Poll: Use of the word Rape in talk about video games

[VelvetHorror]

This is something that I've noticed for quite a while since I've started watching videos of competitive online games such as Halo and CoD, and also on gaming forums. In these commentaries and posts, gamers have been using the word rape to describe humiliating/dominating of another player or team.

What are your opinions on the use of this word in the way that the gaming community has been using it? Do you use it this way? Do you approve of its use in such a way?

I understand that many people don't use this word, but I have seen a large portion of gamers use this word in such a way as well. This is not meant to argue whether or not this word can be used in such a way, as everyone has freedom of speech. This is just a topic to discuss your opinion on its use and the way the gaming community is evolving in terms of terminology.

 

[RatRace123]

Nay, rape is not the same as getting beaten by some idiot in Halo or COD.
Rape is the same as being forced into an unpleasant act by some idiot that takes away your sense of control, and leaves a very large psychological impact.

 

[kikon9]

I can't help but remember Dane Cook. "Imagine asking a woman who has gone through that what it was like. '*sob* *sob* what was it like? Have you ever played halo? It's like being hit in the back with a gravity hammer."

 

[aaronmcc]

When you say "I'm gonna rape you!" regarding a videogame it just means that you think the other person will feel so beaten that it's almost a violation. Certainly I don't hink that you should use it when not amongst friends. It's understandable that some people would find it uncomfortable.

 

[neuromantic]

Language evolves.. you just have to look back over the last few decades to see how many words have been warped from their original intentions.. I can't say I approve of a word for an act so horrific being used to describe something so ultimately meaningless, but thats not going to stop anybody.

 

[viranimus]

An abundance of the shooter communities vernacular is offsetting and weak.

That said, I have no problem with using the word rape because that is the beauty of words, their meaning, the context, the subtext etc. I mean if your in an online game setting and you get utterly obliterated such as being pummeled to death in a shooter requiring multiple melee attacks where you are helpless to defend yourself and left with no alternative to endure the beating that seems like a pretty fair use of the term being raped.

 

[Yureina]

I hate it. Its actually a very serious problem for me due to the number of friends i've had who have had that happen to them. Everytime I hear it said by someone in a casual or "gaming setting", my opinion of that person falls considerably.

It is not a word that you throw around as a joke or a casual concept. It is something very real and serious.

 

[WolfEdge]

If I can't use horrific sexual acts to describe the beat down I lay on my fallen enemies, then you can't say "Fuck You".

 

[kikon9]

I can't help but remember Dane Cook. "Imagine asking a woman who has gone through that what it was like. '*sob* *sob* what was it like? Have you ever played halo? It's like being hit in the back with a gravity hammer."

I must ask you. Which stand-up did he said this!?

I think it was Isolated Incident.

 

[KefkaCultist]

I used to use rape, gay, and retarded all the time (rape mostly) in online and real life settings, but I've been trying to get them out of my daily vocabulary although they do slip time to time.

It doesn't necessarily offend me, but they're definitely not words to describe an event in a video game.

 

[jamradar]

It depends on the kill in which the player said it. If it was a super amazing kill then I would say its okay, if it was on me I would even say that he raped me. But if it was said on just a ordinary kill with nothing special about it than no its not okay.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

I can't help but remember Dane Cook. "Imagine asking a woman who has gone through that what it was like. '*sob* *sob* what was it like? Have you ever played halo? It's like being hit in the back with a gravity hammer."

I must ask you. Which stand-up did he said this!?

I think it was Isolated Incident.

god dammit no wonder thats like the one that i haven't seen. the one fucking one that i would really like and i didn't see it. figures. im gonna have to definitly watch that now.

ot: i use it. i dont sit there and troll every game about with it but i say it to myself in a deep announcer voice "RAYYPPPEEEEEDD!" when i destroy 3 guys or somethin in reach, then ill go into the lobby asking in an asian accent if the other team "needs pillows for that massive rape that just ensued" or if i pull off a perfect headshot without using scope on new vegas, but regardless of that dont think its that needed...but still its not a big deal, unless someone really means they are gonna rape someone..then they can go fuck off and die.

 

[CrustyOatmeal]

This is something that I've noticed for quite a while since I've started watching videos of competitive online games such as Halo and CoD, and also on gaming forums. In these commentaries and posts, gamers have been using the word rape to describe humiliating/dominating of another player or team.

What are your opinions on the use of this word in the way that the gaming community has been using it? Do you use it this way? Do you approve of its use in such a way?

I understand that many people don't use this word, but I have seen a large portion of gamers use this word in such a way as well. This is not meant to argue whether or not this word can be used in such a way, as everyone has freedom of speech. This is just a topic to discuss your opinion on its use and the way the gaming community is evolving in terms of terminology.

this is like arguing about slang words like when people say something is "gay", yes its offensive but you cant stop the progression of language and the majority of the attempts to stop it generate the opposite effect

there were commercials on TV about actors telling kids to stop saying something is "gay" and all it did was draw kids attention to the word and (from my experiences) mad people just talk about it more and thus call things "gay" more often

slang is much like evolution, you cant stop it but you can effect the path it tends to take

 

[Tsaba]

Personally, I'm not a fan of it, I tend to think of a kid who can't form a sentence screaming profanities when I hear that called out. I don't mind it used maybe once or twice by different people, but, I can't stand it when it's just used to describe everything a person does: ie: "dude, did you just see that sweet headshot? I totally raped him!" (good job turbo, you killed a guy from 25 meters, I'm sure everyone is proud of you, save your mother, she doesn't condone your language.) I'm done venting.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Language evolves.. you just have to look back over the last few decades to see how many words have been warped from their original intentions.. I can't say I approve of a word for an act so horrific being used to describe something so ultimately meaningless, but thats not going to stop anybody.

Agreed, its being parroted by all the little people playing COD and Halo. A new definition will be born (if it hasn't already) and it will not go away.

Remember the word gay? It used to mean happy and light hearted and now look at it. It has a totally different meaning.

I don't like that rape is a very common term in the online FPS community but there isn't anything I can do about it.

 

[Dango]

Very nay. I dislike it when people use the word in video games. It just seems kinda insensitive. That doesn't mean I won't use it every once and a while, but I only use it when someone else does, and after I use it I'll feel terrible.

 

[Lord Beautiful]

I can't help but remember Dane Cook. "Imagine asking a woman who has gone through that what it was like. '*sob* *sob* what was it like? Have you ever played halo? It's like being hit in the back with a gravity hammer."

Wait a minute. Dane Cook made a funny?

I honestly don't know what to say.

OP: I admit, I use it. It's how I describe getting my ass destroyed on Street Fighter.