Media misrepresentation of #gamergate
Posted August 23rd, 2015 at 2:32 PM by twocows
Reposted directly from my Facebook.
Quote:
Getting real sick of seeing #gamergate misrepresented in the media. Got out of my car after hearing on NPR about how #gamergate is apparently about misogyny in gamer culture and business. Oh really? Because here I was, thinking it was about corrupt journalism, cronyism, and the continued efforts by extremist imbeciles to push their agenda on gamers and game developers (and by agenda, I mean radical feminism; think "white males should be suppressed because they have too much power"). These might not sound connected, but unfortunately, they are; the entrenched games media is populated and supported by these latter fools and is often in bed with game developers and publishers, trading favors for positive coverage. It's all tied together.
First off, let me remind you that #gamergate is supported by many non-whites and females as evidenced by the popularity of #notyourshield. I mean, FFS, over $70k was donated by #gamergate supporters to support female game developers and over $10k was donated to anti-bullying. We're not the bad guys here. We're doing what we believe is right and necessary to protect our HOBBY. Not our political beliefs, not our business. Our HOBBY. We just want people to leave us alone, stop trying to shame us and change us, and let us enjoy the worlds and stories that other enthusiasts have created for us to explore and experience. If I could wish all of this away and have these a-holes leave us alone, I would do so in an instant. But they won't stop attacking US.
Now yes, there are some idiots saying stupid and nasty things who claim to be part of #gamergate. We've repeatedly disavowed ourselves of these people. I mean, listen: EVERY sufficiently large group has its fringe elements, ESPECIALLY when that group is based on the internet where people saying stupid, nasty things is a matter of course. You don't (or shouldn't) stereotype groups by the beliefs of their fringes. Do you paint all Christians in the same light as the KKK? No? Then why do it to us? We know we have fringe lunatics; we don't like them, either, because it's all the media ever focuses on. On the other hand, I think it's quite telling that the media doesn't report on any of the fringe elements attacking OUR movement, like the bomb threat phoned in to the SPJAirplay event or the repeated threats (including death threats) that prominent #gamergate advocates have received. It really drives home that our movement about CORRUPT, BIASED JOURNALISM is right on point.
NPR is misrepresenting our cause. To what end, I won't say; maybe it's just ignorance, though I highly doubt it. I believe NPR is still at least partially funded by taxpayer money; that should be cause enough for them to be taking a neutral stance instead of misrepresenting an entire movement. Maybe I'll have to write my representatives complaining about NPR, I don't know.
First off, let me remind you that #gamergate is supported by many non-whites and females as evidenced by the popularity of #notyourshield. I mean, FFS, over $70k was donated by #gamergate supporters to support female game developers and over $10k was donated to anti-bullying. We're not the bad guys here. We're doing what we believe is right and necessary to protect our HOBBY. Not our political beliefs, not our business. Our HOBBY. We just want people to leave us alone, stop trying to shame us and change us, and let us enjoy the worlds and stories that other enthusiasts have created for us to explore and experience. If I could wish all of this away and have these a-holes leave us alone, I would do so in an instant. But they won't stop attacking US.
Now yes, there are some idiots saying stupid and nasty things who claim to be part of #gamergate. We've repeatedly disavowed ourselves of these people. I mean, listen: EVERY sufficiently large group has its fringe elements, ESPECIALLY when that group is based on the internet where people saying stupid, nasty things is a matter of course. You don't (or shouldn't) stereotype groups by the beliefs of their fringes. Do you paint all Christians in the same light as the KKK? No? Then why do it to us? We know we have fringe lunatics; we don't like them, either, because it's all the media ever focuses on. On the other hand, I think it's quite telling that the media doesn't report on any of the fringe elements attacking OUR movement, like the bomb threat phoned in to the SPJAirplay event or the repeated threats (including death threats) that prominent #gamergate advocates have received. It really drives home that our movement about CORRUPT, BIASED JOURNALISM is right on point.
NPR is misrepresenting our cause. To what end, I won't say; maybe it's just ignorance, though I highly doubt it. I believe NPR is still at least partially funded by taxpayer money; that should be cause enough for them to be taking a neutral stance instead of misrepresenting an entire movement. Maybe I'll have to write my representatives complaining about NPR, I don't know.
Total Comments 8
Comments
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Literally not to be rude at all (I haven't been paying attention) but I had no idea #gamergate was still a relevant thing so I'm more surprised at NPR covering it lol.Posted August 23rd, 2015 at 2:54 PM by Star-Lord 
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Nah, it's cool. We're still doing our thing. In the end, though, I just want to play video games.Quote:Originally Posted by Moogles
Literally not to be rude at all (I haven't been paying attention) but I had no idea #gamergate was still a relevant thing so I'm more surprised at NPR covering it lol.Posted August 23rd, 2015 at 3:54 PM by twocows
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people... still give gg the time of day? on either side??
imo it was rotten from the start. If it was really about corrupt journalism, I truly don't understand why people still clung to the name once it became "clear" to just about everyone that it was about running women out of video game spaces. (Whether it was or not, that's how it appeared to literally everyone who didn't jump on the movement. So it just seems ridiculous that anyone would stick with the poison name/movement instead of making something new to accomplish the goals of... uncorrupting journalism?)
To me, the "fringe" of gg always seemed like the people who were genuinely in it for the sole purpose of... whatever you listed, not the other way around. So it's not surprising to me that it would be reported this way in the general media. :/Posted August 23rd, 2015 at 5:06 PM by Cherrim
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dunno it seems to be pretty clear cut what the mission of #gamergate is/was lmaoPosted August 23rd, 2015 at 10:58 PM by Her
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Go to the forums where we're talking about things, listen to the discussions we're having. SPJ Airplay was just last week, it was several days of discussions about what we think is wrong and how we think it should be fixed and it was open to both sides because we don't like excluding people from the conversation (the converse cannot be said to be true). Look on YouTube, look up videos posted by people from our movement, look at what they're discussing, listen to their podcasts. I'll tell you what they're not discussing: they're not discussing how to drive women out of the games industry. I know because I listen to these conversations all the time. What they (and we) are discussing is bad journalism and a desire to maintain creative and political freedom and independence in our hobby. These people you're talking about who attack women? They're your typical trolls and idiots who pop in wherever they can cause damage to say rude things. They're not producing content, they're not driving the discussion. They're not a part of our community or our movement to any significant degree, they're just there to stir up trouble. And they're a vast, vast minority. They also exist in the anti-gamergate movement (I would say they're even more common there), but we don't paint that movement as being one of hateful sexists who want to marginalize men in the industry, even if some of them are exactly that. Honestly, I think most anti-gamergaters are ignorant of what we're about and the discussions we're having on our side. They're listening to what our critics say about us rather than what we're actually saying.Quote:Originally Posted by Cherrim
people... still give gg the time of day? on either side??
imo it was rotten from the start. If it was really about corrupt journalism, I truly don't understand why people still clung to the name once it became "clear" to just about everyone that it was about running women out of video game spaces. (Whether it was or not, that's how it appeared to literally everyone who didn't jump on the movement. So it just seems ridiculous that anyone would stick with the poison name/movement instead of making something new to accomplish the goals of... uncorrupting journalism?)
To me, the "fringe" of gg always seemed like the people who were genuinely in it for the sole purpose of... whatever you listed, not the other way around. So it's not surprising to me that it would be reported this way in the general media. :/
At worst, I'll admit that many of the people in our movement are antisocial. They don't know how to convey their intentions without sounding too severe and they'll often say things that aren't socially acceptable. That's because we're a movement full of people who are socially awkward and don't get out much. But not being able to express yourself clearly or saying something in a tactless manner doesn't mean you're a bad person and it doesn't make you wrong.
For instance... find a single example of trying to drive women out of the industry in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62euQFWuQGcPosted August 24th, 2015 at 4:19 AM by twocows
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I think it's more of an issue of media bias. Mainstream media tends to seek out and sensationalize anything against popular opinion. They get people stirred up over nonsense. This leaves people being persecuted for their actions or beliefs.
In this case, Gamergate was antagonized because of a small group of people who said things that weren't nice. The media jumps on the fallacy of Guilt by Association to make the gaming community look bad. Look on Tumblr, the SJW presence is strong there. Not many people are defending the community. #Gamergate, to them, is an evil group of bigots.
Nowadays, you have to dot your i's because if you don't, someone will find a way to antagonize you for your "mistake".Posted August 24th, 2015 at 9:34 AM by -
That's exactly how I feel. It's really unfair. We'll keep working to achieve our goals, though. We have no other choice.Quote:Originally Posted by TG
I think it's more of an issue of media bias. Mainstream media tends to seek out and sensationalize anything against popular opinion. They get people stirred up over nonsense. This leaves people being persecuted for their actions or beliefs.
In this case, Gamergate was antagonized because of a small group of people who said things that weren't nice. The media jumps on the fallacy of Guilt by Association to make the gaming community look bad. Look on Tumblr, the SJW presence is strong there. Not many people are defending the community. #Gamergate, to them, is an evil group of bigots.
Nowadays, you have to dot your i's because if you don't, someone will find a way to antagonize you for your "mistake".Posted August 24th, 2015 at 3:17 PM by twocows
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This is a pretty interesting article about the philosophy behind what's going on. http://risemiaminews.com/2015/08/long-read-why-gamergate-is-really-a-liberal-identity-crisis/
Posted August 25th, 2015 at 11:32 AM by twocows
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