Why is 'white knighting' seen as such a bad thing?

[Froggy Slayer]

This isn't to say that I always agree with them, but why has the idea of sticking up for you ideals and values seen as a bad thing by a lot of people these days (*cough*4chan*cough*)? As I've said, I don't always agree with some of these people, but I respect them for standing with their morals. It actually kind of disturbs me that so many people think of having morals and basic human empathy as a bad thing.

 

[Liberaliter]

White Knighting on the internet doesn't mean what you think it does apparently.

 

[Bebop]

I think its more of a thing on 4Chan. People here dont really go out and try to mess with people (Atleast they dont make it obvious anyways).

Anyhoo white-knighting isn't all bad if you're not just doing it to feel better. There is a distinct difference between ruining somebody's life who dragged a living dog behind his car and stopping somebody from calling a girl on Facebook fat.

 

[emeraldrafael]

what you're thinking of is not white knighting.

actual white knighting, I think its the either trollness or ignorance that bothers people in it. Id say its not that bad but I cant necessarily think of a time where it was a good thing.

 

[EeveeElectro]

I would guess people tend to think, "You're only standing up for her because she's a woman and she might give you access to her secret garden for doing it" which is probably true in some cases.

It's pessimistic to judge people like that, but that's what some folks do. Unless the guy just stinks of desperation and neediness I like to think they're standing up for a woman because she is a human, not because she's female.

It's a problem because even now there's still men who will attack girls online for the crime of being a lady and it's good to know there's guys on the internet who thinks this behaviour is pants.

If someone said to me on here one of the many completely original and hilarious sexist insults (GET BACK 2 THE KITCHEN LOLOLOL!!11! WHY ARE YOU POSTING HERE AND NOT MAKING ME A SAMMICH OLLLLLOLOLLLL, YOU SHOULD BE SUCKING MY DIICK ROFL[sub] why do I still sob when I masturbate...[/sub] ASIF YOUR KITCHEN HAS AN XBOX ROFL) and other guys told him to shut up because he sounded like an absolute unfunny twat, I wouldn't label them as a white knight. I'd say they have a good moral code and aren't stuck in the 50s.
White knights always expect something from you when they come to your defense. Decent people don't. I would more than happily defend a man on here if he was being attacked unreasonably.

 

[Wraith]

White knighting is the act of of a man coming to the defense of a woman or making excuses for a woman's actions simpl y because they are female. It is the internet's version of chivalry and reinforces the notion that women can do no wrong. Admittedly, though the term "white-knight" has been misused very much, to the point that any defense of a woman's actions-- be they troublesome or no-- has been associated with it.

That's all in my opinion however.

 

[DugMachine]

I think you're version of "white knight" is different than the one I'm used to. Standing up for what you believe in is fine but purposely being offended for someone (particularly females) because you think they can't defend themselves is in my book, a white knight.

 

[TehCookie]

Several reasons:
1. White nights are actually nice guy tm and think it will lead to pussy
2. They if they're not part of the group their opinion hold more weight. Of course women are feminist but I'm a male feminist so I'm supporting something outside my group I'm more caring.
3. They think who they're defending can't stand up for themselves.

Of course this isn't true for all but a few bad apples spoil the bunch. Not to mention on 4chan if you can be labeled something they'll hate you for it.

 

[Froggy Slayer]

Yes, I know about some of the alternate definitions, but I'm increasingly seeing it used for people who have any sort of idealism. People stepping on idealism is sort of a point of contention for me.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

JOKER SNIP!

Seeing what you said there made me think of this:

Which, to be honest, most people DO want to become legends... or Batman, whichever seems less likely to harm them

 

[EstrogenicMuscle]

In most cases I think it is a way of shaming others and rationalizing one's own unempathetic behavior.

People who like to attack and exploit others want to feel justified for doing so. So to rationalize what they're doing, they label the others "whiteknight". Busybodies who aren't really good people but only have stupid and irrational ulterior motives.

This is further shown by the fact only a certain portion of the time that the term is used, it is a man helping a woman. In many case, it is just someone sticking up for someone that another person does not like.

You don't have to think that someone is defenseless to defend or support them. People tend to support anyone they like or causes they like for a variety of reasons. People will say things like "oh, you're just white knighting Barack Obama. Obviously most of the people "white knighting" Barack Obama, are not expecting sex in return. Or think that Barack Obama is defenseless. Just merely sticking up for a president against attacks they feel are unwarranted.

I'm a "white knight" much of the time. I don't want sex from people and I don't think they're defenseless. I just don't like black knights. I think their behavior disgusting and I don't like human beings being exploited. People are not excused for going around and posting other people's docs who are innocent, being sexual harassed, or anything like that, under the rationalization of "well at least I'm not a white knight."

It is almost comical villainy how some people go on about "white knights". "Those horrible do-gooders".

No, better yet.
"Oh look what clever childrenwhite knights.
See them study, watch them learn fanboy, watch them expose trolls.
How I hate those goody-goodies! How they make my stomach turn.
I've got a little secret, that'll really make them cry.
It's a nasty kind of magic. From a special kind of black knight."

 

[KungFuJazzHands]

White-knighting, outside of its original context, is the act of shamelessly defending something despite evidence that is contrary to whatever ingrained representation the white knighter may have about that something. I see no difference between fanboys and white knighters -- both groups chafe at external opinion and willfully ignore pertinent information.

At least that's my personal definition.

Go browse the Steam Community forums (specifically the Suggestions/Ideas category) if you want to see some especially blatant examples of white knighters. The official Bethesda forums are good for that too.

 

[Xdeser2]

White Knighting is just someone going against the grain of public opinion, its not wrong, people just dont think before they speak/type and accuse someone of sticking up/for with someone else.

 

[Atmos Duality]

White Knighting is just someone going against the grain of public opinion, its not wrong, people just dont think before they speak/type and accuse someone of sticking up/for with someone else.

Agreed.
More specifically, when White Knighting is performed in defense of a person (either directly or as an addition to an argument), it might be interpreted as patronizing.

That's the usual context I see White Knighting sneered at on the net...when it isn't associated with "fanboyism" anyway.

 

[Keoul]

Do you truly believe 4chan represents a large majority of the internet or something?

I don't go on there at all and I've never seen it be called white-knighting and even then it's never seen as a "bad" thing, sure an argument erupts but neither party says "No! you're wrong for sticking up for your ideals!.

Also I was under the impression white-knighting was basically defending a girl on the internet because boobs. Using it to describe someone simply defending their ideals doesn't seem fitting to me... since knights are usually associated with saving people and fighting dragons not being philosophical and spreading their ideals and values.