A professional, objective, apolitical future for The Escapist...

[ZiggyE]

God damn it, Escapist. I applauded you for firing Moviebob for his nasty and unprofessional behavior on Twitter, so you....hire this guy? Who seems to be even worse?

Color me disappointed.

At least he's not calling them "subhumans".

 

[IceForce]

So they've pretty much just hired Milo Yiannopoulos, yeah?

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

[..] or suggested that someone who argues with him commit suicide.

I don't have an opinion about this in general (yet), but this bit is bullshit.

If someone says "In related news, punk is dead and I wish I was too", you don't get to pearl-clutch when someone calls them on their melodramatic idiocy. That's just beyond all sense.

Well, he's not really 'pearl-clutching', as he just kind of laughed it off. My own personal view is that was one very shitty thing to say, and not at all a measured response to one fairly obviously facetious comment, but the person it was directed at, as far as I know, isn't fishing for sympathy.

At least he's not calling them "subhumans".

When you deny someone their identity, and their right to identify themselves as every other free citizen has a right to do, then yeah, that's pretty much exactly what you're calling them.

 

[Skatologist]

So they've pretty much just hired Milo Yiannopoulos, yeah?

Funny thing, he was defending Milo's trans views on twitter and how he wasn't transphobic for any of his remarks. And he's a conservative blogger focusing on political correctness, so pretty much.

This is also from his recent twitter feed:

Reply
[tweet t=https://twitter.com/TheBrandonMorse/status/569245391243202560]

Reply
[tweet t=https://twitter.com/TheBrandonMorse/status/569243443844780033]

RT
[tweet t=https://twitter.com/AN4RCHID/status/569259119695306753]

RT
[tweet t=https://twitter.com/Jose_Galvan/status/502122141387460609]

RT
[tweet t=https://twitter.com/AiPolitics/status/569240998448009217]

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

So they've pretty much just hired Milo Yiannopoulos, yeah?

Nah, he thinks being gay is evil too. At least Milo doesn't think that. I mean, he never actually said that in so many words, and he basically holds that position in the least offensive way that a person can, but still, he hates the gay. So, we can list gay people as another subsection of his audience he looks down on. But man, at least he didn't call gamers misogynists!

 

[Aurion]

[..] or suggested that someone who argues with him commit suicide.

I don't have an opinion about this in general (yet), but this bit is bullshit.

If someone says "In related news, punk is dead and I wish I was too", you don't get to pearl-clutch when someone calls them on their melodramatic idiocy. That's just beyond all sense.

Well, he's not really 'pearl-clutching', as he just kind of laughed it off. My own personal view is that was one very shitty thing to say, and not at all a measured response to one fairly obviously facetious comment, but the person it was directed at, as far as I know, isn't fishing for sympathy.

I meant you, hence my pronoun usage.

-

Looking him up a bit more I now have a general opinion. We'll see, I suppose. This sort of person is rarely able to keep their politics out of their work; eventually something's going to happen that'll push their "Look at me, I don't care! Come see how much I don't care!" button, but hope springs eternal I guess.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

[..] or suggested that someone who argues with him commit suicide.

I don't have an opinion about this in general (yet), but this bit is bullshit.

If someone says "In related news, punk is dead and I wish I was too", you don't get to pearl-clutch when someone calls them on their melodramatic idiocy. That's just beyond all sense.

Well, he's not really 'pearl-clutching', as he just kind of laughed it off. My own personal view is that was one very shitty thing to say, and not at all a measured response to one fairly obviously facetious comment, but the person it was directed at, as far as I know, isn't fishing for sympathy.

I meant you, hence my pronoun usage.

-

Looking him up a bit more I now have a general opinion. We'll see, I suppose. This sort of person is rarely able to keep their politics out of their work, but hope springs eternal I guess.

Okay. That was my mistake. I still think that he was out of line. It was an unnecessary jab at a facetious comment that failed to in any way respond to the point of said comment; and, on the off-chance that it isn't facetious, I think it;s a generally bad idea to 'call someone on their bullshit' in response to the phrase 'I wish I was dead'.

 

[Knight Captain Kerr]

So when MovieBob insults people on twitter that's wrong and he should be fired but when people complain about this guy being transphobic on twitter they're fascists who are trying to censor free speech. Right...

Anyway this guy seems like a dick. Am I allowed say that or will I get a warning for it? Eh, when you hire transphobes don't be surprised that people dislike them for being transphobic.

 

[Aurion]

Okay. That was my mistake. I still think that he was out of line. It was an unnecessary jab at a facetious comment that failed to in any way respond to the point of said comment;

There was a point in the tweet, beyond deriding the phrase "punk rock conservative"?

It's a ridiculous phrase, to be sure.

and, on the off-chance that it isn't facetious, I think it;s a generally bad idea to 'call someone on their bullshit' in response to the phrase 'I wish I was dead'.

It's kind of cute that you're trying this, but okay I'll play. We are not talking about a general rule. We're talking about a stupid political Twitter slapfight (whoa, tautology!) where someone included an overdramatic phrase and got a flippant response.

The worst thing this says about either of the people involved is that they're dumb enough to try very hard to be witty on Twitter. Which I suppose could be quite damning depending on what you think of Twitter, but this is a digression off of a digression.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Well... I guess bad PR is still PR. It's funny... this place was a site for everyone, and now they're giving a paycheck to people who would actively push a message of bigotry.

You want to depoliticise gaming, then hire people seeking to treat people as equals. Not hire people who wish to subvert years of progress that sought include as many gamers as possible.

Instead, I am confronted with the uncomfortable idea that every time I come here I'm funding people who'd sooner put me into a concentration camp rather than drop their broken idea of biological essentialism, because my existence disproves their philosophy.

This is a 'return to fun' is it? Why not go the full nine yards and run weekly commentaries about how to beat up fags and trannies. Gotta love that total lack of politics. You know ... barring all the politics.

You want journalists? Hire true journalists.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Okay. That was my mistake. I still think that he was out of line. It was an unnecessary jab at a facetious comment that failed to in any way respond to the point of said comment;

There was a point in the tweet, beyond deriding the phrase "punk rock conservative"?

It's a ridiculous phrase, to be sure.

Well yes. His point being that the phrase is an embarrassing contradiction in terms. I'm not claiming the guy's Atticus Finch, but still, Brandon chose to be a dick rather than address him.

and, on the off-chance that it isn't facetious, I think it;s a generally bad idea to 'call someone on their bullshit' in response to the phrase 'I wish I was dead'.

It's kind of cute that you're trying this, but okay I'll play. We are not talking about a general rule.

Um, okay... Maybe I'm just sleepy, but this appears to be taking a tone I didn't expect. I think it's a wholesale dick move to say someone should kill themselves. In this particular case, where the original assertion is pretty clearly not serious, then his response only makes him rude, rather than disgusting.

Is that a problem?

 

[BloatedGuppy]

This is a 'return to fun' is it? Why not go the full nine yards and run weekly commentaries about how to beat up fags and trannies. Gotta love that total lack of politics. You know ... barring all the politics.

Come now. The fact a content creator openly mocks transsexuals and disagrees with homosexuality isn't the problem. It's only a problem if it influences his opinions on games, or things he says about gamers. If that occurs, then we must devote the next year of our lives to drumming him out of the industry before he ruins it by giving a popular game 7/10 or something instead of the 9.5 it so evidently deserves.

Postscript - I do realize there are transsexual or homosexual gamers who might be troubled by an individual who openly derides their sense of identity, but rest assured it is all fair game as long as he doesn't denigrate the hobby or your enjoyment of it, both of which are above reproach...unlike your sexuality or gender identity.

 

[runic knight]

Oh joy, look at those upset reactions to the fact Bob got canned (Probably for unprofessionalism and directly attacking the audience after being specifically instructed not to). Just what I expected sadly.

To be honest, I'm really not that upset. I like Bob's stuff, though I don't pretend to agree with all of it. However, he's on Youtube and seems to be using his new found free time to go in his own direction with all his areas of expertise. I know where to find him still when I feel like it, so what's the point in being upset?

I think the site made a mistake letting him go, but my personal stake in the decision is nil.

Well, best of luck to him doing his own thing then. I can't say I am unhappy seeing him gone, though I do wish he would grow up a little more and use twitter a little less.

But onto the topic of the thread himself and his politics (particularly his opinion of transfolk). His perspective is stupid, I agree. What is your point? He has a contentious view that I don't agree with, but he doesn't seem to be insinuating large swath's of the sites target audience of being subhumans or even being that unprofessional with his views on twitter,

No. He's just suggesting that trans-people (many of whom frequent this site), are deluded attention seekers, an attitude that has been medically disproven and yet still contributes to crippling mental anguish among many trans-people. With that in mind, I don't care who is or isn't counted among "large swath's of the sites target audience". Is your point that it's irrelevant so long as you don't bite the hand that feeds you?

In part. Also to not openly and gleefully come out of the gate swinging at all who disagree with claims of subhuman and the like.
Basically, I am aware his views but I can't say he can't have those. I will judge him on his behavior both here and elsewhere and so far his behavior has been to state a stupid point of view but do so without an abhorrent degree of unprofessionalism. Since he hasn't posted here yet, I can't judge his actions here, nor how much of his content will be used to push his political ideal if any at all.

Considering how Jim was before he came here as well, I think giving the guy a chance is as fair as he deserves.

 

[Silvanus]

Spoiler

In fairness, we have Gamergaters saying this is bad.

I will judge him on his behavior both here and elsewhere and so far his behavior has been to state a stupid point of view but do so without an abhorrent degree of unprofessionalism.

Wait, so politeness is more important than what's actually being said, even if what's being said is abhorrent?

Is not bigotry inherently rude?

 

[Muspelheim]

Oh, what a jolly lot of fun we're going to have, celebrating geek culture in a positive manner together! No nasty weight attached, just games, games, glorious games! Ein gesunder geist in einem gesunden körper!

 

[Aurion]

Oh, what a jolly lot of fun we're going to have, celebrating geek culture in a positive manner together! No nasty weight attached, just games, games, glorious games! Ein gesunder geist in einem gesunden körper!

Well. It's all downhill from here, innit?

 

[Muspelheim]

Well. It's all downhill from here, innit?

Nah, things were doomed to roll downhill from the beginning. Not much else to do than to be slightly overdramatic while tumbling around in the roaring avalanche.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Wait and see, what their contents actually will be, before raising your pitchforks, although I don't like the part of not having anything to do with gaming, or actually not being a gamer.

I have no idea who this Brandon is, but Lizzy was always quite funny. I visited this site for years but only for ZP and JQ, never checked the forums, until a certain thing started, and even then, simply a lurker, well until now that is.

Although the thought of ideology injection, are quite unpleasing, whether it be right wing, left wing, or any kinds of wings.