The Big Picture: Don't Censor Me!

[medv4380]

It's not Capitalism that people are mad at. It's Monopolies. Capitalism doesn't exist unless there is competition, and though you might think MSNBC was the competition for FOX News it actually isn't. FOX has a monopoly on Conservative news coverage, and MSNBC has a pretty solid monopoly on the Liberal end. Even Hollywood tries not to compete by carving up the Calender and doing everything to collude to ensure that major films don't compete.

 

[Under_your_bed]

So is it me or is Big Picture basically just Bob's blog now?

How dare bob put his own opinions into his videos! That's....like, the opposite of objective ethics! Come on, fellow game journalist exposer, let's pull his adverts! *tips fedora off into sunset*

 

[grigjd3]

Perhaps the more useful question than is this censorship is, does it matter? People seem to conflate the idea of freedom of speech with censorship. What it really comes down to is that we can't stop you from saying whatever you are going to say. That does not mean I have to listen or that any private media has to promote what you say.

 

[Rellik San]

So is it me or is Big Picture basically just Bob's blog now?

How dare bob put his own opinions into his videos! That's....like, the opposite of objective ethics! Come on, fellow game journalist exposer, let's pull his adverts! *tips fedora off into sunset*

I think you've misread his point. I think he was more commenting that there is less discussion of geeka obscura and more "issue of the day" style discussion lately.

As an aside: Ainsley Hariott as SHODAN would make System Shock 2 far scarier. "Ready, Steady, Cook you insignificant mortal."

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

So in other words "Censorship" is another one of those buzzwords that people keep using without actually knowing what they mean. I'll add it to the ever growing list.

Put it next to racism.

Right? I would love to see Bob do an episode talking about how the vast majority of things that people dub as sexist/racist as a sort of gut instinct aren't actually sexist/racist, and that crying foul at the slightest hint of any stereotype hurts creativity more than it helps any demographic.

 

[The Deadpool]

The distinction between ACTUAL definition of "censorship" and this "practical" definition is nonexistent.

Censorship by the government without just cause is ILLEGAL.

Censorship by people just shouting out the opposition is totally legal, but it is still IMMORAL. It is dishonest, and sometimes just as harmful as the illegal kind depending on WHAT is being drowned out.

 

[dragonswarrior]

Really enjoyed the video.
If you're right, then debate. If you aren't, then change your views. No where does silence have to come into play.

Who decides what's "right" and who should change their views then? The problem is, a lot of this isn't as black and white as "I'm right, you're wrong so you change," it's a whole nebulous mess of greys that aren't so much aligned as swirled together into a huge gloopy mass.

Would you trust a single central authority to forever decide what's right or wrong, silence it's nay sayers and make them forcibly change their mind. (oh look, I waved my magic hyperbole wand). No we decide what's right and wrong through discussion and discussion on moral absolutism like this, rarely if ever has an end.

I guess I could have been clearer, "If you think you're right then debate, if you think you're wrong then change your views" but it's never really about think right? From ones own perspective, one is either right, or one becomes convinced that they're wrong.

Additionally, facts should be the final decider in what is right and wrong. Unfortunately, facts can be large, unwieldy things, so I know expecting that to work is idealism at its worst.

Additionally, I can't stand the "It's a bunch of shades of grey" mentality. Why? Why does it have to be shades of grey? It really doesn't, and things really don't always fall somewhere in the middle. Sometimes, a side that seems "extreme" is actually the one that's right. If you look for truth wherever it might fall, you're more likely to find it then if you look for truth only in the middle.

I enjoyed the hyperbole wand. It made me laugh.

I also enjoyed the "figure out what's right through endless discussion" bit. Though I think that would work better only if people listened more. Meh.

 

[Grace_Omega]

If I could snap my fingers and change the face of internet discourse in one way, it would be to make everyone stop mis-sing the word censorship. Unfortunately I doubt this video, as good as it is, will change anything.

 

[Jacked Assassin]

Based on furry fandom I now expect to eventually see a bunch of female whales get excited over a dork....

Dealing with the rest of the video I wonder if any of this was aimed at Obama's video that was aimed at the FCC.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

So in other words "Censorship" is another one of those buzzwords that people keep using without actually knowing what they mean. I'll add it to the ever growing list.

Yeah, this is what drives me nuts. A better way to say this would be to say that what happened to the Dixie Chicks absolutely was censorship, but that it just wasn't government censorship, and therefore didn't fall under First Amendment protection.

What people like Mr. Chipman here, or Jim Sterling or Anita Sarkeesian are doing is not censorship of any kind?it's media and cultural criticism. The rest of the video actually does explain that, of course, but still ... How about rather than change the meaning of the word "censor" to fit the dopey, single-purpose (and broadly incorrect) usage to which it has fallen prey, we educate people to understand the difference?

Sorry?just had to get that off my chest. Great video, otherwise!

You see that's were Bob was saying you get into the technical and practical definitions of the word. Under the technical dictionary definition, yes you could call that censorship, but under the practical common use (and when I say "common use" I mean use by anyone who understands that an opinion expressed against something they don't like is not censorship) definition, it really isn't. Sure it was an unjust backlash against an unpopular opinion, but can't really be called censorship.

And I don't know about Anita, but certainly anyone who's calling for the re-examination of popular culture and the tropes therein, and suggesting that a few changes need to be made is not calling for censorship.

 

[JarinArenos]

It's not Capitalism that people are mad at. It's Monopolies. Capitalism doesn't exist unless there is competition, and though you might think MSNBC was the competition for FOX News it actually isn't. FOX has a monopoly on Conservative news coverage, and MSNBC has a pretty solid monopoly on the Liberal end. Even Hollywood tries not to compete by carving up the Calender and doing everything to collude to ensure that major films don't compete.

Monopolies are a part of capitalism. The magical land of perfect competition, leading to producers competing for the patronage of consumers has never existed. What part the government plays in this is up for debate, but it happens with or without them.

 

[Silk_Sk]

So is it me or is Big Picture basically just Bob's blog now?

When wasn't it?

 

[The Deadpool]

It's not Capitalism that people are mad at. It's Monopolies. Capitalism doesn't exist unless there is competition, and though you might think MSNBC was the competition for FOX News it actually isn't. FOX has a monopoly on Conservative news coverage, and MSNBC has a pretty solid monopoly on the Liberal end. Even Hollywood tries not to compete by carving up the Calender and doing everything to collude to ensure that major films don't compete.

Monopolies are a part of capitalism.

A part generally considered negative to the consumer...

 

[Evonisia]

I didn't think this week was that heavy, unless I'm just used to The Big Picture when it shifts into taking a stand on something.

My captcha simply reads: stand up guy. Given that the show is based on Bob being allowed his soap box to stand on, it's quite fitting.

 

[Syntax Man]

Except you're wrong, free speech and you need to grow a thicker skin IS the correct application of free speech, at least online. And I will fight tooth and nail against any prat with an agenda who comes along attempting to change that.

 

[MahouSniper]

I liked this episode because censorship is one of those words that gets bandied around all the time by asshats looking for an excuse to keep being asshats, but I do disagree with Bob on a couple details.

I would argue that what happened to the Dixie Chicks was censorship of a kind. Censorship does not have to necessarily come from the government (though thank you for pointing out that technical and colloquial definitions are not the same). While government bans are the biggest specter of censorship, anyone with power over how opinions are distributed can censor people. The problem with the Dixie Chicks wasn't that they were just shouted down, it's that their opponents blocked every outlet they could use for spreading their opinion. They didn't just disagree until people stopped listening, they stopped the Dixie Chicks from being able to say anything or respond. That is censorship.

Blocking comments on Youtube is also a form of censorship, though admittedly a minor and inconsequential one, as is deleting negative reviews on your game, banning people from a forum for disagreeing, filing a false DMCA on Youtube videos you disagree with, or otherwise stopping an opinion from being stated at all rather than addressing the opinion itself. That isn't just the technical definition, it is what the common definition means and how the word should be used.

That said, asking game developers to be more inclusive or less misogynistic is not censorship. Disliking something because it is offensive or problematic and asking that it be changed is not censorship. Calling out asshats for being asshats is not censorship and that seems to be when the word is pulled out the most, so good episode and thanks for bringing up a topic that really needs to be discussed more.

 

[Macsen Wledig]

It's not Capitalism that people are mad at. It's Monopolies. Capitalism doesn't exist unless there is competition, and though you might think MSNBC was the competition for FOX News it actually isn't. FOX has a monopoly on Conservative news coverage, and MSNBC has a pretty solid monopoly on the Liberal end. Even Hollywood tries not to compete by carving up the Calender and doing everything to collude to ensure that major films don't compete.

Capitalism can exist regardless of the existence of competition. Monopolies are a natural result of unhindered capitalism, which is why we invented anti-monopoly laws.

OT: Good episode Bob.