boredsilly

I sometimes go over to KotakuinAction on reddit for shits and giggles, and it still amazes me how deep into this thing people have gone. I'm a big believer in "reasonable people can disagree" on things, but the tone on some posts is almost worth studying. Not saying it is cult-ish, but I bet a sociologist or anthropologist (one of the gists) could speak to how the clan mentality has taken off with this group.

The internet is amazing, but one thing that it is so easy to do now (for so many different things, not just this) is to fall down an echo chamber pit, where you're just surrounded by people who feel and parrot the same things you hold dear back to you.

This whole gamergate/anti gamergate thing has just been really fascinating to follow, even now in the long tail of it since most of the sane thinking world has moved on.

RocShemp

I'll be honest, if not for passing mentions about it here, I would not know jack about Gamergate. Even after hearing about it, I was not compelled to follow news about it. I'm more interested in news about actual games than news of assholes being assholes for reasons that don't even qualify as even the slightest form of justification.

Decker

<iframe src='http://abcnews.go.com/video/embed?id=28238598' width='640' height='360' scrolling='no' style='border:none;'></iframe>
World News Videos | ABC World News


http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/jum...inglePage=true

RocShemp

I still don't get this. How did this get to this point? It's sad.

Supermallet

It is the hopefully last gasps of a concentrated pocket of bigots.

slop101

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8N_cO-XkJpM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

RocShemp

But what does ethics in game journalism have to do with some asshole pissed at his girlfriend and leaking all her shit online? And how does that, in turn, "justify" harassing a bunch of women online and sending them death threats? It's a really insane leap to make.

slop101

FYI, that's a sarcastic little video, making fun of people who say that shit.

RocShemp

I figured as much. My question wasn't so much directed at you specifically as it was questioning (rhetorically, I suppose) the stance itself and the whole situation in general. You gotta admit the way this all developed seems rather absurd.

chuckd21

Thankfully they don't trot that tired argument out anymore. They've all but admitted that it's a men's right fight against feminism in the games industry. Meaning if you're a girl and you mention games, you deserve scorn and SWAT teams.

Jay G.

New Kickstater update including news on the financials:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects.../posts/1115560

It's not clear on whether all the Kickstarter funds have been used, but Feminist Frequency has turned into a non-profit organization and took in $441,000 in donations last year, and are thus budgeting to drastically increase their programming.

Looking back at the Kickstarter, they promised 12 videos "10-20 minutes each". So far, there's only been 6 videos, most of them multi-part, meaning we've only gotten 3 of the 12 subjects originally proposed, but each are more in-depth than originally planned.


This article mentions that Feminist Frequency is planning to start two new series: one on "representations of men and masculinity in video games," and the other will highlight gaming's "positive female characters" (originally one of the planned segments for the "Tropes Vs Women" series).
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/0...ne-harassment/

spainlinx0

I might donate just to spite the Gamergate creeps.

Jay G.

I think a lot of people did. Basically 90% of the donations came in "Q4" of 2014, i.e. after Gamergate started.

RocShemp

I'm sure her detractors will twist it around but I for one am very happy about this news. Especially the last part.

MoviePage

One Week of Harrassment on Twitter


One. Week.

mhg83

Hateful comments aside I think she needs to have an honest debate with game critics and developers. All I've seen in her interviews is her talking about the abuse she's received. Has she ever agreed to have an intelligent debate with gamer critics and or developers?

Jay G.

Debates are overrated. She can post her criticisms, and people can respond to them on their own forums. It's like how newspapers have editorials, and then later replies get posted on the letters to the editor page, but the editorials don't respond to the letters, but move on to the next subject.

Debates have their value, and I like participating in online ones. But they're not for everyone or for every situation, and there's nothing wrong with avoiding a direct debate, especially when the opponents are this noxious.

slop101

What does that even mean? What is there to debate? The only people who hold opposing viewpoints are the type of idiot kids who yell homophobic/racist/sexist shit on Xbox live and still live with their parents.

Dan

This. So much.
There's only been one "gamer critic" remotely capable of actually debating her, and he lost all credibility when he said that the rape and death threats against her weren't a big deal because, and I quote, "She's still breathing." Fuck that guy.
So yeah, she hasn't had an intelligent debate with anyone because her most vocal critics are incapable of a single intelligent thought. They're in it for the YouTube views and twitter followers.

Supermallet

I agree, there's no debate to be had because one side has points derived through logic, study, and facts. The other side has "die you stupid bitch show us your tits" and doxxing.

mhg83

And that's exactly why we need a debate. To prove that we're not all childish boys that say horrible things to women. I know we can't be the only ones on the Internet that don't fit that stereotype?

slop101

"We"? Who's "we"? Are you a man who doesn't do these things? Great! No debate necessary. Anyone who self-identifies as a "gamer" can fuck right off. And I say that as someone who's been playing videogames consistently since 1981.

Supermallet

Yeah, I'm confused. Usually a debate is between two opposing sides. I don't oppose feminist frequency or Anita Sarkeesian.

chuckd21

You can just BE a good person you know. You don't have to prove it to anyone.

Sean O'Hara

And why is it her responsibility to give you a platform to express that view? Get your own YouTube channel instead of expecting a person who's been inundated by threats every time she's attempted to have a discussion to hold an open forum.