The Escapist Community is a tad too toxic

[Phasmal]

I dunno, man, I remember such riveting threads as `Can you turn a whore into a housewife` which were totally acceptable back in the day

I'll always remember the classic "Should women be allowed to get breast implants?"

We need to protect them from their vain selves. XD

And I know we both remember the `Would you hit a woman if she hit you first threads`- where people would come from far and wide to explain in detail how they would theoretically beat the crap out of this theoretical woman if she theoretically dared to raise and hand to them first. Theoretically of course.

But I don't know, does it compare to disagreeing with a guy about an award won by a comic book?

Spoiler

Can't tell if my sarcasm's getting too toxic, it's all in good fun, kids.

 

[Josh123914]

I dunno, man, I remember such riveting threads as `Can you turn a whore into a housewife` which were totally acceptable back in the day

I'll always remember the classic "Should women be allowed to get breast implants?"

We need to protect them from their vain selves. XD

And I know we both remember the `Would you hit a woman if she hit you first threads`- where people would come from far and wide to explain in detail how they would theoretically beat the crap out of this theoretical woman if she theoretically dared to raise and hand to them first. Theoretically of course.

But I don't know, does it compare to disagreeing with a guy about an award won by a comic book?

Spoiler

Can't tell if my sarcasm's getting too toxic, it's all in good fun, kids.

What about the thread asking if you'd rather save a stranger from drowning or your best friend's dog?

One of the principle defenses for the dog was that the stranger might be a rapist / racist. Best part was that saving the dog was winning 2 to 1.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Actually, they liked all your favorite things. So for the good of everyone else, you aren't allowed to like things anymore. Think of the children!

It's even worse than that; the things you liked promote/reinforce sexism, misogyny and patriarchy!
Think of the sexist children!...wait.

 

[Phasmal]

What about the thread asking if you'd rather save a stranger from drowning or your best friend's dog?

One of the principle defenses for the dog was that the stranger might be a rapist / racist. Best part was that saving the dog was winning 2 to 1.

I do recall the whirlpool of whirlpool threads.

And to be fair, dogs would save you- people, eh who knows?? They could be the kind of people who start whirlpool threads, and then where does it end?

Spoiler: Dogs are decent people

 

[Lightknight]

The internet has become increasingly more uppity and hostile over the years. You are witnessing the escapist conforming to normal trends. But hey, if you have another community that you hold up as a gold standard of not being toxic then by all means let us know? Because as surely as the sun will set us flooding that site would make it cease to be the gold standard.

 

[IceForce]

The internet has become increasingly more uppity and hostile over the years.

... Interestingly, coinciding with the advent and popularity of social media.

I know I know, correlation =/= causation and all that. But still it has to be said, if The Escapist is "toxic", then Twitter is a fucking dumping ground for nuclear waste.

 

[Johnlives]

Maybe things have become more toxic, what with arguements over various controversies and politicisation. However, I have just come across some startling data that will render all those discusssions moot and may even lead to increased co-operation and maybe even friendship.

Spoiler

 

[Neonit]

Yeah, more people have noticed that.... Frankly, it seems like some people believe themselves to be above others, whereas the truth is - they look quite silly to pretty much all bystanders.

Honestly, it all seems childish to me, and i prefer not to engage with the toxic elements in ANY community. The idea is, that if you ignore the shouting and pouting kids, they will go somewhere else.... After a while you start to learn who is who, and you can react accordingly.

Its like real life - find they people you enjoy talking to, ignore the "shouty ones", and be reasonable to all others. Works for me, might work for you

 

[DoPo]

The internet has become increasingly more uppity and hostile over the years.

... Interestingly, coinciding with the advent and popularity of social media.

I know I know, correlation =/= causation and all that. But still it has to be said, if The Escapist is "toxic", then Twitter is a fucking dumping ground for nuclear waste.

More people online... that's all.

Yup, that's the far more likely causation. It refurbishes the old saying "Hell is other people".

 

[Lightknight]

The internet has become increasingly more uppity and hostile over the years.

... Interestingly, coinciding with the advent and popularity of social media.

I know I know, correlation =/= causation and all that. But still it has to be said, if The Escapist is "toxic", then Twitter is a fucking dumping ground for nuclear waste.

Well of course. Toxicity is highly relative and someone complaining of toxicity may just be complaining that their personal values aren't being mirrored in the society they're complaining about.

I think people also confuse people in a debate who think they're right with true toxicity. In the Escapist, direct insults of individuals or groups is met with warnings, suspensions and even banning so there is certainly a stop-gap here.

So I personally find that these kind of complaints are more likely to be issues with there being more people who disagree with the individual doing the complaining moreso than some universal toxicity test coming back higher. It may or may not be the case with the OP, I don't know because I haven't dabbed my toxicity litmus test in the escapist waters owing to me not having any such test.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

Hey, anyone taste that?

It's salt

We need to collectively lower our sodium intake

Anyone have any propositions?

 

[Lightknight]

Call it censorship or the like, but you have to admit, if topics that were about or related to GamerGate were banned entirely, we wouldn't have ten-page long fights cropping up every 24 hours and if people wanted to discuss it they'd go elsewhere. I don't necessarily approve, but it'd do more to depolarize the site than allowing it.

Are you extremely new to the internet?

If so: We've always had ten-page long fights all over the internet on any number of things. Them existing with regularity is not new.

If not: You should already know that we've always had ten-page long fights all over the internet on any number of things with regularity.

The truth is that GamerGate just grouped a large number of grievances/debates under one header and so you now see a more central location for several topics that traditionally spawned those kinds of threads on their own from time to time. At least it's more consolidated now and not cluttering up other places.

What's more is people disagreeing or complaining about something isn't toxicity. If it bothers you then don't participate in them but they have every right to their discourse and them being able to talk about things they want to is the same thing you're able to do. So if there's any problem with them doing so then that's on you and not them. In fact, if you feel the need to deride the reappearance of such subjects just because they're sore or whatever to you then you are technically breaking forum rules by posting:

" If you feel the need to deride the reappearance of an old topic or particular sore subject, then don't post. "

Now, if it floods out of there and people start being rude to you directly in unrelated places for your stances in those threads? Well that's a problem and I'll gladly support you publicly. But that would be a poster that would need to be modded for their treatment of you and not some sort of indication that an entire group of people is "too toxic" or whatever prejudiced BS we're going to try to label a group with just because they disagree.