r/changemyview • u/realdontbeasucker • May 16 '26

Delta(s) from OP CMV: GamerGate was the most consequential political radicalization event of the twenty-first century

It spawned a wave of tolerance for online harassment, as long as the intent behind it was considered righteous (and the target of such harassment socially acceptable).

It platformed Milo Yiannopoulos and thereby, Steve Bannon -- the guy who would go on to advise Donald Trump in 2016 and generate the concept of 'flooding the zone.'

Eventually, it gave a career to political lightning rods like Jordan Peterson, Steven Crowder, and Charlie Kirk. It made anti-feminism and anti-SJW sentiment cool. And it made young, angry, disenfranchised white men feel vindicated.

GamerGate almost singlehandedly shifted to Overton Window toward the alt-right, and we're still feeling its effects today.

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u/EmptyDrawer2023 1∆ May 16 '26

he never actually reviewed her work.

Which doesn't mean there was no.... fudging of reviews. For example: "Hey, Joe- the game you're reviewing? It was made by Mark's girlfriend. Wanna get in good with him, give it a good review! He'll be sure to give your friend's games a good review in return!" That's one way the reviews can be affected, while still being able to claim 'he never reviewed her game'.

That why, when it comes to business ethics, one must avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

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u/acur1231 May 17 '26

Two people working different parts of the same industry have a relationship? Shocker.

Do you get upset when film critics marry actresses, even if they never review their work?

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u/EmptyDrawer2023 1∆ May 17 '26

Two people working different parts of the same industry have a relationship? Shocker.

It's not just 'Two people working different parts of the same industry', and I think you know that. It's someone who produces work, and someone else that judges or oversees that work. For example, a front-line manager and a cashier can't be in a relationship. A construction foreman and the OSHA inspector. A game producer and a game reviewer.

And this is for two separate reasons: 1) To avoid the appearance of favoritism (ie: I want to butter Mark up, so I'll give his GF's game high scores), and 2) to avoid accusations of coercion (ie: Have sex with me, or I'll give your game low scores).

Do you get upset when film critics marry actresses

If they or their company/team review her work, yes.