The GamerGaters are focusing too much on the conspiratorial elements of the gaming press instead of the orthodoxy. I suppose this is where I should outline what I see as the differences between the two. Orthodoxies are filled with true believers. In their minds, minds they are on the side of angels. Conspirators know that they are up to no good. The problem for outsiders is determining which you are working against and since we can't get into each others heads we'll never have concrete proof. We can only go with the weight of the evidence.
I am arguing that the evidence weighs in favor of orthodoxy, for one main reason. They're clumsy. Conspirators would have been more adroit in covering their tracks. Were they competent they would have been a little security minded with their forum, they would have been spaced out their "Gamers are Dead" articles, they wouldn't have bragged about their ability to black list people or otherwise destroy careers and, they would have been much more subtle in their attempts at quashing dissent.
The orthodoxy is "Social Justice". Of course the reason they have to enforce an orthodoxy is that it is an incoherent idea, like a religion. The dominant sect of social justicism, at the moment, is feminism, with their demands of faith ("listen and believe"), ethereal threats (the Patriarchy, but to be fair they are never clear as to whether or not it is a malevolent cosmic force or a vast conspiracy), circular reasoning (The patriarchy causes the difference in earnings. The difference in earnings proves the patriarchy), terms of derision for outsiders ("neckbeards", "misogyinists", "shitlords"), ascribing evil motives to dissenters (You just want to continue oppressing women), the attempts of silencing dissent (doxing, false DMCAs, closing threads in forums), and let's not forget the witch hunting.
This is the real issue of GamerGate and it's time to own it. The problem is the mono-culture in the press. The source of the corruption is the desire to control the narrative. The echo chamber in the gaming press needs to be opened (that of the mainstream press as well). No rewriting of ethical guidelines will do, as long as those in charge of enforcing them are in ideological lock step. As long as the press is filled with comm. lit. and foo studies majors who were all spoon fed the same psuedo-marxist, Post Modern ideology these things will continue to happen,
I've mentioned before that GamerGate needs a specific list of demands. The Occupoo movement failed for the lack of one and it looks like GamerGate is heading down the same road.
I demured on specifics for the list, not being a gamer, and apparently,
that made people lukewarm on the idea. So here's my list.
- The press needs diversity in it's ranks. A chorus of people of different colors doesn't count. They need people with different views.
- No personal attacks.
- No misrepresenting people's positions.
- No deflecting from controversies with red herrings.
- No colluding on narratives.
- No financial or personal conflicts of interest, disclosure is not enough, recusal is mandatory.
- Tell the whole story, not just the parts that fit your world view or agenda.
There is my short list. Perhaps someone active in GamerGate can add to or edit it and put it up as something others can point to. I believe that this is necessary. By having a specific list of reasonable demands, you are forcing the press to either admit corruption or get their shit in order.
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