Editor's Note: Why I Still Call Myself a Gamer
- Thread starter Greg Tito
- Start date
I agree that people standing up and being voices against abuse is important. I know there have been *many* times that I've taken one look at a mess in the comments and just not bothered to say anything because it's not worth the hassle of the inevitable attacks against me. I do this especially if someone in particular has been attacked but someone else has already stood up for them. It's a relief (a lazy one) that I don't have to stand with someone who's standing alone because there's a whole two people now. I'm gonna try to be less lazy about that and to think about if I were in the position of someone being treated badly - and how I'd hope others would share their strength with me.
It shouldn't have to be just two (or a few) people against the tide, every time people start frothing at the mouth. I see a lot of people get angry at being 'lumped in' with those racist/sexist/aggressive/trollish gamers... but I wonder how many of those people (myself included, except for the anger - I save that for Tony Abbott) might not be be one of them but sure as heck aren't standing against them either. The silence of the argued 'normal many' ("abusers/trolls are just outliers - most gamers aren't like that!") makes the racket of the abusive 'few' look much stronger and all-encompassing than it maybe really is - and that's on those of us who are silent.
The block button can be a powerful tool sometimes, if you have it. Not to silence anyone who disagrees with you, god no - just the ones who can't manage it without 'toxicity'. Maybe Escapist should have a mute button, so when a discussion gets a little too crazy in a forum, people can tune out one or more parties just for that single thread? (And by 'tune out', I mean not get alerts in their inbox.)
It shouldn't have to be just two (or a few) people against the tide, every time people start frothing at the mouth. I see a lot of people get angry at being 'lumped in' with those racist/sexist/aggressive/trollish gamers... but I wonder how many of those people (myself included, except for the anger - I save that for Tony Abbott) might not be be one of them but sure as heck aren't standing against them either. The silence of the argued 'normal many' ("abusers/trolls are just outliers - most gamers aren't like that!") makes the racket of the abusive 'few' look much stronger and all-encompassing than it maybe really is - and that's on those of us who are silent.
The block button can be a powerful tool sometimes, if you have it. Not to silence anyone who disagrees with you, god no - just the ones who can't manage it without 'toxicity'. Maybe Escapist should have a mute button, so when a discussion gets a little too crazy in a forum, people can tune out one or more parties just for that single thread? (And by 'tune out', I mean not get alerts in their inbox.)