I am a SJW

[Saint Frankenstein]

I've played a couple of levels, probably not as bad as people were saying, but I didn't really see it as a particularly good effort to raise awareness because it did seem too simplistic and stupid, really.
They already are. I mean, even Runescape back in the day was heavily moderated. On Xbox live, ehh, kids being kids. I don't take them too seriously, they're just blowing off steam.

Ehh, wasn't that far from the truth in the end. I mean, so called "Gaming Journalists" are not exactly brimming with Journalistic integrity are they?
And to be honest, it is a mostly American phenomenon really. But it did kind of amuse me while I was sick in bed.
In Australia our gaming problems have more to do with getting proper distribution, because the yobbos in office don't know what games are. We've only gotten the R18 rating very recently approved for video games, which allowed distribution of games previously banned in Australia.

I can definitely see how it's mostly an American problem. We have a growing right-wing backlash and the online bullying here is out of hand. Add to that a very toxic male youth culture where masculinity is predicated on how violent, aggressive, sexist and homophobic you are and you definitely have a problem. We're a very mean society. It goes beyond the laddish behavior that's typical in sports and such (although that sometimes ties into it).

 

[SomeRandom]

I can definitely see how it's mostly an American problem. We have a growing right-wing backlash and the online bullying here is out of hand. Add to that a very toxic male youth culture where masculinity is predicated on how violent, aggressive, sexist and homophobic you are and you definitely have a problem. We're a very mean society. It goes beyond the laddish behavior that's typical in sports and such (although that sometimes ties into it).

Ehh, I suppose. Australians are very mean, but we just laugh it off as "tall poppy syndrome." And to be fair, the GGers did raise valid points as did the Anti GGs. Just kind of sank after a while.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Ehh, I suppose. Australians are very mean, but we just laugh it off as "tall poppy syndrome." And to be fair, the GGers did raise valid points as did the Anti GGs. Just kind of sank after a while.

The most I know about Australia's problems with bigotry is about the racism, mainly, and how the men are stereotyped as sexist.

 

[SomeRandom]

Of course there's sexist elements in it. The GTA series is a satire of American culture and all the characters are basically stereotypes. There's racial/ethnic, gender and sexual orientation stereotypes of virtually all sorts (the "faggio" from Vice City comes to mind). The creators of GTA know this and the bigwigs at Rockstar recognize the issue with how they deal with female characters in the series. In none of the games (I haven't played GTA Online, so I can't comment on that) can you play as a female character. There's always female hookers you can bang (and kill to get your money back) and female strippers (with breasts being depicted in GTA, which really surprised me when I came across it when it first came out), who you can feel up while having a lapdance and then take home and screw. None of the playable characters have been LGB and/or T, either. You can't bang or date guys, either. There's no male hookers or strippers.

Now I love GTA. I like crime stuff in general. I also know it's satire, so it doesn't **** me off, really. (Although now that I think about it, I would appreciate more variety in it as it's pretty much the exact same formula being rehashed over and over with each release; plus, I'd just like to play as a gay or bi dude and bang male hookers, haha.) It's the video game version of a Tarantino flick. Sadly, it doesn't seem that most people are recognizing it as satire or know enough about social criticism in general.

Well there was GTA The Ballad of Gay Tony, where you play as well.........Gay Tony. It was the second episode in the expansion pack of GTA IV. I normally don't go into expansion packs, so I don't know the quality of it. But it's there.

 

[SomeRandom]

The most I know about Australia's problems with bigotry is about the racism, mainly, and how the men are stereotyped as sexist.

Yes, we got the 10 minute lecture from Waleed Aly last night about that.

For contextual purposes, the Logies, which is an awards show for Australian Television actors, was on last night. The people in the actual industry seem to care about it, though that might be because it's really the only awards show for TV people we have here. And it's an excuse to drink excessively for like 8 hours straight. But it's both loathed and loved among the pubic. The converted Gold Logie is often a popularity contest which is voted on by the public.
Waleed Aly is a Muslim man of Egyptian heritage, who co hosts a sort of Journalist show. And after dragging out the ceremony for 4 long drunken hours he was announced the winner of the prized Gold Logie and made a 10 minute thank you speech about how the tides are turning in Australia when it comes to race. (While I am happy for him, personally I wanted Lee Lin Chin to win, because her speech would have been far more entertaining. And I find her far more amusing. Plus her sarcastic Twitter posts are just so......Australian.)

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Yes, we got the 10 minute lecture from Waleed Aly last night about that.

For contextual purposes, the Logies, which is an awards show for Australian Television actors, was on last night. The people in the actual industry seem to care about it, though that might be because it's really the only awards show for TV people we have here. And it's an excuse to drink excessively for like 8 hours straight. But it's both loathed and loved among the pubic. The converted Gold Logie is often a popularity contest which is voted on by the public.
Waleed Aly is a Muslim man of Egyptian heritage, who co hosts a sort of Journalist show. And after dragging out the ceremony for 4 long drunken hours he was announced the winner of the prized Gold Logie and made a 10 minute thank you speech about how the tides are turning in Australia when it comes to race. (While I am happy for him, personally I wanted Lee Lin Chin to win, because her speech would have been far more entertaining. And I find her far more amusing.)

Hmm. I was thinking about the racism of white Australians towards the indigenous peoples, actually. Wasn't thinking of Muslims at all.

 

[SomeRandom]

Hmm. I was thinking about the racism of white Australians towards the indigenous peoples, actually. Wasn't thinking of Muslims at all.

Oh, well they're often popular at the Logies too lol.

But seriously, never heard of the Cronulla riots?

Though seriously, there's racism going all different directions if I'm honest. Whites are often subject to racism from other races. Just as there are racist white people.
You'll find racists literally everywhere.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Oh, well they're often popular at the Logies too lol.

But seriously, never heard of the Cronulla riots?

But ehhh, there's racism going all different directions if I'm honest. People are often racist to everyone not in their race, regardless.

Yes, I've heard of those riots. Similar to our race riots.

 

[SomeRandom]

Yes, I've heard of those riots. Similar to our race riots.

Exactly. Though it was most Lebanese people (not all obviously.) Which spurned on the flames of anti Islamic sentiments.

But honestly, racists are everywhere in every race.

 

[Smart_Guy]

What's an SJW?

(Really, an ignorant Muslim here)

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Exactly. Though it was most Lebanese people (not all obviously.) Which spurned on the flames of anti Islamic sentiments.

Honestly, both sides acted quite moronically.

But honestly, racists are everywhere in every race.

True.

 

[Flankerl]

The GTA series is a satire of American culture and all the characters are basically stereotypes. There's racial/ethnic, gender and sexual orientation stereotypes of virtually all sorts (the "faggio" from Vice City comes to mind).

And Red Dead Redemption was a satire on the Western culture.

Oh man its almost as if there's a connection.
Also if its satire it's not racist.

In none of the games (I haven't played GTA Online, so I can't comment on that) can you play as a female character.

And? So ****ing what? So you want to play as a female criminal who murders hundreds of people?

There's always female hookers you can bang (and kill to get your money back)

It's not the games fault if you use it to murder randomly generated "characters".

and female strippers (with breasts being depicted in GTA, which really surprised me when I came across it when it first came out), who you can feel up while having a lapdance and then take home and screw.

Oh no consensual intercourse between adults. Someone call 911.

None of the playable characters have been LGB and/or T, either.

Also not: Asian, Native American, Hispanic, Aboriginal, African.....................................................................................................

Oh and they also weren't upstanding citizens as they were all criminals. You know the kind of person you shouldn't feel represented by. Just saying.

You can't bang or date guys, either. There's no male hookers or strippers.

Well why would there since the playable characters haven't been gay?



All of this crap is the reason why there's no DOAX3 outside of Japan. They will not stop until every game is like a Bioware game. And then all there is left is the occasional Witcher (oy vey who is also not gay, transgender or disabled) and Japanese games where every guy looks like a girl.
Well thanks a lot.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

And Red Dead Redemption was a satire on the Western culture.

Oh man its almost as if there's a connection.
Also if its satire it's not racist.




And? So ****ing what? So you want to play as a female criminal who murders hundreds of people?




It's not the games fault if you use it to murder randomly generated "characters".




Oh no consensual intercourse between adults. Someone call 911.




Also not: Asian, Native American, Hispanic, Aboriginal, African.....................................................................................................

Oh and they also weren't upstanding citizens as they were all criminals. You know the kind of person you shouldn't feel represented by. Just saying.




Well why would there since the playable characters haven't been gay?



All of this crap is the reason why there's no DOAX3 outside of Japan. They will not stop until every game is like a Bioware game. And then all there is left is the occasional Witcher (oy vey who is also not gay, transgender or disabled) and Japanese games where every guy looks like a girl.
Well thanks a lot.

I have no idea what you're babbling on about. Try making more sense.

You seem not to understand what I was saying at all. I was just saying that of course those games have racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. content because they're inspired by movies like Scarface and are similar to Quentin Tarantino movies, plus they are parodies of American culture. I, myself, enjoy the GTA games very much. My only criticism is that I wish they had a wider variety of playable characters. Maybe I want to run over, rob and murder people as a character who is more like me.

 

[Revoltingest]

What's an SJW?

(Really, an ignorant Muslim here)

This definition really piles it on, but you'll get the idea.....
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=social justice warrior

I'd say it's someone who advocates for their own brand of social justice,
but does so in a dysfunctional over-the-top way.

 

[SomeRandom]

And Red Dead Redemption was a satire on the Western culture.

Oh man its almost as if there's a connection.
Also if its satire it's not racist.

I don't know if SF was necessarily decrying the GTA franchise as racist. Merely pointing out that the controversy stems from people ignoring the satirical context. He's free to correct me if I'm wrong though.

And? So ****ing what? So you want to play as a female criminal who murders hundreds of people?

It wouldn't be an unwelcome addition though you can do that already in the online version of V.
In the Saints Row franchise (2 on wards)which is quite obviously a franchise created to compete with GTA you can play as a female gang leader, killing hundreds of people and police. Or even a man with a woman's voice. Or a woman with a man's voice or literally any combination you wish.
So it's not like there isn't a market of people wanting to play as female gangsters. That being said, it's up to Rockstar to decide what market they want to appeal to so....eh.

Also not: Asian, Native American, Hispanic, Aboriginal, African.....................................................................................................

Well CJ from San Andreas and Franklin from V were both African American, to be fair. And I'm sure there's probably some DLC or extra content where you can play as Woozie the blind Asian Triad leader from SA. (If there's not, there damn well should be. Woozie is ****ing awesome!)

Well why would there since the playable characters haven't been gay?

Actually Gay Tony is a playable character in the Ballad of Gay Tony. Honestly, I kind of want there to be a gay guy in the GTA franchise. It would make for some fun commentary on the culture in the criminal underworld. Similar to how in the Sopranos gay characters often opened up story lines exploring the various conflicts and culture in the Mafia. I distinctly remember that one guy was so violently homophobic that even the other wise guys were a bit shocked, despite being completely desensitized to violence and rather homophobic themselves. It was an interesting commentary.
I'm not saying Rockstar has to have gay characters if they don't want to. They can do whatever they want. Just saying it could open up new story telling and satirical opportunities for their writing staff.
But like I said, it's their choice what playable characters they want to have in their games.

All of this crap is the reason why there's no DOAX3 outside of Japan. They will not stop until every game is like a Bioware game. And then all there is left is the occasional Witcher (oy vey who is also not gay, transgender or disabled) and Japanese games where every guy looks like a girl.
Well thanks a lot.

Yeah, that I can agree with you on. Sexualised Japanese games are seemingly becoming the target of the "let's ban it because it's problematic" crowd. Who ironically champion the idea of celebrating other people's culture.
I could understand people being wary of really ****ed up games like RapePlay. But stuff like DOAX3 is harmless and should be available to anyone who wishes to purchase it. And I say that as a non fan of the franchise.

 

[idav]

I can definitely see how it's mostly an American problem. We have a growing right-wing backlash and the online bullying here is out of hand. Add to that a very toxic male youth culture where masculinity is predicated on how violent, aggressive, sexist and homophobic you are and you definitely have a problem. We're a very mean society. It goes beyond the laddish behavior that's typical in sports and such (although that sometimes ties into it).

I know exactly what you mean.....I mean *clears voice* So them hockey playoffs......

 

[Ouroboros]

I have no idea what this term means...
Suddenly Jehovah's Witness?
Strawberry Jam With toast?
Southern Jehovah's Witness?

Sometimes Jolly Wanker?
Seriously Jousting Wallabies?
...
I know it is there somewhere...

 

[Ouroboros]

What's an SJW?

(Really, an ignorant Muslim here)

I'm told (didn't know myself) that it stands for social justice warrior. It's an online community term.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I don't know if SF was necessarily decrying the GTA franchise as racist. Merely pointing out that the controversy stems from people ignoring the satirical context. He's free to correct me if I'm wrong though.

Pretty much, yes. Mandi was saying that the games aren't sexist at all, and I just pointed out that they do have sexist stereotypes in them which isn't some secret. Pretty much every stereotype is in those games, which is kinda the point.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

What's an SJW?

(Really, an ignorant Muslim here)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_justice_warrior

It's a slur.

EDIT TO ADD: I like the Rational Wiki entry myself:

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Social_justice_warrior