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"GamerGate" is an exonym applied to a group of people who were outraged over allegations made by a former lover of an independent game developer. Whether or not

"GamerGate" is an exonym applied to a group of people who were outraged over allegations made by a former lover of an independent game developer. Whether or not these accusations are true and regardless of the motivations behind those who created and promoted them, it's not difficult to understand why the outrage occurred. It wasn't helped that there appeared to be censorship during early discussions of the issue, though that was explained to be due to an automatic spam filter on /r/gaming. Some of those outraged people went on to do truly horrifying things (doxxing, threats, etc.); but, as nailer pointed out in another comment, so did some from the "anti-gg" crowd, though their acts were not highlighted. Like vdnkh pointed out, there is a stark double-standard of accountability to which the two sides are held. Further, the "GamerGate" crowd has been routinely generalized, and people are all too-happy to ascribe alternative motivations to their grievances (sexism) instead of listening to their actual statements. It reminds me a lot of how terrorists are portrayed--"they hate us for our freedom!", when really there's a larger geo-political structure that causes some to pursue violence. It's easy to get the public at large to dismiss an idea/movement through such means (manufactured consent.) Now, there probably are sexist feelings at the root of many of their members' concerns, but focusing just on that while ignoring the problems they point out--even if most are spurious/fictitious--is counter-productive. Engaging, open dialog is the best way to influence/change minds.

pron 11y ago
I'm sorry, but since I graduated from the seventh grade a long time ago, I find the drama behind this juvenile hate-group and their mortal enemies, the SJWs or whatever, utterly pathetic, yet I do recognize that actual grown-up hate groups may grow out of middle-school hate groups, so I need to point out a few things. Crowds -- either the baddies or the goodies -- aren't outraged by allegations of pre-marital impropriety. In fact, no one is really ever outraged by a scandal, let alone a sex scandal (unless it concerns Silvio Berlusconi) or "scandal" in this case. Whenever you see people outraged about any scandal -- be they sex-starved, sugar crazy gamergate nerd supervillains or buff, handsome, superhero SJWs -- they are simply using a "scandal" as an excuse for their agenda, whether that agenda is that of the gamergater Magneto or Professor X, the ultimate SJW. Finally, don't confuse civilized moderation with censorship, and please understand that all hate groups claim to have "grievances" (you really think the KKK doesn't?). Intelligent people don't listen to those grievances because they range from being blown-out-of-proportion, through conspiracy-theory-nuttiness to downright idiocies. Gamergaters are neither terrorists nor Marxists. They are not part of a larger geo-political structure, but from what I gather, they may be a part of a large group who can't get a date to the junior prom. They don't have an "idea", they're kids having a tantrum, and kids having a tantrum don't get "listened to"; they are told to shut up and grow up. Their "concerns" are exactly the same as the KKK's concerns over crime. If you however, are concerned over crime, I strongly suggest you don't listen to the KKK -- you should listen to the KKK only if you hate blacks. Similarly, if you have concerns over journalistic integrity, talk to some adults about it; there's no need to listen to some shrill kids.
- kinghajj 11y ago
  The outrage wasn't only about "sexual impropriety", though certainly some who used the banner of GG were outraged by that and acted, as you rightly say, like children. However, other "sects" of the GG "movement" were concerned over the allegations that the independent developer may have received favors/special treatment for coverage of her projects than she otherwise would have. Hence their insistence that their problem is with "lack of ethics in gaming journalism." Similarly, during an anti-WTO protest, most of the members are there because of valid concerns about globalization, and a few rebel-rousers are there just to "fuck shit up"/get attention/etc. Like I said, those who identify as part of the GG crowd have been generalized (just like anti-globalization/corporate protesters tend to be).
  - pron 11y ago
    That's a false analogy. Anti WTO protesters are really concerned over globalization, while Gamergaters are not concerned over journalistic integrity; they pretend to be concerned because of some specific cases where alleged lapsed ethics served women. They are thus justly generalized, just as the KKK is justly generalized to be racist. Like gamergate, and unlike Occupy etc., the KKK only pretends to be against crime, and they're "outraged" only when a crime is perpetrated by blacks. There are movements that are concerned over issues -- and those may or may not have some bad actors -- and hate groups that simply target people they hate (and they hate those people not for what they do, but for who they are); those hate groups are all bad because that's what they want to be. Gamergate is clearly the latter. The comparison between them and political movements with real ideologies and actual ideas is misplaced.
    - kinghajj 11y ago
      > Anti WTO protesters are really concerned over globalization, while Gamergaters are not concerned over journalistic integrity By what basis do you make that assertion? Can you read their minds?! This seems like a pure, basic composition fallacy to me. > alleged lapsed ethics served women The lapses were mutually beneficial, and there was harassment against the men involved as well. > and hate groups that simply target people they hate (and they hate those people not for what they do, but for who they are) Then why were these 'hate groups' active before the allegations were made, if they all truly only target people for "who they are" and not "what they do"? > Gamergate is clearly the latter. Again, by what basis do you make that claim? Are you just listening to the media reports that emphasize the harassment perpetrated by a segment of the GG crowd (while conveniently ignoring the harassment other GG members receive from anti-GG ones?) > The comparison between them and political movements I'm not comparing the movements themselves, but how they're marginalized in order to suppress their message and become vilified in the minds of the public.

pron 11y ago

I'm sorry, but since I graduated from the seventh grade a long time ago, I find the drama behind this juvenile hate-group and their mortal enemies, the SJWs or whatever, utterly pathetic, yet I do recognize that actual grown-up hate groups may grow out of middle-school hate groups, so I need to point out a few things. Crowds -- either the baddies or the goodies -- aren't outraged by allegations of pre-marital impropriety. In fact, no one is really ever outraged by a scandal, let alone a sex scandal (unless it concerns Silvio Berlusconi) or "scandal" in this case. Whenever you see people outraged about any scandal -- be they sex-starved, sugar crazy gamergate nerd supervillains or buff, handsome, superhero SJWs -- they are simply using a "scandal" as an excuse for their agenda, whether that agenda is that of the gamergater Magneto or Professor X, the ultimate SJW. Finally, don't confuse civilized moderation with censorship, and please understand that all hate groups claim to have "grievances" (you really think the KKK doesn't?). Intelligent people don't listen to those grievances because they range from being blown-out-of-proportion, through conspiracy-theory-nuttiness to downright idiocies. Gamergaters are neither terrorists nor Marxists. They are not part of a larger geo-political structure, but from what I gather, they may be a part of a large group who can't get a date to the junior prom. They don't have an "idea", they're kids having a tantrum, and kids having a tantrum don't get "listened to"; they are told to shut up and grow up. Their "concerns" are exactly the same as the KKK's concerns over crime. If you however, are concerned over crime, I strongly suggest you don't listen to the KKK -- you should listen to the KKK only if you hate blacks. Similarly, if you have concerns over journalistic integrity, talk to some adults about it; there's no need to listen to some shrill kids.

kinghajj 11y ago
The outrage wasn't only about "sexual impropriety", though certainly some who used the banner of GG were outraged by that and acted, as you rightly say, like children. However, other "sects" of the GG "movement" were concerned over the allegations that the independent developer may have received favors/special treatment for coverage of her projects than she otherwise would have. Hence their insistence that their problem is with "lack of ethics in gaming journalism." Similarly, during an anti-WTO protest, most of the members are there because of valid concerns about globalization, and a few rebel-rousers are there just to "fuck shit up"/get attention/etc. Like I said, those who identify as part of the GG crowd have been generalized (just like anti-globalization/corporate protesters tend to be).
- pron 11y ago
  That's a false analogy. Anti WTO protesters are really concerned over globalization, while Gamergaters are not concerned over journalistic integrity; they pretend to be concerned because of some specific cases where alleged lapsed ethics served women. They are thus justly generalized, just as the KKK is justly generalized to be racist. Like gamergate, and unlike Occupy etc., the KKK only pretends to be against crime, and they're "outraged" only when a crime is perpetrated by blacks. There are movements that are concerned over issues -- and those may or may not have some bad actors -- and hate groups that simply target people they hate (and they hate those people not for what they do, but for who they are); those hate groups are all bad because that's what they want to be. Gamergate is clearly the latter. The comparison between them and political movements with real ideologies and actual ideas is misplaced.
  - kinghajj 11y ago
    > Anti WTO protesters are really concerned over globalization, while Gamergaters are not concerned over journalistic integrity By what basis do you make that assertion? Can you read their minds?! This seems like a pure, basic composition fallacy to me. > alleged lapsed ethics served women The lapses were mutually beneficial, and there was harassment against the men involved as well. > and hate groups that simply target people they hate (and they hate those people not for what they do, but for who they are) Then why were these 'hate groups' active before the allegations were made, if they all truly only target people for "who they are" and not "what they do"? > Gamergate is clearly the latter. Again, by what basis do you make that claim? Are you just listening to the media reports that emphasize the harassment perpetrated by a segment of the GG crowd (while conveniently ignoring the harassment other GG members receive from anti-GG ones?) > The comparison between them and political movements I'm not comparing the movements themselves, but how they're marginalized in order to suppress their message and become vilified in the minds of the public.