So, some allegations have been made about a woman who made a game and a guy who makes a living talking about games. As it stands, they're probably just about the only two people in the whole mess who know all the facts, but when did facts ever not get completely flattened by the turbocharged snowball of gossip and 'righteous' anger on the internet (apart from, maybe, on this website, what now feels like a very fucking long time ago)?
I don't actually want to talk about this particular story, despite it being the catalyst for my rambling today. I don't want to discuss it, not because I have any interest in suppressing one side or the other, but rather because I give precisely zero fucks, and that there is already a prominent thread lodged permanently at the top of Off-Topic at the time of writing where it is being discussed at length, by many people. I see no need to add to that.
No, what concerns me more is this is just one more (particularly rancid) example of just how rotten these forums, and much of gamer culture on the internet, has become of late, in regards to the standard of debate. Understand, my problem is not with having more serious debates about things concerning the industry and beyond. Hell, I'm one of those strange and unnatural creatures that actually likes public speaking. There's little I enjoy more than a good verbal throw down, and there are certainly several serious discussions that I feel the games industry and the larger society it reflects need to be having. Consumers like myself (and I'm assuming you as well if you're reading this) are part of that industry, just as we are all part of society. So, we should be having these discussions as well. No, my problem is with basic standards of decency. My problem is with how combative, counter-productive, and downright poisonous the level of discourse in these issues on sites like this has been allowed to become. My problem is with how anyone supposedly intelligent enough to operate a computer, could think that responding to dissenting opinions or to people known for holding dissenting opinions, with slander, derogatory personal insults, death threats, threats of physical and sexual violence, and threats towards family, are ever okay, for anything!
My problem, is that somewhere down the line (and I'm not quite sure when or how), these issues have become hijacked by bullies and morons, who are unable to express a single thought in their heads without immediately devaluing themselves and anything they involve themselves in through a complete lack of manners.
It's been bubbling up within me for some time now, to hit back out at all the things and all the people that are making me feel ashamed to be here, to tell you that what you believe and how strongly you believe in it, pales into insignificance beside just how much you're embarrassing yourselves with your behaviour. However, I've decided that doing that wouldn't be a good idea (or rather, doing just that, as I kind of did just say it, didn't I).
Making a thread to simply vilify people would make me no better, and would be counter productive to what I want to see. I'd be making a thread where the only discussion value would be inherently hostile, and all it would accomplish would be to add fuel to the fire while simultaneously putting myself in the firing line. I don't want to do that. I'm not a fucking masochist.
So, instead, I thought I'd try something a little more practical. I thought I'd ask the users of these forums, those of you I still have faith in, as well as those who I may yet be proved wrong about, to each post an idea for a thread they'd like to see come up more often. That'll be the discussion value for this thread, with everyone bringing something fresh and constructive to the table. I'll even start things off with a few ideas of my own:
- 'What do you think Marvel will try next?'
- 'Americans... explain the appeal of Grits to me.'
- 'If you became the CEO of a major gaming publisher of your choice, who would it be, and what would be the first thing you'd change (you can only pick ONE thing, no cheating
)?'
- 'If the date of your birth became a national holiday in your honour, what do you hope you'd be remembered for?'
- 'Baby Seals win at cuteness... Discuss!'
Answers to any and all of these topics will also be welcome in the thread. Who knows, perhaps this thread will inspire some users to actually make threads around subjects they or somebody else have suggested? Perhaps this might even become a trend that extends beyond the Escapist, promoting variety, civility, and good times across the Nerdiverse? Perhaps the general temperature of the internet might be persuaded to cool it's fucking jets just a little bit? I'm not reaching for the stars, but you never know...
Let's at least try not to make utter twats of ourselves in this thread. That'd be a start.
I don't actually want to talk about this particular story, despite it being the catalyst for my rambling today. I don't want to discuss it, not because I have any interest in suppressing one side or the other, but rather because I give precisely zero fucks, and that there is already a prominent thread lodged permanently at the top of Off-Topic at the time of writing where it is being discussed at length, by many people. I see no need to add to that.
No, what concerns me more is this is just one more (particularly rancid) example of just how rotten these forums, and much of gamer culture on the internet, has become of late, in regards to the standard of debate. Understand, my problem is not with having more serious debates about things concerning the industry and beyond. Hell, I'm one of those strange and unnatural creatures that actually likes public speaking. There's little I enjoy more than a good verbal throw down, and there are certainly several serious discussions that I feel the games industry and the larger society it reflects need to be having. Consumers like myself (and I'm assuming you as well if you're reading this) are part of that industry, just as we are all part of society. So, we should be having these discussions as well. No, my problem is with basic standards of decency. My problem is with how combative, counter-productive, and downright poisonous the level of discourse in these issues on sites like this has been allowed to become. My problem is with how anyone supposedly intelligent enough to operate a computer, could think that responding to dissenting opinions or to people known for holding dissenting opinions, with slander, derogatory personal insults, death threats, threats of physical and sexual violence, and threats towards family, are ever okay, for anything!
My problem, is that somewhere down the line (and I'm not quite sure when or how), these issues have become hijacked by bullies and morons, who are unable to express a single thought in their heads without immediately devaluing themselves and anything they involve themselves in through a complete lack of manners.
It's been bubbling up within me for some time now, to hit back out at all the things and all the people that are making me feel ashamed to be here, to tell you that what you believe and how strongly you believe in it, pales into insignificance beside just how much you're embarrassing yourselves with your behaviour. However, I've decided that doing that wouldn't be a good idea (or rather, doing just that, as I kind of did just say it, didn't I).
Making a thread to simply vilify people would make me no better, and would be counter productive to what I want to see. I'd be making a thread where the only discussion value would be inherently hostile, and all it would accomplish would be to add fuel to the fire while simultaneously putting myself in the firing line. I don't want to do that. I'm not a fucking masochist.
So, instead, I thought I'd try something a little more practical. I thought I'd ask the users of these forums, those of you I still have faith in, as well as those who I may yet be proved wrong about, to each post an idea for a thread they'd like to see come up more often. That'll be the discussion value for this thread, with everyone bringing something fresh and constructive to the table. I'll even start things off with a few ideas of my own:
- 'What do you think Marvel will try next?'
- 'Americans... explain the appeal of Grits to me.'
- 'If you became the CEO of a major gaming publisher of your choice, who would it be, and what would be the first thing you'd change (you can only pick ONE thing, no cheating
)?'- 'If the date of your birth became a national holiday in your honour, what do you hope you'd be remembered for?'
- 'Baby Seals win at cuteness... Discuss!'
Answers to any and all of these topics will also be welcome in the thread. Who knows, perhaps this thread will inspire some users to actually make threads around subjects they or somebody else have suggested? Perhaps this might even become a trend that extends beyond the Escapist, promoting variety, civility, and good times across the Nerdiverse? Perhaps the general temperature of the internet might be persuaded to cool it's fucking jets just a little bit? I'm not reaching for the stars, but you never know...
Let's at least try not to make utter twats of ourselves in this thread. That'd be a start.
