Journalism and sexism in the games industry

[BruceVC]

A supposed Harvard Faculty member wrote a scathing takedown of Feminist Frequency that I had to had a dictionary on hand for:

 

http://gamergate.me/2014/12/behind-the-patina-sarkeesian/

 

It's telling that this person chooses to remain anonymous to prevent harm against his or her family. I find it interesting that #GamerGate is accused of wanting to censor non-standard voices when nobody is able to speak against its detractors without worrying about death theats.

 

To be fair, it also takes potshots against GamerGate at some points, but hey, we deserve some criticism.

 

You do realize that this Harvard member is not just attacking Anita but also the supporters of GG ?

 

He states

 

" Yet this is the modus operandi of GamerGate’s detractors, and its supporters. They are the nearest thing today to engineered narcissists. For they are so slavishly conditioned and socialized to one-sided rhetoric, to invoke Meg Wolitzer, they have butter, but no bread"

 

So we are all idiots to him

[Meshugger]

 

A supposed Harvard Faculty member wrote a scathing takedown of Feminist Frequency that I had to had a dictionary on hand for:

 

http://gamergate.me/2014/12/behind-the-patina-sarkeesian/

 

It's telling that this person chooses to remain anonymous to prevent harm against his or her family. I find it interesting that #GamerGate is accused of wanting to censor non-standard voices when nobody is able to speak against its detractors without worrying about death theats.

 

To be fair, it also takes potshots against GamerGate at some points, but hey, we deserve some criticism.

 

You do realize that this Harvard member is not just attacking Anita but also the supporters of GG ?

 

He states

 

" Yet this is the modus operandi of GamerGate’s detractors, and its supporters. They are the nearest thing today to engineered narcissists. For they are so slavishly conditioned and socialized to one-sided rhetoric, to invoke Meg Wolitzer, they have butter, but no bread"

 

So we are all idiots to him

 

 

If you read the links mentioned, you will see that he is attacking Twitter as a communication medium, since it supports narcissistic behaviour. Furthermore, the first paragraph is only about just that. The rest is about the intellectual laziness of Anita ideas.

 

TL;DR-version: She is a champagne-marxist without depth.

[Blarghagh]

Yes, I do realize. From my post: To be fair, it also takes potshots against GamerGate at some points, but hey, we deserve some criticism.

 

I've mentioned before how I really dislike that parts of #GamerGate (even some of this thread) has entrenched and really became its own hugbox (the accusations that AbleGamers faked its own DDoS come to mind, #GamerGate can be incredibly paranoid). It's not good for debate, education, progress and the democratic process to live in echo-chambers. The upside is that #GamerGate often changes figureheads, so the whole thing tends to be shook up relatively often. I can say with certainty that the current iteration of #GamerGate is not even close to being how it started, and ironically the movement has become more concerned with social justice than its opponents are, but they prefer celebrating the good rather than shaming the bad. The response to Roberta Williams getting a video game award was beautiful.

 

EDIT: Goddammit TN, you know the difference between it's and its. Pay attention to what you write!

Edited December 8, 2014 by TrueNeutral

[Fighter]

Gamergate at least openly condemns harassment and made actual attempts to police those who engage in it. I'm not seeing any game media types speaking out against those among them who openly excuse doxxing and harassment of GG-ers and that includes some pretty well known people.

[Blarghagh]

TechRaptor collected some replies from female gamers regarding the feminist frequency video that was posted here recently regarding the 25 male gamer privelege things.

 

http://techraptor.net/content/female-gamers-react-feminist-frequencys-latest-video

 

Don't agree with everything they say but I find it interesting. This comment particularely strikes true to what I've observed and spoken about before.

 

"It’s this weird Male = perpetrator/Women = Victim mentality, and it kinda hurts both sexes. It’s a very extremist viewpoint and it does not benefit women or men to exalt men as this godly pinnacle free from negative effects due to double standards. This form of separatist behavior is far from inclusionary."

 

(It is worth pointing out that this feminist frequency video was written by Jonathan McIntosh on his own with no input from Anita Sarkeesian, and was filmed using a crew of solely men. The idea that these are "invisible" benefits to men is discredited simply by the people who made the video.)

 

Some interesting things coming up today.

 

EDIT: https://feelsandreals.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/20-responses-to-25-benefits-of-gaming-while-female/

 

I feel that Lizzy's responses warrant attention too. This blog contains some of the responses she got to her companion piece to the Feminist Frequency video: https://feelsandreals.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/25-visible-benefits-of-gaming-while-female/ 25 Visible Benefits of Gaming While Female.

 

(My favorite excerpt from that list: "Because I am a female, I will be far more influential in the socio-politics of in-game communities because I am seen as a rarity." The fact that we seriously clamor for female perspectives when they are lacking here shows this to be true. How many times have we said "I would love to hear a female perspective on this issue" or something similar on this board?)

 

I enjoy Lizzy's down-to-earth view, it reflects what we've discussed here regarding knee-jerk reactions and judging the argument by the speaker.

 

"A huge indicator of an unhealthy mind is the inability to see good points if they happen to be delivered from the mouth of a person you typically disagree with. While I do find several of the points in McIntosh’s video to be padded, inflated, and dishonest, I’m not ready to completely discredit every point listed because of my personal dislike of him."

 

Overall, I feel that Lizzy is probably my favorite #GamerGater right now. Not because she is a woman, but because she speaks truths that apply to my personal experience but still makes me think about these things in new light.

 

EDIT EDIT: I hate double posting, so here's more: http://chrisvoncsefalvay.com/2014/12/07/Gamergate.html

 

Statistical analysis of #GamerGate tweet behaviour. Obviously you can only get so much from statistical analysis of tweets as Twitter is a terrible platform, but since that's where the vast majority of #GamerGate unfolds after early on censorship left them sour on most other platforms, it's what we've got.

 

Excerpt from the conclusions:

 

"Instead of a concentric, hub-and-spoke pattern, in which a few personalities emerge as leading the field and engage/are engaged by others, in the case of #Gamergate, it's small community clusters that lead the field. The participants are strongly interconnected, but thanks to the hashtag's ubiquity, most users seem to be open to contact and interaction with most other users, leading to a diffuse and weakly linked structure. For a political/consumer pressure group, this is definitely a clear advantage.

 

The results of my network analysis is incompatible with the description of #Gamergate as a hate group. For one, a hate group would have a high degree of centrality, very often centered around a charismatic leader. Decentralised structures provide for more liberal organisational ideologies in the long run. The network analysis is also incompatible with the assertion that #Gamergate is regularly harassing particular personalities, since if that were the case, there would be clearly visible evidence in the form of numerous, highly weighted edges converging on the same handful of targets."

Edited December 8, 2014 by TrueNeutral

[Meshugger]

A longer rant on anti-GG aren't really fighting for justice:

 

http://i.imgur.com/6HUzloo.png?1

 

//edit: Is TrueNeutral a happy bunny now?

Edited December 8, 2014 by Meshugger

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Found it for you: https://web.archive.org/web/20040803011243/http://capedmaskedandarmed.com/home.html

 

The website title is telling enough. Caped, Masked and Armed.

Perhaps its taking me to a different place, but I'm seeing stuff from a recent convert to lazy activism myself. No redpill stuff.

[Blarghagh]

I hate to do this but profanity is censored on this board for a reason, including the scatological curse. Bull****, see? I don't have mod powers here otherwise I'd have edited it already, could you make it a link or better yet, upload a censored version?

[Blarghagh]

 

Found it for you: https://web.archive.org/web/20040803011243/http://capedmaskedandarmed.com/home.html

 

The website title is telling enough. Caped, Masked and Armed.

Perhaps its taking me to a different place, but I'm seeing stuff from a recent convert to lazy activism myself. No redpill stuff.

 

Looks like you're correct. The quotes I was shown were harshly taken out of context. Not taking that persons word for anything again. I retract my accusation and I apologize.

 

https://archive.today/6GD8C

 

Just an exchange on the hashtag I found hilarious.

 

Also, Disturbed frontman and longtime pro-women activist David Draiman came out to support #GamerGate. This is a man who I personally saw (yes, I'm a fan, judge me all you want) kick people out of a concert because they groped a woman in a moshpit.

[kirottu]

TechRaptor collected some replies from female gamers regarding the feminist frequency video that was posted here recently regarding the 25 male gamer privelege things.

 

http://techraptor.net/content/female-gamers-react-feminist-frequencys-latest-video

 

This. 

[Longknife]

Postal 2 DLC references GG: http://i.imgur.com/xekh4bJ.jpg

[Volourn]

"So we are all idiots to him"

 

Truth hurts?

 

 

"As a woman I found it hugely offensive. As someone who is meant to be the oppressed class, not only had I never experienced any of the things mentioned in the video, but it bothered me that a range of men would mansplain to me what I should be offended by."

 

L0L 'Mansplain' always cracks me up.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Volourn

[Blarghagh]

I found it all the funnier because it was used as an argument against feminist media in that case.

[HoonDing]

GG, it's like manna from lulz heaven.

[Blarghagh]

Anti-GG tried to convince David Draiman that supporting GG was wrong. A couple of failed attempts later, the accusations of him being a racist started flying. It didn't even take a full day for the false accusations to appear this time. People are afraid to support #GamerGate because of these things, yet we're accused of being the ones creating a climate of fear.

 

EDIT: David Pakman has released another video on allegations made against him as well. He's not even pro-GG, he's just asking questions. It's ridiculous. You only have to question the status quo to be labeled as a harasser.

Edited December 8, 2014 by TrueNeutral

[Meshugger]

You know when it is a good time for self-reflection or inspection? Pretty much when ACLU is telling you to buzz off.

 

https://twitter.com/thewtfmagazine/status/542082720005111808

[Volourn]

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/12/04/The-Sexodus-Part-1-The-Men-Giving-Up-On-Women-And-Checking-Out-Of-Society

 

Of note is the anti feminist video at the bottom. How long does it take for SJWs to bash the video?

 

 

"EDIT: David Pakman has released another video on allegations made against him as well. He's not even pro-GG, he's just asking questions. It's ridiculous. You only have to question the status quo to be labeled as a harasser."

 

Pakman's problem is he's an pologist who is to busy kissing butt and saying sorry to people who won't accept it even though he's done nothing wrong. If anything, he's gone out of his way to try to paint GG as  a largely harassment group while still allowing GG representatives say their piece. Problem is anti GG/SJWs never wanted a discussion. I don't blame them. I wouldn't want a discussion with ISIS zombies either. *shudder*

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

 

 

Found it for you: https://web.archive.org/web/20040803011243/http://capedmaskedandarmed.com/home.html

 

The website title is telling enough. Caped, Masked and Armed.

 

Perhaps its taking me to a different place, but I'm seeing stuff from a recent convert to lazy activism myself. No redpill stuff.

 

Looks like you're correct. The quotes I was shown were harshly taken out of context. Not taking that persons word for anything again. I retract my accusation and I apologize.

 

https://archive.today/6GD8C

 

Just an exchange on the hashtag I found hilarious.

 

Also, Disturbed frontman and longtime pro-women activist David Draiman came out to support #GamerGate. This is a man who I personally saw (yes, I'm a fan, judge me all you want) kick people out of a concert because they groped a woman in a moshpit.

Well it does mention that he used to be an "Ultra-Right Christian", so there is a good chance there is something out there. I have noticed a trend that the "born-again", those that convert to a religion or ideology, are often the most extreme zealots. Make of that what you will.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sj20re

 

Is it fair to say we've become concerned about more than ethics and have moved to censorship?

Edited December 9, 2014 by KaineParker

[Keyrock]

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sj20re

 

Is it fair to say we've become concerned about more than ethics and have moved to censorship?

I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I've broadened my horizons, yes.  Censorship is a cancer eating away at freedom and I say down with the sickness!  Sorry, that was cheesy, it was the best "humorous" Disturbed reference I could come up with. 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

 

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sj20re

Is it fair to say we've become concerned about more than ethics and have moved to censorship?

 

I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I've broadened my horizons, yes.  Censorship is a cancer eating away at freedom and I say down with the sickness!  Sorry, that was cheesy, it was the best "humorous" Disturbed reference I could come up with. 

I've never listened to Disturbed(sorry TN) but censorship is wrong. We have to allow **** like Hatred and Gone Home, even if we think they're complete **** because everyone deserves the right to make the stuff they want to make. If you have a problem with a game, don't buy it and support something else with your money.

[Orogun01]

 

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sj20re

 

Is it fair to say we've become concerned about more than ethics and have moved to censorship?

I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I've broadened my horizons, yes.  Censorship is a cancer eating away at freedom and I say down with the sickness!  Sorry, that was cheesy, it was the best "humorous" Disturbed reference I could come up with. 

 

Couldn't even do the more obscure dropping plates could ya? But yes we should stop them before they stupify more people.

[kirottu]

[kirottu]

...and now for something completely different: https://egalitarianvideogamejerk.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/legend-of-grimrock-ii-is-a-racist-sexist-imperialist-nightmare-that-will-appeal-to-entitled-patriarchal-hyper****lords/

 

Worse than all of this by far is the “game’s” treatment of women. There is only one female enemy in the entire game, which is sexist for all of the obvious reasons. But of course, this isn’t enough for these entitled ****s. The female enemy in question is the scantily clad amazonian-inspired Medusa. The Medusa is a creature from Greek myth that turns men into stone for meeting her gaze, and unpacking the inherent sexist mechanisms of this character is blindingly easy. With the gaze representing sexual desire, the Medusa is therefore the embodiment of female sexual desire. She “turns men into stone” (a crude metaphor for causing an erection), and this allows men to disassociate themselves from the inherent violence of their sexuality. It allows them to say “It is not my fault I have an erection! She did this to me!” 

 

The character in this “game” is similarly misogynist in design. The Medusa floats above the ground in impractical, revealing armor, but worse than that she has the ability to scream at your party members and petrify them. That’s right, the Medusa is literally able to nag you to death, which is how I am sure these developers view most of their interactions with their partners. The trope of the hysterical, screaming female is not new (see the banshee of Dungeons and Dragons, for an example), but this is a new level of grotesqueness. Remember: imprisoned in a tomb, the Medusae in this “game” can, like the Medusa of old, “petrify” your party members. Again, the analogy here is pretty crude, and deeply misogynist: merely by screaming at a man, the Medusa can immobilize him with hyperactive sexual arousal. In this “game”, men are made so aroused they are unable to move or think clearly, which simply reinforces the idea that males are not responsible for their own sexual behavior. And to make matters worse, the only way to stop this attack is to kill the Medusa. In Legend of Grimrock II, women are reduced to slabs of meat who float around, giving men boners and then getting murdered for it. In 2014. This is “gaming” in 2014.

 

Pure Gold.

Edited December 9, 2014 by kirottu

[TrashMan]

Is that a sarcastic review?

Please, tell me it is.