The Most Dangerous Woman in Videogames - Anita Sarkeesian

[Lictor Face]

Out of curiosity, precisely why does she need 150K from kickstarter to do this...."research"?

There have been people doing this sort of thing (Dark souls and its many plot and character analysis) with not even 5%, hell, 1% of that for a fair amount of time already.

That is my main beef with Anita. its all good and well you want to this research to benefit so and so. But 150K for "research"? For something as banal as looking at and analyzing video game characters?

You could buy a car with 150K. Hell, develop a video game with 150K, why would you need a 150K to "research" a moral issue prevalent in video games?

Especially since her videos seem to revolve around her own opinion and do not seem to take into account professional opinions (if any) , historical similarities or non-video game angles.

Hell. A college student can write a research essay on Sexism in videogames and not even clock up a 100 dollars. So why the 150K? WHY?

 

[runic knight]

It's funny how drastically ones opinions can change in a meager 2 years.

I came across a quote [http://gameoverthinker.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/extra-credits-does-other-m.html] that made me remember why I started watching MovieBob in the first place.

Why is "Extra Credits" the best gaming show on the web? Because when THEY make the Other M episode, they spend 99% of it on things like narrative mechanics and localization, maybe 1% or less on percieved socio/political "messages"/issues that simply aren't really there and ZERO percent of it on dime-store analysis of the alleged "cultural misogyny" of a foriegn culture they don't belong to.

I really don't want to risk posting in this thread seeing as there has been a wave of random bannings but... Lately I wonder what the hell I was thinking when I started following MovieBob's stuff, it's things like this that remind me he wasn't always the social justice warrior digging for page views that he is now.

Anita has brought out the very worst in all of us... what have we become? Remember when we used to talk about games guys? A time before we were more hung up about what utensils a character has between its legs?

I hate posting this, in part because I get hit with warnings enough on my own, the recent ban happy culture in these threads does scare me, and in part because I actually have to defend Anita here, but here goes.

Anita is not to blame for the change in things. As much as I call her a cancer and someone who actively undermines the discussions we should be having by having made herself bigger and more talked about then the issues themselves, she is nothing more then another symptom of the larger issue. Much like Bill O'Riley or Alex Jones, she is not the cause of the change in atmosphere but merely profiting from it (regardless if you think she took the money and ran or not, you can't deny that the controversy has profited her in opportunities).

Gaming journalism has seemed to have gotten worse then it was in regards to it being nothing but advertisement and publicity, and in some ways we can argue that, though like old ways, Nintendo and Playstation magizines were hardly fair and impartial. Still, with the boom of the internet, and the constant control of information by the game-makers, as well as the entirety of journalism itself switching from news to sensationalism and profiteering, we have a perfect storm or sorts. Gaming journalism ("Professional" gaming journalism) is now a lens on the decline of journalistic integrity, showing how companies have gained so much control over the news media to make it just more advertising and to make the point of the news to be more about making money through page views then actual reporting. Because of that, a demand for more real journalism grew along with it, giving fuel to the growth of the gaming reviewers. Unfortunately, you also get those who marry the two types of "journalism" in every field. Anita is just the Alex Jones of gaming journalism, a result of the shift in how games have been looked, be it review or criticism. She did not cause this mess, she merely profits from it, and while that is certainly more then enough to condemn her actions, and to notice how her actions have continued the divisive and vitriolic shift in attitudes of the discussion in the same way the likes of Bill O'Riley has done to political discussions, it isn't right to blame her for the cause of it. Though, this shift as a whole, as well as how it occurred would be a great thread topic if someone wants to run with it. Maybe if we understand why the hell things got so bad we could come up with something to help matters? Lord knows blindly blaming the other side for the arguments never solved anything.

 

[Rylingo]

The real sexist problem is lies in the toxic social channels of the online shooter/fighting game genres. Something which I actually wish Anita would focus on. Or maybe I wouldn't since most of her videos have been rather ham-fisted.

Now anyone who points out that she has done her research poorly and splattered her videos with pointless hyperbole is being thrown in with the sexists. Even if they are pro-womens rights and would like to see women get better representation in gaming.

 

[runic knight]

I like the part where you repeat over and over how much you wish Anita would go away and how sick of it all you are, while also stating several times that you've followed the debate closely and show no signs of actually leaving the discussion. Like a child burning their hand on a stove, but leaving it there.

I like to talk politics but I wish a hell of a lot of pundits would just leave the discussion all together. Your analogy is sort of flawed here. This is more about someone setting their hand on the stove and wishing some jackass would stop lighting it on fire while it is there. The discussion does not need nor require Anita at all, and thinking she makes matters more difficult -and consequently wishing she would leave because of that- is actually pretty consistent. It would be a lot more nonsensical if they wanted to hold the discussion, thought Anita was crap but still didn't wish she would leave.

 

[wulf3n]

Yet, here you are. You can talk all you like about how above it all you are. But here you are. Can't be too sick of Anita if you're this keen to talk about the issue. Tell me more how much you don't want to talk about it.

Can't be too affected by the tough sexism issue if you'd rather talk about everything but the issue. Tell me more about how hollow, selfish, and ignorant we all are.

 

[VanQ]

I like the part where you repeat over and over how much you wish Anita would go away and how sick of it all you are, while also stating several times that you've followed the debate closely and show no signs of actually leaving the discussion. Like a child burning their hand on a stove, but leaving it there.

Or you know, making sure I'm properly aware of the situation I'm commenting on. There are people like you, that sit in your comfort zone and do nothing but fling mud at anyone outside of it. And there are people like me, that have actively made an attempt to leave my comfort zone as a "privileged, straight white male" and tried to see both sides of the coin.

I've come to an educated opinion on the matter. All you're doing is flinging mud based off your own preconceived notions. I'm doing my best to see the matter from both perspectives. You're just throwing a temper tantrum in a puddle of mud.

Yet, here you are. You can talk all you like about how above it all you are. But here you are. Can't be too sick of Anita if you're this keen to talk about the issue. Tell me more how much you don't want to talk about it.

When did I ever claim to be above anything? I wouldn't even be here if I felt that way. Again you attack me with lies. I'm not above this conversation, it's a conversation I want to be had and want to be a part of. I want to see the medium move forward. I said that very thing in a direct quote to you.

I will not feed into your petty attempts to bait me any further. Good day to you.

 

[VanQ]

Right. That entire paragraph post you left about wanting gaming to go back to not talking about any of this - that never happened. Only it did happen.

Continue pretending you have any ground at all to stand on. Your super transparent attempts at jabs are amusing.

Because it didn't happen. I want gaming to stop talking about Anita. Not the issue of sexism in video games. How hard is this to understand?

 

[wulf3n]

They say, not talking about the topic at all, again. Is obliviousness to irony going around like a cold lately?

With posts like that I can do nothing but agree.

 

[DarkSpartan]

if we want more "balanced" representation in video games, then find a cheap engine and make your own. Hell, for the kind of money that Anita took in from Kickstarter, I challenge her to make a game herself that demonstrates her views in a way that the rest of us are most likely to understand, regardless of initial viewpoint or possession of native intelligence.

You want to badger us into a change, Anita? Leave off the $1000 Gucci shoes, get a team together, and make YOUR game.

I'll make mine, and EA can make theirs, and we'll see how it comes out.

TL;DR: Step up, Anita. Make the game, make your donors happy, and get yourself some proper cred in the bargain.

 

[IceForce]

Just lock this thread already. It's completely and utterly derailed.
Nothing constructive can be gained by keeping it open. The only thing that will happen is more bans.

This is the best picture of Anita on the Internet...

Spoiler: Buying $1000 shoes

What's up with people constantly posting fake tweets? People were doing that in the other Sarkeesian thread too.

Doing this doesn't help either side of the argument.

 

[wulf3n]

They say, for the third time not talking about the topic. Yes. How dare I comment and not talk about the specific issue, rather one person's interactions within the forum. Good thing you aren't doing exactly that. Oh. Oh you are. But you wouldn't continue doing the exact thing you are pretending to dislike, would you? I think you will.

I think I will too? You must be psychic

I'm glad the irony isn't lost on you. I'd hate to think we were wasting our time.

 

[wulf3n]

While amusing, your attempts are wit are quickly losing their appeal. Either return to the topic or don't waste further bit space. You can only play silly for so long. Or just repeat yourself again and be ignored.

I'd be happy to discuss the topic, but alas I've said my piece. Id be honored to discuss your opinion if you were to give it.

 

[anthony87]

It is pretty scary honestly.

What I find to be scary is the fact that the article that kicked all this off was allowed to be published in the first place. I mean I think it's safe to assume that the mods/staff know what these threads always end up turning into considering how fast any other threads about the subject end up getting locked before they can get too bad.

Not this time though. "Oh what's that? You're a content creator? Then go right ahead, fan the flames as much as you please without responding to anything in the resulting mess of a thread. Don't worry we're not gonna lock it, we'll just warn/ban/suspend as many people as we need to until everyone gets tired of shouting at each other".

Sure, maybe the flames weren't intentionally being fanned, but then are they ever?