In my six years lurking around the Escapist, I've hardly been a prolific poster. But lately the trickle I had going has dried up almost entirely. And you know why? Because it has been absolutely ages since I've seen a thread on these forums that hasn't devolved into a shouting match by the time I get to it. It doesn't matter the subject- Anita Sarkeesian, GamerGate, Anita Sarkeesian, 30 vs 60 fps, Phil Fish, Anita Sarkeesian, the quality of the Pokémon franchise, fucking irrelevant fucking Anita fucking Sarkeesian who gives a fuck what she's doing or saying Jesus fucking goddamned Christ fuck- it all boils down to two sides, both convinced they're 100% right, that their reasoning is self-evident, and that the other side is evil and only taking that side to be stupid and contrary.
Frankly, the Escapist has become an overall unpleasant and hostile community. I understand that we've been going through a series of events that have made some touchy subjects very prominent, but that only justifies so much for so long. There are only two reasons I really partake in debates like the current clusterfuck- if I feel the resolution will have tangible and important results, or if I think it will provide a fun intellectual challenge.
Now let's not kid ourselves- GamerGate is not going to be resolved in any meaningful way. It will most likely fade from public consciousness once everyone has shouted themselves hoarse. But even if one side "wins," whatever that would actually entail, neither is going to turn that victory into a positive change. If GG shouts down the "SJWs," gaming won't become a utopia of free speech and press transparency. If vice-versa, women in gaming won't be any more respected or fairly treated. It wouldn't even be a step in the right direction. The whole debate as it stands is pointless, vitriolic bile from both ends, and I don't have any hope that it can help anyone.
As for fun? Ha. Ha ha. Ha ha ha. No. There is nothing fun about wading through the empty rhetoric, mad conspiracy theories, and constant ad-hominem attacks that comprise the vast majority of both sides. It's just unpleasant and frustrating, trying to express a moderate opinion amid the insane, forced polarization of the whole mess.
And it seems it's all we can talk about lately. Off-topic, R&P, Gaming, probably the fucking RP forum next- all overwhelmed by thread after thread about every tiniest statement made by anyone even tangentially connected to the games industry (Adam Baldwin anyone?) that anyone can find some point of contention with. The way it springs up even in unrelated discussions is maddening. And it's not just the recent topic of GamerGate- it's the larger social issues behind it, the three-year odyssey that began with Sarkeesian's Kickstarter and led us to this abysmal fucking point. "SJWs" vs "MRAs" and whatever other pejoratives we can come up with. Is the change occurring in gamer culture important? Yeah, most definitely, we're maturing as a community and as a medium and that brings some new questions and obligations to deal with. But must it consume our every bloody thought? Especially when both sides have proven themselves so utterly incapable of discussing it intelligently? Fucking hell guys, some levity every now and then is all I ask.
At the end of the day, I just don't have fun with this community anymore. It's all gone sour for me, and I don't come here because I like being sad and frustrated. I don't kid myself that I'm a pillar of the community- I'm sure for most of you this will be the first and last post by me that you'll read. But even so, I feel the need to say that I'm out. I'm done. Participating in the Escapist forums is no longer entertaining, intellectually stimulating, or fun. Thanks for the memories, but they're of things long gone. Good luck, shape up, I'll see you when I see you.
~
Master_of_Oldskool, or Cody if you prefer.
Frankly, the Escapist has become an overall unpleasant and hostile community. I understand that we've been going through a series of events that have made some touchy subjects very prominent, but that only justifies so much for so long. There are only two reasons I really partake in debates like the current clusterfuck- if I feel the resolution will have tangible and important results, or if I think it will provide a fun intellectual challenge.
Now let's not kid ourselves- GamerGate is not going to be resolved in any meaningful way. It will most likely fade from public consciousness once everyone has shouted themselves hoarse. But even if one side "wins," whatever that would actually entail, neither is going to turn that victory into a positive change. If GG shouts down the "SJWs," gaming won't become a utopia of free speech and press transparency. If vice-versa, women in gaming won't be any more respected or fairly treated. It wouldn't even be a step in the right direction. The whole debate as it stands is pointless, vitriolic bile from both ends, and I don't have any hope that it can help anyone.
As for fun? Ha. Ha ha. Ha ha ha. No. There is nothing fun about wading through the empty rhetoric, mad conspiracy theories, and constant ad-hominem attacks that comprise the vast majority of both sides. It's just unpleasant and frustrating, trying to express a moderate opinion amid the insane, forced polarization of the whole mess.
And it seems it's all we can talk about lately. Off-topic, R&P, Gaming, probably the fucking RP forum next- all overwhelmed by thread after thread about every tiniest statement made by anyone even tangentially connected to the games industry (Adam Baldwin anyone?) that anyone can find some point of contention with. The way it springs up even in unrelated discussions is maddening. And it's not just the recent topic of GamerGate- it's the larger social issues behind it, the three-year odyssey that began with Sarkeesian's Kickstarter and led us to this abysmal fucking point. "SJWs" vs "MRAs" and whatever other pejoratives we can come up with. Is the change occurring in gamer culture important? Yeah, most definitely, we're maturing as a community and as a medium and that brings some new questions and obligations to deal with. But must it consume our every bloody thought? Especially when both sides have proven themselves so utterly incapable of discussing it intelligently? Fucking hell guys, some levity every now and then is all I ask.
At the end of the day, I just don't have fun with this community anymore. It's all gone sour for me, and I don't come here because I like being sad and frustrated. I don't kid myself that I'm a pillar of the community- I'm sure for most of you this will be the first and last post by me that you'll read. But even so, I feel the need to say that I'm out. I'm done. Participating in the Escapist forums is no longer entertaining, intellectually stimulating, or fun. Thanks for the memories, but they're of things long gone. Good luck, shape up, I'll see you when I see you.
~
Master_of_Oldskool, or Cody if you prefer.
