Correct and correct.TheKasp said:Sorry, I don't follow the reasoning to even point out that others receive such threats as well. It implies acceptance of the status quo we're in and refusal to change anything about it - in my eyes the reason why this BS is so prevelant.
I try not to judge people for being attached to/scared of changing the status quo though.
Well all I meant to illustrate with the word "ordinary" was the frequency.TheKasp said:And the statement that it is 'ordinary' implies that as well. It is okay by your very own phrasing. Because it is normal. It is unchallenged. And by pointing out that it is normal chance of challenge of it disappears.
It happens all the time, to all people in the public eye, from all walks of life and all industries.
Basically it's an attempt to discourage people from tying this kind of thing down to any particular industry or gender, because it's not, it's universal.
And I do think that's a bad thing.
The line between public figure and no has been blurred by the internet.TheKasp said:There is also quite a big difference between public figures (Taylor Swift, Jim Carrey and such) receiving this kind of abuse and game developer.
These days anyone with a public twitter account or public facebook profile is a public figure.
No they didn't, very few famous people had the sole intention of getting famous.TheKasp said:Those people went into the spotlight with the sole idea of getting attention -
Jim Carrey wanted to make people laugh, Taylor Swift wanted to play country music. The media decided to make these individuals into public figures, but these days the media and the internet have the ability to make a public figure out of an unknown individual.
Well you only have to look at the infinitely long list of celebrity breakdowns to see that having experience, or people to deal with it wont necessarily help.TheKasp said:They either have experience dealing with it or have people sorting that shit out. A person in the gaming industry has in most cases neither of the above.
I think people are going to have to learn that having a public internet presence is the same as putting yourself out there as a public figure.
She chose to do an interview that would be published to the general public, she chose to open a public twitter account. Perhaps she didn't realise just what she was opening herself up for when she did so, but the fact remains that it was her who opened that gate.
No this does not warrant all the abuse she has received, but anyone who has spent any time in the public eye, offline or online, could have told her that's what to expect, especially when you have controversial opinions you wish to express, just like Mrs. Hepler.
And to re-iterate, I don't think this is okay and I'm not happy with the status quo, but that is the current status quo, there's no avoiding it. And change doesn't happen instantly.