You know, I've learned something today...

[SilverStuddedSquirre]

So after watching the Pax east panel on the subject of Ending Hatred and Bile in the Gaming Community, I was rather saddened to recognize some of the negativity discussed within myself. A couple different scenarios discussed I was able to directly see as things I had done myself. So due apologies to all, and I think this bears watching. Greg Tito leads the discussion, and many good points and Ideas are put out there. My take away was the realization that I personally need to do a little better on the Internet; and there are many suggestions here that I intend to follow.

http://www.twitch.tv/pax2/b/519035329?t=29m10s It's about an hour long, and worth the watch.

Thanks to Andrea Rene, Bob Chipman and Greg Tito of escapist As well as Andre Meadows of BlackNerd Comedy, Evan Narcisse editor of Kotaku, and Andrew Yoon editor in chief of Shack News for helping me with some personal growth.


captcha: take the cake Yes, cake is truly deserved, give them all cake!

 

[dyre]

Hmm, could you give a brief overview of what they're talking about? A discussion on negativity on the internet does seem interesting but I'd like to know a bit more about it before I commit an hour to watching it.

 

[Zhukov]

Whelp, I guess I can pat myself on the back for never having been "that guy" that they're talking about.

Not that I'm a saint online. I can be a grumpy bastard and I sometimes get needlessly aggressive in debates. Although I've been trying to reign it in of late.

If nothing else, I find myself getting too old and mellow for those sort of antics these day. I'll be halfway through typing out an angry and condescending response then say "Oh, hell with it" and close the tab. Being angry takes energy, even on the internet.

 

[Thaluikhain]

So after watching the Pax east panel on the subject of Ending Hatred and Bile in the Gaming Community, I was rather saddened to recognize some of the negativity discussed within myself.

If you are able to recognise the problem, instead of denying it could exist, or only happens to other people, that's the first step and all. There's a lot of steps that come after it, and you'll hit that one again and again, but it's a bit one to have taken.

 

[SilverStuddedSquirre]

Hmm, could you give a brief overview of what they're talking about? A discussion on negativity on the internet does seem interesting but I'd like to know a bit more about it before I commit an hour to watching it.

Sure! They discuss ways in which people online represent themselves a s the WORST possible version thereof. Examples include hateful / hurtful posts, and general behavior in say Call of Duty. Also brought up is how much of what people say on the Internet they feel they are not accountable for. For example, Evan of Kotaku speaks about how the simple act of responding to a Troll comment with a "Hey, that was a little unnecessary and Hurtful" is often (but not always) enough to help a person realize that they are addressing people with their hurtfulness.

Also discussed is the "Just toughen Up" attitude, and how we have allowed the situation to get well out of hand by not addressing the behavior of the worst of us Online, or within a game.

It is less about the TYPES of nastiness, as about how we can lessen it by being more positive. One of my favorites is that we should be addressing Trolls with a demand that they explain or back up their beliefs. Of course, not every Troll, but choose your battles.

 

[dyre]

Hmm, could you give a brief overview of what they're talking about? A discussion on negativity on the internet does seem interesting but I'd like to know a bit more about it before I commit an hour to watching it.

Sure! They discuss ways in which people online represent themselves a s the WORST possible version thereof. Examples include hateful / hurtful posts, and general behavior in say Call of Duty. Also brought up is how much of what people say on the Internet they feel they are not accountable for. For example, Evan of Kotaku speaks about how the simple act of responding to a Troll comment with a "Hey, that was a little unnecessary and Hurtful" is often (but not always) enough to help a person realize that they are addressing people with their hurtfulness.

Also discussed is the "Just toughen Up" attitude, and how we have allowed the situation to get well out of hand by not addressing the behavior of the worst of us Online, or within a game.

It is less about the TYPES of nastiness, as about how we can lessen it by being more positive. One of my favorites is that we should be addressing Trolls with a demand that they explain or back up their beliefs. Of course, not every Troll, but choose your battles.

Thanks, that sounds interesting, I think I'll give it a watch. The "demand that trolls back up their beliefs" thing is actually something I've thought about as a low-effort method of combating trolls should I choose to engage them rather than avoiding them altogether. Turnabout is fair play, as they say. As trolls are out to waste our time, it's only fair that we waste some of theirs by forcing them to explain their position!

 

[krazykidd]

Eh they are preaching to the choir. It's pointless. The worst offenders aren't the ones listening. Either way, i learned a little trick called ignoring them. It's worked wonders so far. Trolls are like pigeons, the more you feed them , the more they flock to you.

 

[Zontar]

Eh they are preaching to the choir. It's pointless. The worst offenders aren't the ones listening. Either way, i learned a little trick called ignoring them. It's worked wonders so far. Trolls are like pigeons, the more you feed them , the more they flock to you.

Pretty much this. Say what you will, trolling has many forms, and despite the fact I do hold respect for many listed on the panel, most have defended trolls without even realizing it, since most people assume the only way to troll is to be insult someone with swears. At least, I hope that's the case, since I don't want to think of some of them as people who would knowingly defend trolls.

 

[SilverStuddedSquirre]

Eh they are preaching to the choir. It's pointless. The worst offenders aren't the ones listening. Either way, i learned a little trick called ignoring them. It's worked wonders so far. Trolls are like pigeons, the more you feed them , the more they flock to you.

Pretty much this. Say what you will, trolling has many forms, and despite the fact I do hold respect for many listed on the panel, most have defended trolls without even realizing it, since most people assume the only way to troll is to be insult someone with swears. At least, I hope that's the case, since I don't want to think of some of them as people who would knowingly defend trolls.

I highly doubt this. They also don't mean to respond to EVERY troll. Or ONLY to Trolls. The subject was also about one-off post that perhaps say something stupid, though not Intentionally hurtful. An example of this is me sticking my foot in it pretty damned deep in the "Fedora Shaming" thread recently. I spouted off some stupidity, but didn't recognize it as such until Vault 101 challenged me to explain my position. I realized that there wasn't much of a point even to be made, and whatever point I WAS trying to make, I did not succeed, and just ended up saying DURRRR! This contributed DIRECTLY to my realization in OP.

So I suppose Special thanks to Eadara and Vault 101 for your help as well.

I really do think it is worth a watch. So next time you hear a douchebag in a game online, just take the time to say "Hey, that isn't cool, plaese don't do that. You are being a bad person" 90% of people will just insult you for doing so, but if ONE person examines their behavior, it's still a win.

 

[StriderShinryu]

Haven't watched it all as of yet, but I'm always happy to see more calls out against the "Just deal with it, it's the internet!" stance. That's such an archaic mindset to me. Yes, I'm aware it's the internet, we all are. That doesn't mean people online aren't actually people. No one should be afraid to speak out against people acting like idiots online just because it's online. An idiot is an idiot, online or off, and they should always be called out for it.

 

[Eamar]

So I suppose Special thanks to Eadara and Vault 101 for your help as well.

I think you meant me here, so no problem. I'm really glad my thread had some sort of positive effect

OT: nothing particularly revolutionary, but good advice nonetheless. While I've admittedly been very grumpy recently due to life going to shit, I usually make an effort to be calm and reasonable on the internet, especially when discussing things like feminism. Honestly people, it works.

 

[SilverStuddedSquirre]

So I suppose Special thanks to Eadara and Vault 101 for your help as well.

I think you meant me here, so no problem. I'm really glad my thread had some sort of positive effect

OT: nothing particularly revolutionary, but good advice nonetheless. While I've admittedly been very grumpy recently due to life going to shit, I usually make an effort to be calm and reasonable on the internet, especially when discussing things like feminism. Honestly people, it works.

Yes I meant you, whoops! Now I'm wondering where Eadara came from...possibly I got your name crossed Eadama from Battlestar Galatica. Hrrm.