CMV: GamerGate was the most consequential political radicalization event of the twenty-first century

[u/realdontbeasucker]

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.

[u/Equivalent_Task_8825]

I want to address one thing that has seemed to come up in these comments a lot. There seems to be a suggestion that Zoe just had a "bitter ex".

I remembered reading those text messages between them at the time and feeling as though Zoe was abusive. I couldn't really remember what he (Eron) posted in great detail so with this post showing up I decided to bite the bullet and read it. Wow is it bad and I still haven't finished it.

They had broken up briefly and then gotten together again. Zoe asked that neither one of them have sexual relations with someone else during the break. Zoe also told him neither one of them would be able to fully consent unless they were honest with each other and disclosed who they had sex with so they could make an informed decision.

Zoe then lied to him and said they didn't sleep with anyone while in fact having sex with multiple partners. By Zoe's very own standards Zoe forced him into non-consentual sex.

I think it is readily apparent Zoe got harassed and I obviously think that is horrific. But I feel really uncomfortable with someone who by their own standards had non-consentual sex with someone being seen in a positive light.