpica at 12:32 PM on March 14, 2016 [4 favorites]
Having an "I beat Dark Souls" certificate is like having an "I'm a vegan" certificate: cute, but rendered totally unnecessary the second the person in question starts talking.
posted by Itaxpica at 12:32 PM on March 14, 2016 [4 favorites]
How do you do, fellow kids?
I'm imagining all of those late '80s after school specials about drugs, but re-shot to target Islamic extremism.
"Come on, Julie, it'll be fun, don't you wanna have an adventure?"
"I don't know Ryan, flying to Turkey and being smuggled to Syria to become an ISIS bride sounds a little dangerous."
"I thought you were cool, Julie. I guess maybe I was wrong."
posted by leotrotsky at 12:53 PM on March 14, 2016 [24 favorites]
I'm imagining all of those late '80s after school specials about drugs, but re-shot to target Islamic extremism.
"Come on, Julie, it'll be fun, don't you wanna have an adventure?"
"I don't know Ryan, flying to Turkey and being smuggled to Syria to become an ISIS bride sounds a little dangerous."
"I thought you were cool, Julie. I guess maybe I was wrong."
posted by leotrotsky at 12:53 PM on March 14, 2016 [24 favorites]
The British have a far more effective way of doing this. It's called The BBC and it does a fantastic job of promoting British culture and values around the world. Plus they get commercial free TV out of it.
posted by srboisvert at 12:56 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by srboisvert at 12:56 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
“I am a radicalized goat hell-bent on jihad” is sadly not an actual line but, wonderfully, it has twice appeared in the text of a MeFi post.
posted by grobstein at 12:59 PM on March 14, 2016
posted by grobstein at 12:59 PM on March 14, 2016
I thought it was a discarded alternate lyric from "Search And Destroy".
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:05 PM on March 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:05 PM on March 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
Sikh Americans Fight for Civil Rights In Donald Trump’s America
Speaking of Donald Trump, watch out for these violent extremist warning signs:
posted by sfenders at 1:17 PM on March 14, 2016 [5 favorites]
Speaking of Donald Trump, watch out for these violent extremist warning signs:
- Are convinced their cause justifies the use of violence
- Use hateful words
- Promise you a better life
- Say that anyone with a different opinion is trying to trick you
- Pick out religious passages to justify their cause
posted by sfenders at 1:17 PM on March 14, 2016 [5 favorites]
NEXT: THE FBI COPYRIGHT DIVISION DOES SOME RAPS TO DISCOURAGE THE KIDS FROM COPYING FLOPPIES
posted by indubitable at 1:58 PM on March 14, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by indubitable at 1:58 PM on March 14, 2016 [3 favorites]
Elevator pitch: It's like Reefer Madness but for jihad!
posted by indubitable at 2:00 PM on March 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by indubitable at 2:00 PM on March 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
NEXT: THE FBI COPYRIGHT DIVISION DOES SOME RAPS TO DISCOURAGE THE KIDS FROM COPYING FLOPPIES
Did I hear you right? Did I hear you saying that you're going to make a copy of a game without paying?
posted by Talez at 2:15 PM on March 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
Did I hear you right? Did I hear you saying that you're going to make a copy of a game without paying?
posted by Talez at 2:15 PM on March 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
huh, I thought it was a Goat Simulator knock-off until now...
posted by The Vice Admiral of the Narrow Seas at 2:27 PM on March 14, 2016
posted by The Vice Admiral of the Narrow Seas at 2:27 PM on March 14, 2016
This is only going to result in the radicalization of Muppets... and they already have somebody who blows stuff up.
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:26 PM on March 14, 2016
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:26 PM on March 14, 2016
To defeat the Capra Demon of Radicalism, one must roll past the dogs of Groupthink and Propaganda, climb the stairs of Empowerment to the left, and perform the plunging attack of Logic from the narrow ledge.
posted by prize bull octorok at 4:17 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by prize bull octorok at 4:17 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you see something, say something leave a cryptic message in orange soapstone.
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape at 5:31 PM on March 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape at 5:31 PM on March 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
You might be "radicalized goat hell-bent on jihad"-cool but you'll never be "Frida Kahlo banging Trotsky at least partially because she was getting back at Diego over his affairs"-cool.
Until the FBI allows that option in their game, I'm simply not prepared to play.
posted by nfalkner at 6:50 PM on March 14, 2016
Until the FBI allows that option in their game, I'm simply not prepared to play.
posted by nfalkner at 6:50 PM on March 14, 2016
Finally, a game that doesn't automatically point the finger at Islam, but instead illuminates the dangers of Trump supporters, the Tea Party, and white guys who shoot up black churches.
Oh.
Why the irony? The game identifies white extremists as a threat, and the following could apply as easily to Trump as any jihadi leader. From the "slippery slope" section:
Blame
Extremist groups and individuals often appear in communities struggling with social or political issues. Rather than improving these situations or their own lives through constructive actions, violent extremists often place the blame on another person or group. They argue that the only solution to these problems or injustices is to violently oppose and even destroy those they claim are responsible.
The Blame Game
Placing blame is an effective way to recruit people with feelings of frustration and turn them into a group united by a sense of purpose. It enables extremists to invent an “enemy” that must be destroyed. This makes violence seem like the best solution and even a moral duty.
posted by kanewai at 7:08 PM on March 14, 2016
Oh.
Why the irony? The game identifies white extremists as a threat, and the following could apply as easily to Trump as any jihadi leader. From the "slippery slope" section:
Blame
Extremist groups and individuals often appear in communities struggling with social or political issues. Rather than improving these situations or their own lives through constructive actions, violent extremists often place the blame on another person or group. They argue that the only solution to these problems or injustices is to violently oppose and even destroy those they claim are responsible.
The Blame Game
Placing blame is an effective way to recruit people with feelings of frustration and turn them into a group united by a sense of purpose. It enables extremists to invent an “enemy” that must be destroyed. This makes violence seem like the best solution and even a moral duty.
posted by kanewai at 7:08 PM on March 14, 2016
To defeat the Capra Demon of Radicalism, one must roll past the dogs of Groupthink and Propaganda, climb the stairs of Empowerment to the left, and perform the plunging attack of Logic from the narrow ledge.
it ... might take a few tries...
posted by Sebmojo at 9:30 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
it ... might take a few tries...
posted by Sebmojo at 9:30 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
To defeat the Capra Demon of Radicalism, one must roll past the dogs of Groupthink and Propaganda, climb the stairs of Empowerment to the left, and perform the plunging attack of Logic from the narrow ledge.
it ... might take a few tries...
Interestingly, you can see the Capra Demon of Radicalism boss room near the beginning of Trump Burg, just go to the edge of the first parapet and look down. He's not in there though, not till January 20.
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape at 11:54 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
it ... might take a few tries...
Interestingly, you can see the Capra Demon of Radicalism boss room near the beginning of Trump Burg, just go to the edge of the first parapet and look down. He's not in there though, not till January 20.
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape at 11:54 PM on March 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
The FBI has a new plan to spy on high school kids across the country
posted by jeffburdges at 1:53 PM on March 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by jeffburdges at 1:53 PM on March 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
To prevent whistleblowing, U.S. intelligence agencies are instructing staff to spy on their colleagues (via)
Related : Julian Assange on conspiracy as Governance
posted by jeffburdges at 1:06 AM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
Related : Julian Assange on conspiracy as Governance
posted by jeffburdges at 1:06 AM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
In other animal extremist news: Chase freezes man's bank account because his dog's name, 'Dash,' looked like 'Daesh'
posted by homunculus at 3:08 PM on April 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by homunculus at 3:08 PM on April 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
I see they're taking whatever remaining credibility they have and shredding it into confetti...
posted by infini at 2:35 AM on April 3, 2016
posted by infini at 2:35 AM on April 3, 2016
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Pre-criminal? Unless they've got some agents in bodysuits floating in a tank somewhere, I think the term is 'not criminal.'
In which case their 'intrusions' can fuck right the fuck off.
posted by leotrotsky at 11:23 AM on March 14, 2016 [13 favorites]