Penny Arcade's social responsibility

[StreamerDarkly]

Sadly, I'm not surprised to hear of this news. Penny Arcade has been on a collision course with moral bankruptcy ever since they let go of their most esteemable staff member, Benjamin Kuchera. In predictable fashion, they seek to obfuscate their true motives of perpetuating patriarchal dominance with the obvious smokescreen of a children's charity. I'll wait for the final word from the revered journalist P. Hernandez, but it doesn't look good.

 

[Riot3000]

Most gamers have heard of the webcomic-turned-franchise Penny Arcade. Published by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, the duo have generated a substantial audience with their work. With this influence, Mike and Jerry have the potential to change the world.

But they don't do it.

Not say say that they've done nothing. Child's Play is a charity they have founded, but with a mission goal of buying patients video games they support a more sinister purpose-namely, thr civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Conflict minerals-gold, cobalt, tin and wolfram mined by groups whose labor is forced by militant groups-are found in all our devices. The computer Jerry types on, the tablet Mike draws on, and the countless products the gaming community buy are all the result of this exploitive practice.

As celebrities in the gaming community, Jerry and Mike have a responsibility to respect human rights in their actions. This means addressing the very real scourge of conflict minerals and pressuring companies such as Nintendo to adopt due diligence guidelines. I could find no mention of these in Penny Arcade's archives.

Do you think Jerry and Mike have a duty to support ethical consumer practices? Leave your thoughts below.

Sadly, I'm not surprised to hear of this news. Penny Arcade has been on a collision course with moral bankruptcy ever since they let go of their most esteemable staff member, Benjamin Kuchera. In predictable fashion, they seek to obfuscate their true motives of perpetuating patriarchal dominance with the obvious smokescreen of a children's charity. I'll wait for the final word from the revered journalist P. Hernandez, but it doesn't look good.

I pray that both of these post are meant to be satire. Especially the line "esteemable" Ben Kuchera.

 

[secretkeeper12]

So, the reward for funding a charity to buy games for sick kids is to be held accountable for how these games were produced?

This is exactly why there is no need to bother with helping out the world.

No, it shows you need to be smart with what you do with your money. Everything you can do with it exists within a wider social context. If said society is exploitive, you need to address this.

----------------

I see I haven't made my case very well. For some much needed context, watch this video:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF-sJgcoY20[/youtube]

 

[secretkeeper12]

If this is the argument your going to make there are literally much bigger fish to fry in that regards than fucking Penny Arcade. Seriously, Intel and Apple have an astronomically bigger problem with this than a two-man website.

Intel has actually been a very good company in this area. After Fairphone.com, they've done the most work auditing their supply chain.

Well, like most people here, in Penny Arcade wants to talk about those issues, then they are free to do that. However, a responsibility is not the same as an obligation; they're not obligated to do that because they purchase equipment. If you wanted them to talk about such topics, then I think it would be more preferable to send them an email or something requesting them to talk about such things.

I would gladly email them if they would provide an address. As it stands, Twitter is the only way a layman can contact them (which I've done to no response)

--------------

When I speak of social responsibility, it is one we all share. Warlords are reaping massive profits off co flict minerals, and being celebrities Mike and Jerry are in a unique position to affect change. Reaping the benefits of an inhumane system makes us all responsible, but these two more than anyone can inform the gaming community about this issue.

 

[Spider RedNight]

Wait... so is this thread serious? I thought it wasn't serious but the OP has posted again so it SEEMS serious

 

[secretkeeper12]

Wait... so is this thread serious? I thought it wasn't serious but the OP has posted again so it SEEMS serious

What is so unbelievable about holding the gaming industry accountable for our role in war-ridden parts of the world? Critical Intel even ran a piece on it a while back. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/columns/criticalintel/10039-Conflict-Minerals-and-the-Game-Industry-The-Problem] Has everyone just forgotten about it?

 

[secretkeeper12]

Wait... so is this thread serious? I thought it wasn't serious but the OP has posted again so it SEEMS serious

What is so unbelievable about holding the gaming industry accountable for our role in war-ridden parts of the world? Critical Intel even ran a piece on it a while back. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/columns/criticalintel/10039-Conflict-Minerals-and-the-Game-Industry-The-Problem] Has everyone just forgotten about it?

 

[FalloutJack]

Snip

Putting aside that your video embed failed, I don't see the connection between it and these two guys.

 

[happyninja42]

Yeah, that's like saying Dr. McNinja has a responsibility to punch out Vladimir Putin.

...I mean, that'd be cool and all, but he's not required to.

Well he has ridden a robotic vampire dracula in from orbit and fought dinosaur jet pilots. So punching Putin would be pretty much up his alley. xD

 

[Vivi22]

No. No they do not.

The same argument I give for celebrities, sports stars, and billionaire tech moguls; it would be really really really really nice of them to share their wealth and help people less fortunate than them but there is no one who should be "required" to do anything like that. It's their money and their time; they can do whatever the hell they want with it (you know...within the bounds of the law obviously).

Actually, I'm going to go right ahead and disagree with you right there. When your actions lead to the direct result of harming innocent people, you absolutely do have a responsibility to try and change that. And we are all culpable when it comes to how our electronics are produced. The problem is most people won't bother ever doing anything about it so nothing gets better. Either because they don't know about the problem or they choose to ignore it because they don't think they have any responsibility to their fellow man. It might be nice to fall into those categories, but they're still bad and the latter is specifically immoral.

 

[Gigano]

...
No, it shows you need to be smart with what you do with your money. Everything you can do with it exists within a wider social context.

Well, I'm not really one to seek to gauge the effects on world politics and global environment when buying a copy of Wolfenstein: The New Order.

If said society is exploitive, you need to address this.

Why?

 

[Rahkshi500]

I would gladly email them if they would provide an address. As it stands, Twitter is the only way a layman can contact them (which I've done to no response)

--------------

When I speak of social responsibility, it is one we all share. Warlords are reaping massive profits off co flict minerals, and being celebrities Mike and Jerry are in a unique position to affect change. Reaping the benefits of an inhumane system makes us all responsible, but these two more than anyone can inform the gaming community about this issue.

One we all share, eh? Well, would that mean you'll be willing to put your money where your mouth is? Because a problem that some people bring up that everyone has a social responsibility are usually those who would rather not bear that kind of responsibility and instead have others do it for them while they recklessly use their money however they want. And keep in mind, not everyone is going to be able to have the kind ability to be able to contribute to change. And as other people may have pointed out, why Penny Arcade of all people? A group of webcomic hosts are not going to be able to do a whole lot to ever create the kind of change you're asking for, so why them of all people? Because they're internet celebrities who donated to charity? If that's the case, then why aren't you trying to contact the rest of the celebrities in the gaming community about it? Jimquisition, MovieBob, TotalBiscuit, Angry Joe, the Escapist, or even any other video game-based website or group who had at least made a charity or contributed to a charity? I think having these groups together would have more influence and capacity for change than just only Penny Arcade.

 

[BeerTent]

Most gamers have heard of the webcomic-turned-franchise Penny Arcade. Published by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, the duo have generated a substantial audience with their work. With this influence, Mike and Jerry have the potential to change the world.

But they don't do it.

Oh. My. God.[footnote]Honestly, I don't know why I have this reaction. I've lived with Vikki for too long. My roommate would see something on facebook that is totes unrelated to her life and do the exact same thing. Oh. My. God. Brett like, asked Xander out. This is gonna be so fucking awkward. KAAAHAHAHAHAAAA! Jesus lady, that fucking cackle. Go see a goddamn doctor.[/footnote]

I was just thinking that I was a bit down, because I lost @Mutant1988 's psychotic antics in his thread about Payday's skeezy hype train. And then THIS comes up on my doorstep? I was thinking of leaving the Escapist, because, well... The content was kinda starting to lack a bit.[footnote]This website actually does have a lot of cool stuff. There are people interested in it, but superheros, movies, and cosplay are not my cup of tea. And I think Movie Bob isn't that bad.[/footnote] But this shit is just GOLD!

So, basically, you're telling us that the Penny Arcade goobs have some form of backwater obligation to stop using electronics? That they rely on for their job? (When your that big, its not a hobby anymore. That website is a source of substantial revenue. And a source of a large workload.) Are you saying that they should throw their hard-earned money to solve a problem that is so far out of their grasp, it's be the equivalent of reaching for the sun?

What if I were famous? I have a youtube channel. I mean, it's not really going anywhere, and I simply don't have the time, but as a youtube persona, am I required to throw resources at a problem that doesn't affect me in the first place? What if you were famous? You have a website to maintain that has comic strips, reviews, video content and a heavy tabletop community. Are you, personally required to swoop down and DEMAND your readership stop using their electronics? Buying them? Contact the manufacturer fruitlessly? You know they wont.

Listen. Lemme do ya a favor. I'm not fucking with you here, I'm actually going to be serious until I just make fun of @StreamerDarkly .[footnote]Sadly, I decided against it, because I'm pretty sure THAT joke would get me a citation.[/footnote] It's great your trying to do something about it. But this is still slacktivism. You're accomplishing nothing by shifting the blame to the equivalent of Escapist's Greg Tito 2.0. (I don't know who you are, I'm so sorry Mr.Tito! D On a next to completely unrelated website no less. You want to change these conflict wars? Get out of your chair.

Do it. Stand up, and push that chair aside. Nonono! Don't sit back down again! Stay standing and keep reading! Fucking chriiiist~. You need to get off of the computer, and do something. Nobody here cares. If we did, Mr. Path would have had a major impact two years ago. Two years! and you're ripping on people for forgetting? I don't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning! You need to find people who are concerned about this without firing blindly at nerd websites. Find people who are willing to do something for your cause, and in person, make your statement known to the manufacturers. If you can drive a big enough force of people who are not me to make a demand big enough to make the manufacturers care, and have a threat that can carry weight, then you can change the world. For the record, a threat is something you can carry through. Not just hot air.

You cannot change the world on the Escapist. You can probably change A world on your computer. I'd genuinely appreciate it if you took my X-Com Long War save and kicked some alien butt from my base because they're extremely intent on sending a Sectopod to wreck my shit and I am oh so totes not ready for that at all, but you will not find the support you need here. Because, like me, as positively heartless as I may sound, this is beyond my control and beyond the scope of what matters to me. Instead of worrying about it, I will choose to acknowledge it, and not waste a single fuck. I'd say you're likely in a similar situation, but I don't know you. Maybe every time you close your eyes, you see a starving Ethiopian or something.

Two years ago, many of us did the same thing we are doing now, except we didn't make fun of asinine claims. We do not care, and foaming at the mouth, blaming someone completely inconsequential with sub-par art skills (Really, the jokes sell the strips.) will get you nowhere. I say this last bit because Mike and Jerry DO NOT have the potential to change the world. They have the potential to change a sliver of it. And not the sliver a single bloke like yourself has the audacity to demand.

 

[tippy2k2]

No. No they do not.

The same argument I give for celebrities, sports stars, and billionaire tech moguls; it would be really really really really nice of them to share their wealth and help people less fortunate than them but there is no one who should be "required" to do anything like that. It's their money and their time; they can do whatever the hell they want with it (you know...within the bounds of the law obviously).

Actually, I'm going to go right ahead and disagree with you right there. When your actions lead to the direct result of harming innocent people, you absolutely do have a responsibility to try and change that. And we are all culpable when it comes to how our electronics are produced. The problem is most people won't bother ever doing anything about it so nothing gets better. Either because they don't know about the problem or they choose to ignore it because they don't think they have any responsibility to their fellow man. It might be nice to fall into those categories, but they're still bad and the latter is specifically immoral.

I can at least understand that argument because then it falls on EVERYONE, not just the "celebrities". The big problem I have with a lot of these "they're wealthy/powerful/influential, therefore they must rally for change" is that it shifts the blame onto someone else. "SEE! It's not MY responsibility! I don't have the wealth/power/influence that Penny Arcade has! THEY should be the ones that have to do something about it!".

Maybe that's not what the OP was going for. Maybe I'm judging him incorrectly and he has nothing in his PC built with these "Conflict Materials" and just wants others to do the same. But all I see is someone lashing out and saying "SEE! It's THEIR fault!". It is someone shifting the blame and rallying against Penny Arcade for not doing what he thinks they should be doing.

 

[Dragonbums]

If this is the argument your going to make there are literally much bigger fish to fry in that regards than fucking Penny Arcade. Seriously, Intel and Apple have an astronomically bigger problem with this than a two-man website.

While that is true, it doesn't absolve Penny Arcade. There's always something worse.

Of course, Penny Arcade does seem like a rather odd choice to complain about, rather than the industry in general, say.

Yeah, I could of worded that better. Is it bad that they are using a company to make merchandise that has a history of treating those under it less than shit? Of course. But then I highly doubt the people of Penny Arcade are really are the evil types to not give a shit about that. I'm sure if you provide them with a much better alternative (money wise, these guys aren't exactly swimming in money) then I'm sure they'd take it.

But as you've already said, a thread like this would be better served for much bigger baddies in the field.

 

[TakerFoxx]

When I speak of social responsibility, it is one we all share. Warlords are reaping massive profits off co flict minerals, and being celebrities Mike and Jerry are in a unique position to affect change. Reaping the benefits of an inhumane system makes us all responsible, but these two more than anyone can inform the gaming community about this issue.

Well, see, here's the thing. If you take just about every commonly used type of product and trace its development back far enough, you're more than likely going to find something shady, exploitative, and/or just fucked up. Here's a random example grabbed right off the top of my head. Do you like scrambled eggs? Would you consider there to be anything bad about enjoying scrambled eggs? Ever wonder what happens to male chicks?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick_culling

Granted, it's not as bad as warlords and whatnot, but it gets the point across. Just about everything from food to electronics to textiles to what have you has a lot of really horrible sources. Hell, just look up all the commonly used brands that have been caught using sweatshops and count how many you've bought products from. It sucks, but that's the reality of the world we live in. As such, pointing the finger at two guys in specific will just end up with several pointed back at you.

Secondly, why in the world are you singling out Penny Arcade in specific? Yeah, they're popular and have a ton of influence, but they're hardly unique in that regard. I mean, there's also Blind Ferret, Ctrl+Alt+Delete, Order of the Stick and so on. Why not also single out Channel Awesome? Or AVGN? Or RoosterTeeth? Or TeamFourStar? They produce videos for a living that require electronics. Or Game Grumps? Hell, Pewdewpie is the most subscribed channel on Youtube. Or even our very own Yahtzee for that matter? Moviebob is very socially conscious, and I'm pretty sure he's never brought up the Congo situation before. Neither has Jim Sterling. All of these people are deeply involved in the video game or general nerd world and wield a ton of influence. Why call out only Penny Arcade?

And finally, do you have any proof that the products they use specifically come from conflict areas such as the Congo? Because there are many, many sources of these minerals from around the world, and you've posted no evidence of this supposed wrongdoing, other than saying, "Well, some sources of these minerals come from conflict areas, therefore anyone who uses them should be held responsible!" Also, none of the videos you've posted are working, so we can't even see where you're getting your information from.

The problem with this whole thread is that it's, well, naive. It's great to be socially conscious. It's great to have a cause. It's great to spread awareness of that cause. But it's unreasonable to expect everyone, celebrity or not, to push for your specific cause, because there are just so many of them. Fighting for every single cause will exhaust anyone, and most of these people are working around the clock just to produce the material that gained them recognition already, while at the same time spreading awareness for causes that are near and dear to their hearts that you probably have done nothing for. And if you're going to get on their case for using products that with components that "might" have problematic sources, then you're really trying to hard. Put your own house in order first. See to your causes, and let other people see to theirs, lest they turn around and ask why you're not doing anything for "Insert X Cause Here."

 

[secretkeeper12]

...
No, it shows you need to be smart with what you do with your money. Everything you can do with it exists within a wider social context.

Well, I'm not really one to seek to gauge the effects on world politics and global environment when buying a copy of Wolfenstein: The New Order.

Digital distribution has really made the ethics of buying games a non-issue. But the actual computer you play it on is something you can put some thought to. Getting the right specs is already undertaken by gamers. Can't a companies global ethics be a factor to consider as well?

If said society is exploitive, you need to address this.

Why?[/quote]

Because they have every right to the same standards you take for granted. No one can earn a good life without the political and economic backing of those more fortunate. Conflict-free minerals aren't even charity. It's literally just ensuring workers are paid a fair wage for their labor.

For a company that has taken its social responsibility seriously, I direct you to Fairphone [http://www.fairphone.com/] and Intel [http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/corporate-responsibility/conflict-free-minerals.html]

 

[Lazy Kitty]

Nobody has a duty to do anything.
They don't have to do anything if they don't feel like it.
Just because you can change the world, doesn't mean you have to.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

No. No they do not.

The same argument I give for celebrities, sports stars, and billionaire tech moguls; it would be really really really really nice of them to share their wealth and help people less fortunate than them but there is no one who should be "required" to do anything like that. It's their money and their time; they can do whatever the hell they want with it (you know...within the bounds of the law obviously).

Actually, I'm going to go right ahead and disagree with you right there. When your actions lead to the direct result of harming innocent people, you absolutely do have a responsibility to try and change that. And we are all culpable when it comes to how our electronics are produced. The problem is most people won't bother ever doing anything about it so nothing gets better. Either because they don't know about the problem or they choose to ignore it because they don't think they have any responsibility to their fellow man. It might be nice to fall into those categories, but they're still bad and the latter is specifically immoral.

Electricity alone ends up harming people. If your city runs on coal, you've probably aided the death of a coal miner somewhere. If your city runs on oil, you probably aided the death of someone overseas at some point. Everything we do in life is going to end up harming someone indirectly since this world is connected to each other. If I have a responsiblity to help out everyone I've indirectly harmed, I'll not have time to do anything for myself because I'd guarantee something I do every day ends up harming someone somewhere somehow. Fucking butterfly effect shit is happening every day.
All I can do is leave it up to people better equipped and better suited to help out people in need than myself. I'm one person, a very very small cog in the universal machine, who cannot honestly affect change in how society works. I know my place, I know what I can and can't do.

 

[DrOswald]

The makers of Penny Arcade have no more responsibility to these issues than they have to any important issue. It is not on the shoulders of Penny Arcade to solve all the problems of the world because they happened to stumble into d-list celebrity status. And the penny arcade guys do a lot of good for their position as d-list celebrities.

No one, especially not a d-list celebrity, can effect a huge amount of social change. You have to pick your battles or your lack of focus will mean you accomplish nothing, and Penny Arcade has decided to focus their efforts somewhere else. Just because they don't hit your favorite issue doesn't mean they are shirking their social responsibility.

And frankly, I find it more than a bit disgusting that people like you judge and condemn people like them because they don't meet your narrow minded definition of "socially responsible".