Since I was introduced to the StarCraft community, I've seen more than I care to. It seems the majority of the players are a hateful, insensitive, cruel and ignorant bunch. At first I attributed it to the game itself and the immaturity to the age bracket of the players. But it's frightening to think that these people are OUR future.
I defended gamers when parents were, in my opinion, being unreasonable about video games. I made excuses for players who were bad mannered.I called off lawyers, when intellectually I knew that the NASL and Uservoice should have a suit brought against them for libel.
When I saw sexism firsthand on both GameReplay and TeamLiquid forums, I ignored it. After all it was simply a few small minds with dix to match, who probably don't get any; and if they did, wouldn't know what to do with it.
GameReplay was, at first, the lesser of the two evils. It felt to me like a closer knit community; friendlier, less hateful, more accepting of women. But when a Polish girl, who goes by the name of Effka, was the first woman ever to win a CraftCup tournament in a male-dominated arena, the forums on GameReplay were inundated with smut and sexist remarks.
Initially I came to the forums, trying to learn more about the game so that I could support a man whom I care about a great deal. There were always Avilo haters and he'd always tell me I'm too sensitive. There were always remarks about women and again I was told to just ignore it.
Recently, someone on GameReplay asked if I was avilo's mother. I responded as sincerely as the question was presented. Then, came the standard, "Pictures or get out." After which another small-minded, immature poster said, "Tits or gtfo."
I decided to not take this Blob guy's post seriously or be offended by it, so I posted to be funny. "Dick or gtfo...but wait, I have to get a magnifying glass." Yeah, I sunk to their immature level. Then, was shocked (whilst I shouldn't have been considering the mentality of this group)when a gamer that goes by the name of Solhei, responded by posting, "This is why girls in general are only meant to stick ur dick in." (Wonder if he feels that way about his mother. Wonder if he even has one)
How have these people been raised? Or have they been? Do their parents, their mothers in particular, know how their sons view them? Were they taught by their fathers to disrespect women in such a way?
It's not easy to "ignore" remarks like that and I guess that's why the more professional gamers stay away from the forums. That's probably good advice for avilo. I know that I've already seen enough of forums to know that there's nothing there for me to learn.
Yesterday, I read a forum thread on TeamLiquid about the NASL commentators and how rudely they conducted themselves during a game. They probably took lessons from the immature and sans testicles, Jim Raynor from GameReplay. (Wonder if he was raised by parents)http://lifeandotherfantasies.blogspot.com/2011/02/starcraft2-and-craftcup-tournament.html
The original poster took exception to their behavior, (guess he had a proper upbringing) but every comment thereafter threw hate at him. "It was fun." "They made me laugh." "Lighten up, it was funny." And that's the mentality of gamers?
Today, I once again defended avilo in Gamereplay, because I wanted to appeal to the "mature and caring" nature of gamers, if there was any. I wanted to prove parents wrong. I wanted to prove to myself that only a few of the gamers that post are insensitive and rude, I wanted to prove avilo wrong.
The responses I received left me sad for the future. I don't envy parents nowadays. Most parents do their best to instill a strong moral and ethical belief in their kids, but when do they have the time? Both parents work, most parents are stressed, some parents don't even know what they're kids are doing or where they are doing it. For other parents, it's just too late.
If all gamers are reflective of some of those in the StarCraft community, then all I can say is, parents beware.
7 comments:
my love, its the internet. since people can be anonymous they will always be dumb and say/do things they wouldn't in real life. just ignore em.
and as for women...you know us guys don't think with our brains :D
Whilst I realize that men are amoeba brained creatures it's no excuse to not use the one cell you were given.
And just because it's the internet, doesn't excuse bad behavior. If it does, then the internet should die.
If this type of behavior is indicative of our future leaders, then god help us all.
Furthermore, if women activist groups got wind of how younger men on these forums view women, there would definitely be hell to pay. As you know women can be vicious.
So, according to you, it's not just the SC community, but the internet in general that creates an atmosphere where it's permissible to demean and degrade women? And because it's the internet, it's all right to be hateful and rude toward other human beings?
I was so angry at avilo's comment that I literally raged at him after reading it. Obviously, he didn't respond to my questions here, but we did discuss it at length for the remainder of the night.
Actually, I agree with his comment about the internet offering anonymity. It's an avenue for otherwise gentle-mannered, shy people to become the antithesis of who they really are. Most probably, half of the remarks are made by shy, young boys, who would stutter, flush and get weak in the knees if a woman/girl smiled at them.
However, recently, I've been reading a couple other Gamereplays forums - RedAlert3 and Kane's Wrath.
What I observed was a completely different demeanor and attitude. The majority of posters were respectful of one another. They addressed each other maturely (and they're probably younger than the group that play SC)and didn't rage or insult other gamers – even avilo’s trolling wasn’t met with too much hostility. Lol
So now I'm wondering if the basis for all this hostility in Starcraft is MONEY. There's a lot to made as a pro-gamer. Red Alert and Kane's Wrath are mostly played for fun. Does MONEY cause people to become hateful and bad mannered?
As for the boys out there, who can't think with their brains, trust me...if you can't control your sexual appetite, every woman on the face of this earth will have you whipped like a little panting puppy. Grow up!
"Furthermore, if women activist groups got wind of how younger men on these forums view women, there would definitely be hell to pay. As you know women can be vicious."
No, there wouldn't. Most women already know how men view them.
Women can be vicious but mostly verbally and that's about it. Physically, women pose little threat. Most are simply way too weak.
Thanks for your comment and thoughts, Anon :)
Actually, because women do have brains and use them, they don't have to use physical strength so your point is a wash.
As far as women knowing how men view us, well duh! That's how we win in most situations. :D But knowing and accepting are two different things.
You need a better argument.
You didn't "sink to their level," you proved that what they dish out, they can't take.
Immaturity is what breeds bad manners. In one respect parents are to blame, because they failed to instill the proper morals and ethics in their kids at a young age.
It's like when a two-year-old repeats a swear word he or she heard and the parents laugh, thinking that's "so cute."
If behavior isn't modified at a young age, people like some of those in the starcraft community end up with bad manners.
Others, who weren't raised correctly, see how people in the community act and they think that's what's expected to be "One of the group."
For avilo to say "It's the internet" is about as dumb as it gets.
"Actually, because women do have brains and use them, they don't have to use physical strength so your point is a wash."
Women have brains? That's new to me; I never knew that. Where's your brain? I've been reading your blog and trying to find evidence of it but I can't seem to find it. LOL! Women may have brains but they certainly don't know how to use them.
Most women couldn't use their physical strength even if they needed to. Any man would wipe the floor with them if they tried. LOL. You would get your ass handed to you, little lady. Yeah, I'm sure there will be hell to pay if these women ever find out how much these boys are disrespecting them! Soooooooooooo scary and vicious you women are! We're sooo scared! LOL! Please.
Keep living in your little fantasy world.
And personally, I don't blame any of those men for viewing women the way they do - any male who has spent any considerable amount of time around women would be the same way. Why do you think they are that way in the first place? It's because so many boys are raised by women like you.
If you can't take the heat then stay home, little girl.
"As far as women knowing how men view us, well duh! That's how we win in most situations."
Women win in most situations? ROTFLMAO. Women win in *some* cases because men let them, because women are like spoiled, whiny, pathetic little children who always need to get their way, so naturally men let them. Men go easy on women because they are so incompetent in almost everything they do, and most men know they can easily crush them without breaking a sweat if they wanted to. You think that if you beat a man at something it was because you were skilled or competent? Bwahahahahahahahahahahah!!!
Pity that women are so incompetent in almost everything they do. Men have the brains and the brawn and women have neither.
This is about how much brains women have: http://www.geekosystem.com/which-is-bigger-the-earth-or-the-sun-okcupid/
LOL.
Post a Comment