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How about it seems silly to issue death threats over something so unfuckingbelievably inane? from the outside, the gaming universe seems to be comprised of som

How about it seems silly to issue death threats over something so unfuckingbelievably inane? from the outside, the gaming universe seems to be comprised of some of the most atrocious people on the planet. Astounding levels of vitriol/violence/crybaby behavior, week after week in the news.

rendall 3y ago
It's really silly. Also silly: forgetting that a group is not its worst members. Remember that every single group with which you identify has had unstable members who behaved badly. Whether criminal behavior, death threat, bullying, or plain poor decisions, there are reprehensible people who superficially share your interests, appearance, background, or gender.
- michaelt 3y ago
  Although you can't judge a group on its worst members, the average of the gaming community isn't exactly great. I mean, have you joined the voice chat for a popular shooter recently? There is a lot of vitriol and crybaby behaviour.
  - rendall 3y ago
    Consider the availability bias: extremes are notable (easily recalled), and so become outsized in evaluations. Example: It is likely that any given random violent crime was committed by a man. Some are therefore convinced that all men are violent on average, even though it is quite unlikely for any random man to be violent.
- ethanbond 3y ago
  It's also silly to think that all qualities, good or bad, are evenly distributed between groups
  - rendall 3y ago
    Did GP say this? Argue against what a person says not against some easier-to-argue position.
    - ethanbond 3y ago
      Did I say that every person in the gaming community is awful? Your comment that “not everyone is bad” is both obvious and meant to deflect criticism of the culture that obviously dominates the gaming world. As another commentator said, go join any FPS and turn on voice chat —- it has been this way at least since I got into online gaming 18 years ago. Based on my own experience and what makes it to the news, the situation is getting worse. Misogyny, racism, and verbal abuse has been the norm since day one. Now you have that plus swatting, doxxing, and affiliated real-world harassment. Nothing about this needs defending with platitudes about “not all gamers!” Everyone knows it’s not all gamers. That doesn’t mean, as you’re attempting to suggest, that the gaming universe doesn’t have serious and unique problems.
      - rendall 3y ago
        > Did I say that every person in the gaming community is awful? No, and no one said you did. For the second time, argue what someone says. > Your comment that “not everyone is bad” Here you even put quotes around something no one wrote.
        ethanbond 3y ago
        You did actually accuse me of "forgetting that a group is not its worst members," which would indeed be tantamount to saying everyone in the gaming community is awful. Anyway thank you for the pointer that groups are groups, I guess? Not sure what you were trying to add to the conversation.
        rendall 3y ago
        > Not sure what you were trying to add to the conversation. That is disappointing. There is one common factor with all of the toxic communities, forums and chat rooms that formed your impression of "the gaming universe" over 18 years. When you figure out what that common factor is, you will definitely find the many non-toxic, welcoming and inclusive gaming communities out there.
prepend 3y ago
Yes, of course it’s terrible for someone to issue death threats over anything, much less software prices. Threats of violence are wrong and illegal. But companies should have security in place to protect their buildings for large gatherings. And that security should be able to reasonably protect against jerks who give death threats.
- ethanbond 3y ago
  Dude... a video game software company should not need armed guards. Full stop. The descent into a low-trust society is hurried along by commentary like this, so no, no thank you. It's not normal and it should not become normal.
  - prepend 3y ago
    They have 7000+ employees. They are a huge company. If they are having big meetings with 500-1000 and don’t have sufficient security then that’s not smart. It is normal. Look around next time you’re at a tech conference. There’s probably armed guards somewhere. I went to WWDC 10 years ago and they had security. Same for SXSW. Pretty much any mass gathering. Unity isn’t some small org. They are worth billions and are a target even in normal times where people aren’t death threating them. Of course, I agree that life shouldn’t be like this, but it is. We’re already in a low-trust society. We’ve been in it for decades. Remember when Timothy McVeigh blew up just a regular federal building and killed normies and kids and whatnot? I think since then there’s been a lot more security. It’s more likely that Timothy McVeigh would be shot and killed if he was detected and tried to blow up his truck this time. This is sad. And I’d prefer not if society could fix this so it’s not necessary. But if I was going to a big all hands with a thousand coworkers and my employer didn’t have security that could protect me from some rando showing up with a gun, I wouldn’t go to that all hands. And I would probably not work for that company. Not for any ideological reason. Just because I don’t want to die.
    - ethanbond 3y ago
      I have terrible news to break: you are pretty much never in a situation where you’re protected from a rando with a gun.

rendall 3y ago

It's really silly. Also silly: forgetting that a group is not its worst members. Remember that every single group with which you identify has had unstable members who behaved badly. Whether criminal behavior, death threat, bullying, or plain poor decisions, there are reprehensible people who superficially share your interests, appearance, background, or gender.

michaelt 3y ago
Although you can't judge a group on its worst members, the average of the gaming community isn't exactly great. I mean, have you joined the voice chat for a popular shooter recently? There is a lot of vitriol and crybaby behaviour.
- rendall 3y ago
  Consider the availability bias: extremes are notable (easily recalled), and so become outsized in evaluations. Example: It is likely that any given random violent crime was committed by a man. Some are therefore convinced that all men are violent on average, even though it is quite unlikely for any random man to be violent.
ethanbond 3y ago
It's also silly to think that all qualities, good or bad, are evenly distributed between groups
- rendall 3y ago
  Did GP say this? Argue against what a person says not against some easier-to-argue position.
  - ethanbond 3y ago
    Did I say that every person in the gaming community is awful? Your comment that “not everyone is bad” is both obvious and meant to deflect criticism of the culture that obviously dominates the gaming world. As another commentator said, go join any FPS and turn on voice chat —- it has been this way at least since I got into online gaming 18 years ago. Based on my own experience and what makes it to the news, the situation is getting worse. Misogyny, racism, and verbal abuse has been the norm since day one. Now you have that plus swatting, doxxing, and affiliated real-world harassment. Nothing about this needs defending with platitudes about “not all gamers!” Everyone knows it’s not all gamers. That doesn’t mean, as you’re attempting to suggest, that the gaming universe doesn’t have serious and unique problems.
    - rendall 3y ago
      > Did I say that every person in the gaming community is awful? No, and no one said you did. For the second time, argue what someone says. > Your comment that “not everyone is bad” Here you even put quotes around something no one wrote.
      - ethanbond 3y ago
        You did actually accuse me of "forgetting that a group is not its worst members," which would indeed be tantamount to saying everyone in the gaming community is awful. Anyway thank you for the pointer that groups are groups, I guess? Not sure what you were trying to add to the conversation.
        rendall 3y ago
        > Not sure what you were trying to add to the conversation. That is disappointing. There is one common factor with all of the toxic communities, forums and chat rooms that formed your impression of "the gaming universe" over 18 years. When you figure out what that common factor is, you will definitely find the many non-toxic, welcoming and inclusive gaming communities out there.

prepend 3y ago

Yes, of course it’s terrible for someone to issue death threats over anything, much less software prices. Threats of violence are wrong and illegal. But companies should have security in place to protect their buildings for large gatherings. And that security should be able to reasonably protect against jerks who give death threats.

ethanbond 3y ago
Dude... a video game software company should not need armed guards. Full stop. The descent into a low-trust society is hurried along by commentary like this, so no, no thank you. It's not normal and it should not become normal.
- prepend 3y ago
  They have 7000+ employees. They are a huge company. If they are having big meetings with 500-1000 and don’t have sufficient security then that’s not smart. It is normal. Look around next time you’re at a tech conference. There’s probably armed guards somewhere. I went to WWDC 10 years ago and they had security. Same for SXSW. Pretty much any mass gathering. Unity isn’t some small org. They are worth billions and are a target even in normal times where people aren’t death threating them. Of course, I agree that life shouldn’t be like this, but it is. We’re already in a low-trust society. We’ve been in it for decades. Remember when Timothy McVeigh blew up just a regular federal building and killed normies and kids and whatnot? I think since then there’s been a lot more security. It’s more likely that Timothy McVeigh would be shot and killed if he was detected and tried to blow up his truck this time. This is sad. And I’d prefer not if society could fix this so it’s not necessary. But if I was going to a big all hands with a thousand coworkers and my employer didn’t have security that could protect me from some rando showing up with a gun, I wouldn’t go to that all hands. And I would probably not work for that company. Not for any ideological reason. Just because I don’t want to die.
  - ethanbond 3y ago
    I have terrible news to break: you are pretty much never in a situation where you’re protected from a rando with a gun.