Those for and against GamerGate have created a tumultuous environment that encourages antagonism. It needs to stop.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/38746/on-disagreement-and-vilification
My 2-year-old daughter is lying on her stomach, feet kicking gently back and forth in the air, watching Mario Kart 8 replays on the Wii U GamePad. Each time Mario drives over a ramp and deploys his glider, she excitedly yells “Mario fly!” and juts her hand out into the air. As she narrates Mario’s race, I’m reading about the most recent death threat levied against Anita Sarkeesian; an elaborate and ghastly plan that warns of revenge against feminists for “ruining” the anonymous writer’s life, complete with a description of the variety of weapons to be utilized and the promise of writing a manifesto in her blood.
The replay ends, and my daughter brings me the GamePad. “More?” she asks, pointing to the screen. “You want to watch Mario race again?” “Yeah!” she exclaims, before lying down on her stomach once more. I always think about my daughter when I read about a heinous threat made against a woman that is outspoken about video games, but this was the first time where I consciously wondered about her safety.
“Why don’t we watch Mickey instead?” I offer. “Mickey!” she yells, before sitting up and turning to the TV. I feel sick.
The past couple of months have been filled with vitriol, and if it were not for starting a new job and the birth of my son, I think I would have let the events surrounding GamerGate engulf me. I’ve been lucky in that regard; writing and podcasting about games is something I do on the side, and while I thoroughly enjoy video games, I don’t identify myself as a “gamer.” So, I’ve mostly fallen outside the professional vs. the player dichotomy. Because of this, I haven’t really felt motivated to speak publicly about the movement, save for a few sporadic tweets. When I do begin to feel overwhelmed by all the negativity, I can simply move along to something not related to games.
The egregious attacks on women, though, have been inescapable and infuriating. I don’t believe that every person who supports GamerGate condones these threats against women, and I do believe that most members of the movement truly want to see more transparency in games journalism. But it should be clear to everyone that hateful and angry people, minority or not, have latched onto GamerGate and used it to target women.
The combative, us-against-them nature of GamerGate (on both sides) has created an environment that is ripe for this behavior. When we begin to see people with different views as the enemy, we more easily accept the mistreatment of them. I’ve seen it across the board, with short-sighted and venomous insults hurled back and forth in endless 140-character rants. People who fundamentally want the same thing – to enjoy video games – seem to truly hate each other. So, when a death threat is made against someone on the “other side,” we shrug and think “they probably faked it” or, the much worse alternative, “they deserved it.”
That’s where we’re at, believing that someone fabricates or deserves threats for, ultimately, thinking about video games in a different way than us. It reminds me of a lyric from “Dear Coach’s Corner" by Propagandhi:
But I guess it comes down to what kind of world you want to live in, and if diversity is disagreement, and disagreement is treason, well don’t be surprised if we find ourselves reaping a strange and bitter fruit…
But I think we can change that attitude, and I saw glimpses of it earlier this week after Polygon published their Bayonetta 2 review, in which the overtly sexual depiction of the heroine was viewed as distracting and unnecessary. Initially, this caused the rapid sharing of the review, with people completely dismissing it and issuing angry or sarcastic tweets, as expected. But the following day, our own Guillaume Veillette led a calm, welcoming discussion, where a variety of opinions – including if/how Bayonetta’s sexuality empowers her and how that should impact a review – were shared freely and without consequence. It was a brief and comforting moment in an otherwise tumultuous time.
We need more conversations like these, coupled with the realization that disagreement isn’t an attack on you personally. The Polygon review doesn’t make you wrong for enjoying Bayonetta 2, just as the belief that games journalism can be improved doesn’t invalidate current practices or work. Progress comes from discussion. Dismissing other opinions entirely stunts possible growth and encourages the abuse that Sarkeesian and others deal with regularly.
I won’t tell you how to feel about the content of video games or their coverage. All I ask is that you allow others to express their own opinions without persecution. I have to believe that things as they are now can and will deescalate. I have to believe that the little pangs of guilt I feel when my daughter names the characters she recognizes on the back of the Super Smash Bros. for 3DS box or brings me the PS4 controller and asks to watch “hock” (NHL15) can and will go away. Because I can’t accept that I’m guiding her towards a hobby that will ultimately bring her harm.
I hope and ask that you help me.
In 3 sentences, what is gamergate?
In 3 sentences, what is gamergate?
In 3 sentences, what is gamergate?
A guy was upset his girlfriend broke up with him, so he got people on the Internet to harass her. This activity was disguised as fighting for ethics in games journalism to make it appear more palatable.
I understand the author of this article being put off by the conflict surrounding Gamergate. However, just because you feel that way doesn't mean both sides are equally to blame or merely opposite sides of the same coin. It's not always merely a matter of differing opinions and people being unable to agree.
In this case, one side has been continually harassed. One side has received death and rape threats. One side has had their personal information distributed over the Internet with the intent to do harm. One side has had to leave their homes out of fear of serious bodily harm.
The other side is tired of "agendas" and being called names.
In this case, one side has been continually harassed. One side has received death and rape threats. One side has had their personal information distributed over the Internet with the intent to do harm. One side has had to leave their homes out of fear of serious bodily harm.The super liberal folk are extremely antagonistic. They are purposely like that because if they get death threats, then their insults are overshadowed, their opposing party's argument is discredited, and they get more fuel to add to the fire. I'm not going to start into saying which argument is wrong or right, but the folks at GG need to find a better way to argue other then threatening death and the feminists need to stop purposely trying to get these death threats just so their argument seems better and actually try to persuade us why they are right.
The other side is tired of "agendas" and being called names.
The other thing is that I want for there to be equal treatment of devs and journalists regardless of gender. Folks on the Journalist end are happy to report one sex scandal involving one of the Cards Against Humanity devs (Who is male), but they refused to talk about the the very incident that was the genesis for this all.While I sympathize with the idea that the Temkin situation wasn't video game news and didn't have to be reported by game sites, it was news as the alleged action is a criminal matter. The Quinn situation is completely different as her alleged cheating, while shitty if true, is in no way a public or criminal matter. And the ex-boyfriend (who HAS been involved in coordinating attacks on Quinn online with GamerGate people) airing their dirty laundry in public is no different than "revenge porn". It's an attack.
the feminists need to stop purposely trying to get these death threats just so their argument seems better and actually try to persuade us why they are right.Getting doxxed means all their personal info including all addresses past and current, social security number, phone numbers, etc. (and often the personal info of their friends and relatives) gets out there for anyone to see and use. It means getting constantly harassed not just online but in real life. And it means even online death threats have the potential to be serious. It means being chased out of your home.
No reasonable person would think it's an effective way of getting their message across.The people who want to their message across, both sides, are using spite and violence. Both sides believe "its my way or the highway". The people at the center of this aren't very reasonable. And yes I do honestly believe some of these feminists are purposely using the death threats to their advantage. They may not be purposely seeking them out, but they certainely aren't going to let them go to waste. Believe it or not, it is an effective tactic. Maybe not a morally correct one or a very good idea, but nonetheless, it is an effective tactic.
In this case, one side has been continually harassed. One side has received death and rape threats. One side has had their personal information distributed over the Internet with the intent to do harm. One side has had to leave their homes out of fear of serious bodily harm.
The other side is tired of "agendas" and being called names.
Your conclusion is based on incorrect info.I avoid most social media aside from a few forums. I got the information from the link in the article posted.
Sarkeesian cancelled her speech. (https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/522424041844772865) And she's not going to Utah again until she can be sure it's safe (https://twitter.com/femfreq/status/522603334696333313).
I hope that you take into account this new info and correct your perception of Sarkeesian accordingly. Don't cling to old notions now that you know their premise was false. And if you were deceived by someone's tweets or some blog article, definitely start asking yourself what else you could have been deceived about.
LOGAN — Utah State University plans to move forward with an event featuring a prominent Canadian-American author, blogger and feminist, despite threats of terror, a spokesman said Tuesday evening.Though of course, I now see a link to the update. So it was my honest mistake.
And that's why I say it would be better to move that discussion elsewhere and let the trolls devour eachother.A guy was upset his girlfriend broke up with him, so he got people on the Internet to harass her. This activity was disguised as fighting for ethics in games journalism to make it appear more palatable.
I understand the author of this article being put off by the conflict surrounding Gamergate. However, just because you feel that way doesn't mean both sides are equally to blame or merely opposite sides of the same coin. It's not always merely a matter of differing opinions and people being unable to agree.
In this case, one side has been continually harassed. One side has received death and rape threats. One side has had their personal information distributed over the Internet with the intent to do harm. One side has had to leave their homes out of fear of serious bodily harm.
The other side is tired of "agendas" and being called names.
It really is shameful that anybody would have to go couch surfing because they fear the folks who are on a literal witch-hunt after them. the overall harsh tone of the angriest members of this are cowardly and wicked hearted.
That being said, I do not appreciate your dismissal of evidence, confession, and the conviction of people who more than anything want proper accountability to be taken regardless of gender, race, sexual preference, or political beliefs.
What I am about to say is by ZERO means me endorsing death threats, doxxing, or misbehavior of the people who have abused the cause Gamergate stands for.
That being said, when active efforts are being made to snip any friendly discussion of this at the bud, when Reddit accounts are getting shadow banned and threads scrubbed clean, when people's youtube videos are getting falsely copyright flagged and when media outlets wrapped up in this refuse to allow for discussion and gracefully take proper critique. . . and then after this refusal to listen, 14 different websites launch editorial against their target demographic all at the same time? people look for ways to get louder. desperate ways. improper ways that only feed the very agenda being pushed out. Some lost their patience far earlier than that. Some still even manipulate Gamergate such as the folks who were in the 4Chan raid IRC, attempting to herd something they cannot possibly police for their own gain.
Gamergate has had legs because there IS wrongdoing here. There IS an ethics issue, there IS a gender equality problem that both super liberal folk and the hateful people they actually should be focusing on combating are milking this for every ounce of drama they can...!
