Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Random Ramblings: Disc DPS postponed again, feeling extra bi-polar, semi-obsessed with #GamerGate, rethinking feminism

  I've decided against posting my current draft of Disc DPS: A Case Study, mostly because I think it's crap, but also because I want to incorporate a pre-patch comparison, and that will take at least a week of playing. Also, it's crap. I feel very strongly about the major points this article will have, which are currently Competitive Context, Judging Viability, and The Nature of Hybrids. Along with a pre- and post-6.0 comparison, I'm also considering adding a major point about "Niche vs Gimmick". It's all over the place and it's crap. Sorry. This baby will come in it's own time.

  I'd be remiss to not also blame #GamerGate for hogging up much of the internet time I don't spend raiding on my Pally or messing around on my new Mage. This train don't stop!

  I try not to spend the whole day at the computer, but it's the source for my writing (I write other things as well), most of my reading, my TV, my radio, my news, my games and my communication with people far away (I hate talking on phones). I don't conscientiously limit my time at the computer so much as my body can't stay put for long when I'm up, but when I'm down, I can't create anything. I just watch videos on Youtube and look at funny pictures on Reddit. Like this one:



  If you don't get it, don't worry. It's just silliness expressed through compounded inside jokes.



  I guess writing articles for this blog is a test of my self discipline, and I mostly fail. My previous standard of two a week on two themes, well, that was definitely "Up" me talking. "Down" me can't cash that check. I'm changing that to one a week. Some will be a Random Rambling like this, full of thoughts that are too long for Twitter, or irrelevant to Reddit. Some will be a big idea I have, like Disc DPS, or How To End #GamerGate, both coming Soon(TM).

  I'm also considering a broadside salvo concerning #GamerGate, particularly how it relates to WoW. It's been a pressure cooker in my head for too long, so in the interests of sanity, I'll hold nothing back.

  For now, here's a few comments from a Reddit thread, where I changed my mind a bit about the feminist angle of the issue [edited for clarity]:

OP:
Just my opinion, take it for what it's worth but I thought this subreddit [/r/kotakuinaction] would be one of the few places smart enough to stay on target.
Zoey, Anita and feminism keep getting thrust back into the conversation due to those that want that to be the subject of gamergate. Stop already, please.
Zoey and Anita are professional victims and con-artists. If they have to be brought into the conversation then the question to ask is why do they possess such a loud voice in this industry with so very few accomplishments regardless of what is between their legs?
That was the original outrage that led to more discovery that made this appear to be a huge industry problem, hence gamergate. That's how I see it, I understand a lot of folks here believe this is a orchestrated affair by people pushing an ideology and so what if it is? Does that change the fact that Game Journalists lap up anything and post it as truth regardless of the legitimacy of the source or even sometimes just making shit up to push an ideology?
I'm surprised the whole rantec or whatever fiasco didn't open more eyes on how huge this problem is, they will print anything for clicks because they don't care about the industry or it's consumers. For me the issue is fix it or I'll never visit your site again, continue to post shit to further incite the issue and I'll go after your advertisers. It's a pretty simple script, stick to it and meanwhile I'm enjoying reading a lot of these new sites that are trying to be legit.
Many might not share my opinions but the more of this revolt allows itself to be dragged into this feminism shit the less chance these issues will ever get out of a reddit ghetto and maybe make larger industry changes. I'm actually OK with that, I know what sites to give a little trust to and which to ignore, if that doesn't change, not my problem. 

Kal:
You can no more disconnect feminism from Gamergate than you can Richard Nixon from Watergate. This is a multifaceted issue.
The way that game journalists have been corrupt and have betrayed and dismissed gamers are the main aggravating causes and main goals to address, certainly, but this attitude on the part of journalists comes from somewhere. It comes from the same source FeministFrequency comes from: A certain SJW brand of feminism. To deny this source prevents us from addressing it as one of the root causes of corruption.
There are different brands of feminism, of course. Based Mom [Christina H. Sommers] is a feminist of the brand that the overwhelming majority of people can agree with. However, the brand of feminism that expresses itself as "Social Justice" should be made to understand that though it is welcome in our community (e.g. TFYC [The Fine Young Capitalists], who offer options instead of tearing others down), it may not drive others out, and may not ostracize gamers as scum.


OP:
I've been a gamer for 29 years. First it was bad for the eyes, then it was rotting kids brains, then it was promoting sex (via arcades), then it was violence, then it was school shootings and now it's misogyny. What's your bet on the next ideological issue shoved down our throats?
Personally, I expect the people that write about the thing that I care about understand how many fucking times we have been attacked with some ideological groups bullshit and have the integrity to actually say no, that's bullshit. The state of the industry now is "wee it'll get us clicks, gamers are dead and fuck gamers!"
Once this goes away, we'll be attacked for something else, hopefully this revolt can re-introduce ethics into the gaming journalism so the next one doesn't turn into a hobby embarrassing shit storm.

Kal:
>Zoey, Anita and feminism keep getting thrust back into the conversation due to those that want that to be the subject of gamergate. Stop already, please.
>Zoey and Anita are professional victims and con-artists
I'd like to try to meet you halfway on this, not because I think either of us are right or wrong, but that I think we're both right, but our perspectives are different.
I completely agree both are con artists and should be ignored for the trolls they are, but I'll add the caveat "as much as possible while remaining intellectually honest about the issue". Literally Who 1 and 2 [Zoe Quinn, Anita Sarkeesian] are not the central issue, for sure. I will not engage them and I discourage others from doing so, for exactly the reason that trolls are best ignored.
However, I think the histrionics both have displayed need simple, direct, onetime rebuttal, then an immediate and purposeful return to the real issue. Financial corruption in games journalism and the social ostracization of gamers by those same journalists.

OP:
I agree with a direct one-time rebuttal and disagree with a sustained engagement. The sustained engagement should be with the journalists who betrayed their audience for some fucking clicks. 

Kal:
Sustained engagement with the SJW issue would cause us to fall into the trap set for us, I think, but that's not to say that we can't explicitly state why we are not stepping into the trap set for us as we redirect the conversation to the reformation of games journalism.
For example, in a defense of Gamergate to a person relatively new to the issue, one might state clearly, when prompted to, why Literally Who 1 and 2 are trolls. I think it's appropriate to reference or link to one or a few of the many articles and videos debunking their claims, but of course that should not be the main talking point.
It's also important to recognize that a lot of this is hashed out on twitter (no pun intended). In this case, I think the process should be sped up a bit, e.g. link once and only once to a rebuttal, immediately moving on the the issue of games journalism. If the engaged person does not move along with, drop it. Do not get trapped. Some people just will not be convinced.

  Quick note, does anyone see any harassment here? Any threats? Insults? Misogyny? No, it's just two gamers being self-aware, sharing our views, and generally being respectful.

   This was from 17 days ago, and all through this past month, I've been challenged in my views of feminism, and how to engage with it's supporters.

  First, I've decided that the word "feminist" on it's own has become somewhat useless, in the way Sam Harris has described the word "religion" to be useless. He compared "religion" to "sports", saying badminton and football are both sports, but they share almost nothing in common other than breathing. I think this comparison works for "feminism" as well. I am personally somewhat suspicious that Christina H. Sommers is drawing a false dichotomy between what she describes as "equity feminism" or "freedom feminism" vs "gender feminism". Although I'm not certain the comparison is accurate, I do perceive these qualifiers as useful in dialogue. When a person says "I am a feminist", that needs just a bit more description added to it. Likewise, when I say "I am not a feminist" and certainly when I explain my objections to feminism, I should be more specific than I have been in the past.

  Second, I observe that The Fine Young Capitalists have gained the respect of many in the gamer community. They are self-described as radical feminists, and as such I disagree with much of what they have to say. However, they have earned their place in gaming by playing by the rules. They did not play any victim cards, or lie, cheat and steal, or bully anyone. They did not tear others down. Instead, they started their own games jam, to promote women in gaming development. When Zoe Quinn tried to shut that down, 4chan raised $23,601 for their project. Seriously, 4chan. Maybe it's because anonymous gamers don't actually hate women. Maybe most of them love women. Maybe some of them are women. (Maybe some love women and are women?) Anyway, actions speak louder than words, and when TFYC asked 4chan what kind of videos they wanted TFYC to make, 4chan said "Talk about great female developers". Seriously. 4chan. I may not agree with TFYC, but I respect them.

  Finally, this! Everything about this is awesome! It also demonstrates in action what that other Redditer and I came to some agreement on, i.e. a one time rebuttal of "misogyny/harassment/threats", then a return to the issue of ethics in game journalism. This segment is very inspiring to me.

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