I must have been living under a rock for the past month because this just crossed my desk yesterday.
I'm not going to delve into the history here. If you are unfamiliar with what this is you can get the backstory here: http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/gamergate
Or the tl;dr ADHD YouTube version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtkMFHMY0H0
I'm simply going to riff on some themes that are coming out of this.
1. Don't threaten people.
One of the results of this whole ridiculous thing is that people are being stalked, harassed, and threatened with horrendous violence over video games. Anonymously.
I know what that's like. For 10 years I've received my fair share of hate mail. I don't complain about it because don't feed the trolls. My typical response is "come at me, bro". There are much scarier things in this world than a 20-year-old loser with a keyboard.
Still. It's not the thing anybody should be subjected to - and folks who are way more exposed than me are receiving scary shit. From losers hiding behind anonymity. Cowards.
Here's my advice: if you're getting mad over something that happens on a screen then go outside, breathe in some fresh air, and think about whether or not feeling better about your pixels is worth terrorizing some innocent person.
2. Feminism is good.
"Feminists ruined my life." Bullshit.
Let's take out the obvious ethical goodness of equality for women (and if you don't think men and women are and should be treated equally in all aspects of life the plain truth is that you're wrong, change your worldview, there is no argument that actually supports your position).
Feminism has made your life objectively better in every possible way. It is the growing inclusion of women into every facet of western society that has made the world as a whole a better place. Economically, scientifically, philosophically, relationally, politically, artistically, religiously, video gamically.
This is fact.
If your life sucks there are a whole hell of a lot of reasons that it might but feminism ain't one of them.
More likely: you're not as good a worker as you think you are, you aren't that smart, you're shitty in bed, you're a terrible husband/life partner/friend.
Be a man. Own up to the things that you can change - and change them. Even if you are not the author of your own problems you are still the author of your solutions. Get to work you lazy fuck and stop threatening women because of video games.
3. Journalistic integrity.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Seriously. How is this even a thing? Video game developers trying to influence reviews for their products. Doesn't that happen EVERYWHERE. Seriously. I literally know political correspondents who get free swag to get a particular party's message out. Toy companies give free samples out to executives to get put on the shelves. Editors who get paid to hold off on a story for a few days so that companies can be ready for it.
It happens every day, in every place, and with things far more important than video games.
You think a few underpaid writers at Kotaku aren't going to take a gift for an extra star on their game review. You trust everything that a writer writes even though that person couldn't land a gig at an actual news establishment (where corruption happens too),
You're delusional. See your doctor.
4. 4chan is a fucking cesspool.
Before those /fuck/tards start preaching about how the world should be run those sanctimonious twats should clean up their own shit. Kiddie porn, racism, sexism, bigotry, hate. Slut shaming. Manipulating vulnerable people into exposing themselves. Virtual rape. Stealing people's copyrighted shit.
Anonymity is a treasure and a privilege. Not a license to be vile.
For great justice? How about reporting IPs to legal authorities when an underage photo is posted? How about banning racists and homophobes? How about it not being okay if some depressed girl is splaying herself in front of a webcam because she's mistaking attention for love? She's somebody's daughter for fucks sake.
Free speech has its limits for a reason. Grow up and learn why.
That's what I've got on all of this. What do you think? Comments.
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