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It should come as no surprise to anyone, that while there might still be a lot of arguing back and forth about what the recent GamerGate debacle is about, who's fault it is and if anything of use will actually come of it, that the legitimately scary death threats being sent out to some people are not supported by anyone. People have been driven from their homes, forced to pull out from public speaking events and even had to worry about close relatives being targeted – and now the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has released a statement condemning the actions of those few, threatening individuals.
“Threats of violence and harassment are wrong. They have to stop. There is no place in the video game community-or our society-for personal attacks and threats,” it said in response to a GamesIndustry communiqué.
The ESA is made up of a number of industry groups, including developers like Epic, Capcom, Deep Silver, Focus Home Interactive and publishing giants like Nintendo, Microsoft, Blizzard, EA and many more. Considering its prominence in the industry and as a big representative of it in the US especially, it will be interesting to see if it takes a firmer stance and attempts to paint gaming in a better light than a vocal minority have as of late.
A lot of gamers of course would rather the whole GamerGate fiasco would just go away. Clearly though some people aren't done with it yet, as the latest round of commentary about it comes from the fact that Anita Sarkeesian was forced to pull out of a talk at Utah State University after someone threatened the “deadliest school shooting in American history,” stating plans to shoot Sarkeesian herself and everyone in attendance.
The police were asked to perform a firearms check of those attending, but due to concealed carry laws they said that it wouldn't be possible.
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KitGuru Says: Whatever stance you take on the whole GamerGate… thing, I think we can all agree that threatening to murder a bunch of students because you don't want someone to say something you disagree with, makes you the bad guy.
You know, thinking about it, Death/Rape Threats are the ultimate “I WIN”
button that feminists have against gamers. Even if the majority of
gamers claim that they are being ethical and rational with the entire GamerGate argument,
the moment a girl screams “I’M BEING THREATENED!!! HELP!!!” all media
attention goes to them and all gamers go back to being misogynist
creeps.
So either:
– All the people sending death threats are not really gamers
– They honestly don’t know any better, and destroying the credibility of all gamers at large
– They’re all just plain anonymous Trolls
– They’re all fake/manufactured to gain publicity
Why are you trying to think in absolutes? Gamers can be lovely people (I’m one and so is my lovely wife) and some gamers are complete assholes (just watch a stream of any pro COD match on XB1). Some are misogynistic, some are misandrists. The whole problem here is that both sides are trying to define everyone else in terms of absolutes. Stop it. It’s bloody stupid.
People are people and people are complicated, the sooner everyone comes to terms with that, the sooner shit gets fixed. Or we could just stand around throwing accusations, insults, ad hominems and pigeon holes around and act like a bunch of shit flinging apes.
Have to agree, making yourself into a victim is the fastest way to get an army on your side… of course the moment the damsel in distress trope is used those same ‘victims’ go ballistic (from a safe and secure environment).
Anyway I’m sick of hearing that person’s name, she’s merely profiting from all this attention and the moment it dies down some new scandal puts the limelight back on her. She’s the Britney Spears / Miley Cyrus of the gaming world…
Uhhh…. yeah, that’s kind of the point of my post. The reason why we have GamerGate in the first place is because feminists like Anita think in absolutes and make blanket accusations about how gamers think all women are sexual objects.
But you are doing the same thing. Here, I’ll show you what I mean.
You said:
“Death/Rape Threats are the ultimate “I WIN” button that feminists have”
See where you lump all feminists together? That’s reducing a varied and diverse group down to an absolute. This isn’t a criticism of your point of view, nor is it a criticism of your ability to write a post, it is just me pointing out how easily everyone slips in to this kind of behaviour.
You may well not have intended to do this, I can’t possibly know because I am not you, but whatever point you were trying to make becomes hypocritical when you make the exact same mistake that you are complaining about other people making.
I hope I haven’t come across as being combative, or unreasonable, I just needed to point out how even those of us with good intentions can come across the wrong way.
The only way to counter and absolute is usually to bring the opposite absolute. then there isa catfight between them and then a third option – most likely something random that just happens to pop up – takes the win. That or the side that uses the most bribes /corruption xD
The only way to effectively counter absolutes is by correctly defining things and taking problems one step at a time, rather than attempting to fix things wholesale. Trying to fight absolutes with absolutes would be like two bald men fighting over a comb; pointless, ironic and leading to a cyclical argument for which there is no solution and no end.
And that option is the third I was talking about, and the third NEVER pops up until the two bald men comes forth to poke at each other.
GG in real life…
http://media.giphy.com/media/ixCowcsqNVJbUkC1b2/giphy.gif
I wouldn’t mind if the school shooter killed Anita, but no need to kill everyone else. Thanks to this dumb bitch games and comics are getting banned. I hope Anita develops the worst kind of cancer and dies in front of everyone.