Penny Arcade's Gabe Resolves Not To Be A Bully

[BlindChance]

Did he do something terrible again recently or is he being sincere. Usually people make these apologies after doing something terrible and people lap it up thinking they have changed but if he hasn't done anything awful in a few months then I am a little less disappointed that this is a story on any website besides his own.

For once, it seems to have been unprompted. There's not been any recent furore or crisis that's in the background of this apology, and he's not apologising for any specific incident, but for a general attitude of nasty comments and deliberately hurtful behaviour.

Key quotes:

I?m 36 years old now though and I realize what I am is a bully . . . I?ve learned a ridiculous amount this year. About myself and about other people. It?s been a difficult year, probably the hardest in my life and I realize I brought most of it on myself. That?s a sobering realization. I also realize that I?ve made it harder for the people I care about, my friends and my family. I can?t be this guy anymore. I have every intention of taking the things I?ve learned this year to heart and changing. I?ve said I?m sorry for the things I?ve said but I?ve never apologized for who I am.

I know it could be comforting for others but the article here really makes it seem like hes trying to get sympathy with his apology which some how seems to work on some part of the population. If you are apologizing for being a bully, apologize and then do something about it, when you say you want to be a better person then explain all the reasons why society made you a bad person you really aren't apologizing, you are giving an excuse so people automatically think you are humble and should be given a second chance when you are really just manipulating people, which I think is what got him in trouble, if he was the guy who did the Dickwolves thing.

The thing is, that's actually (in a way) what he did in the past. As an example, when he was called out on some extremely transphobic comments, he responded by apologising, posting a discussion he had with a trans woman, and donating money to charity. It was read (with some justification, to my mind) as calculated and fake. Issue an apology. Demonstrate "No, really, I have trans friends!" and then pay off your penance.

This time, he's done two things very differently. He's not apologised for an action, he's apologising for being a bully. It feels like he's actually addressing the underlying problem with everything else. Secondly, he's done it unprompted. There's no crisis here. Nothing he's desperately needing to tamp down. It seems to be motivated entirely by genuine regret.

Well, that and possibly food poisoning. He did say he had some bad Olive Garden right before.

 

[COMaestro]

Key quotes:

I?m 36 years old now though and I realize what I am is a bully . . . I?ve learned a ridiculous amount this year. About myself and about other people. It?s been a difficult year, probably the hardest in my life and I realize I brought most of it on myself. That?s a sobering realization. I also realize that I?ve made it harder for the people I care about, my friends and my family. I can?t be this guy anymore. I have every intention of taking the things I?ve learned this year to heart and changing. I?ve said I?m sorry for the things I?ve said but I?ve never apologized for who I am.

This bit right here is what I think is the most important part, especially for those saying that his reasons are just to make PA more lucrative. Wanting to change in order to make things better for one's family and friends is a very good reason.

 

[Remus]

Point me to one jock, ONE that had it so bad they thought about eating a bullet and I'll show you a liar.

That closet-gay jock from Glee.

But I digress, that's a can of worms to be left to open on another day.

You can't digress now, it's already open.

Wow you really are itching for an argument aren't you? Respond to the other 90% of my post then get back to me.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

I wonder how self-righteous some of you feel, considering the posts. Everyone has issues, and self-reflection isn't easy or always honest. I read his post as a coming to terms with how toxic his personality has become due to allowing the past to affect the present and future, which is something I have a LOT of experience in dealing with. And admitting the mistakes is only a first step in a long road of personal improvement where there will be missteps and mistakes.
Any of you who are so perfect please by all means continue with your narcissism and ego. Moreover you can be as high and mighty as you like but just like the rest of the world you're guilty of something whether you want to admit it or not. At least he had the courage to take it out to the public and also to not say "But I do charity" and tout PAX as bandaids for his actions of the past. And if any of you owned and operated a public business, it would behoove you to clean the skeletons out of your closet if you want any kind of success.
Be critical all you like, you're human and just as fallible as Gabe/Mike is. Doesn't mean you have to like him, but give the guy credit for being open about his views and the whys because not every choice we make in life is right and admitting those ways were wrong doesn't necessitate an apology.
Personal note, some of the dumbass things I've done in the past I tried to apologize for who I was and the people involved didn't accept my apology but rather told me straight up that owning up to what I did and striving to be better as a person was all the apology they needed. Can't change whats happened with "I'm sorry" but you can change who you are and are going to be.

 

[Mr. Q]

That explains why Extra Credits cut ties with Penny Arcade and went to YouTube. -_- But that's just a estimation on my part.

Any chance Escapist can patch things over with Extra Credits in order to get them back or is that one bridge that is burnt beyond repair?

 

[JoshuaMadoc]

Admitting you had a damaged childhood won't simply earn you forgiveness for your incredibly stupid choice of words and potentially transphobic views, Michael Krahulik.

You have a borderline-Sisyphean task ahead of you, and you damn well better not lose sight of it. Or do lose it, and prove my suspicions right that you're making this admission as some kind of straw-grasping attempt at PR repair.

You know, I had a damaged childhood myself, Michael, and I learned to realize very fucking quickly how stupid my poorer choices of words were.

EDIT: Actually, on second thought, forget it, I don't buy this "admission" for a second. I just remembered Mike's horrible history with people, and he's done this long enough for me to say, "This is him grasping straws for PR". So no, Michael, I don't accept your admission, and I never will. Others might, but I'd rather plaster it on the face of a hammer before throwing it back at you.