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"Rape" and Game Culture - Page 32

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howerpower
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
United States619 Posts
August 14 2010 03:15 GMT
#621
On August 14 2010 11:19 RinoZerg wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 14 2010 11:13 howerpower wrote:
I'm so tired of people getting offended over everything, its childish and immature.


Yeah man, rape victims should just get over it. Sheesh. O_o


yeah that doesn't really make sense in this context.
Coagulation
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States9633 Posts
August 14 2010 03:15 GMT
#622
On August 14 2010 05:02 neohero9 wrote:
As encouraging as I am of debate, I don't see this thread making it past hour 2.


unfortunately it has.

unlike you.
buhhy
Profile Joined October 2009
United States1113 Posts
August 14 2010 03:17 GMT
#623
On August 14 2010 12:03 Radfield wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 14 2010 11:57 buhhy wrote:
On August 14 2010 11:22 LunarC wrote:
The problem with using words like "own" or "beat" as an example for how the word "rape" is regarded in gaming culture is that "own" and "beat" are words with very general meanings while "rape" specifically means sexual intercourse without consent.

Yes, words can change intrinsic meanings in different contexts. Two young African Americans calling each other "nigger" is more or less socially acceptable. If I called either one of them a "nigger" I'd probably get beaten to a pulp.

However, "nigger" cannot be compared to "rape" because "nigger" possesses an enormous cultural scaffold to back it, while "rape" does not. Truly, the gamers are the minority in this sense.

On August 14 2010 11:21 CharlieMurphy wrote:
you could say the same thing about the word owned. Anyone who was a slave is offended and reminded of when they were owned. Black people all over the US are turning in their graves.

"Own" is a word that can be applied to many things. I can "own" a desk lamp. The term CharlieMurphy is looking for is probably "enslaved". But gamers will never say that they "enslaved" some noob. Too many syllables.


The word rape does not originally refer to non-consensual sex. The origin of the word means to seize and was only rarely used sexually. It was frequently used to describe the plundering and destruction of warfare and thus, actually has context when describing starcraft and war games in general.


While that may be true, you surely agree that rape basically only has one meaning in this day and age.


I do agree that when rape is mentioned, it is usually referred to in a sexual context. But it can also be used to describe a general violation since no other words carry such a strong connotation.
howerpower
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
United States619 Posts
August 14 2010 03:18 GMT
#624
On August 14 2010 12:15 Coagulation wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 14 2010 05:02 neohero9 wrote:
As encouraging as I am of debate, I don't see this thread making it past hour 2.


unfortunately it has.

unlike you.


what is this I don't even...
Coagulation
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States9633 Posts
August 14 2010 03:24 GMT
#625
On August 14 2010 12:18 howerpower wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 14 2010 12:15 Coagulation wrote:
On August 14 2010 05:02 neohero9 wrote:
As encouraging as I am of debate, I don't see this thread making it past hour 2.


unfortunately it has.

unlike you.


what is this I don't even...



On August 14 2010 06:27 neohero9 wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 14 2010 06:21 BillClinton wrote:
i still dont get whats good about offending people, it seems some people insist on their right being free to offend others


inb4 weakly relevant misquote of Voltaire.

User was temp banned for this post.


cause he posted garbage for like 12 pages of this thread
Sizzle
Profile Joined May 2010
United States14 Posts
August 14 2010 03:25 GMT
#626
Can we use gangbang instead? I don't use rape a lot but I do use it when I see 1 unit gets pulverized by 20 zerglings or so.
Savant
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
United States379 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-14 03:30:04
August 14 2010 03:28 GMT
#627
I've read most of this thread and just got more confused as I went along. I'm pretty sure most of the people responding just get a gut reaction when they read the OP and then go with that and try to justify it with their response. What that gut reaction is is affected by upbringing, socio-political views, etc. I'll admit that my personal gut reaction was against the OP.

However, I've honestly tried to come up with an organized analysis of the issue, and since everyone else has given their 2 cents here's mine:

Let's take step back and take a more deductive, principled view about this. The OP is suggesting we self-impose a ban on a word that we use as a hyperbole to describe a situation commonly found in the gaming culture: namely that of getting thoroughly beaten into submission against one's will to the great pleasure of your oppressor.

There are a great many words in the English language. There are a great many words that could be taken by some part of the populace to be offensive or derogatory. There could even be strings of perfectly innocuous words that when stringed together become highly offensive to most people.

However, in society there is a banned list of words known as "taboo" words, like "fuck", "shit", etc etc. It is immoral to use a taboo word.

But what makes a word taboo?

The fact that it conjures images of indencency?
Nope. Dick is taboo while pecker isn't. Fuck is taboo while intercourse isn't.

The fact that it is a slur/ pains a certain group?
Also no. Nigger, chink, and jap are taboo while hillbilly isn't.

The reason any word is taboo (immoral) is because the vast majority of people in the community perceives it to be so, and since it is assumed you are speaking within your community, no one word can be deemed immoral unless it is on that special taboo list. Your intent and meaning are still subject to judgment.

Now, here's the clincher: look up "fuck" or "cunt" or "nigger" in the dictionary. Next to it you'll find a tag that says taboo or vulgar or w/e. Look up rape. that little tag is not there. So, if the word rape is not taboo, is not blacklisted from the general community, why the hell should there be any issue with its existence in the much laxer gaming community? 99.99% of the esports community knows exactly what you mean by "rape" in our context. There's absolutely no reason for all of us to quit using a colorful word that enlivens our conversation for the .01% who can't deal with common language for even legitimate personal reasons.

Why not root out all words that might inflict terrible memories on .01% of the populace? Lost on the OP's mind is that there are actually worse experiences than being just being raped. Let's get rid of expressions like "branded a traitor" "mutilated beyond recognition" or "sold up the river" or "abuse" or "neglect" for fear of offending the odd person who's actually experienced those things. Yeah, I met a little kid who was a real bastard today because he told his Mom he was starving. We hear stuff like that on the nightly news for crying out loud. Are you gonna reform them as well? Or is it too much to ask for rape victims to simply politely request that that word not be used in their presence, instead of guilt tripping the entire gaming community into abandoning a perfectly fine expression?

Note: I think "rape" would be discouraged in commentating simply because Western, and especially American, society is profoundly hypocritical in their prudishness, and also because feminists (and feminine men) think they have a monopoly on human injustice. Rape is singled out not because it's painful, but because it involves genitals. I've yet to see a handicapped person complain about the common use of "lame."




Parrr-Agh
Profile Joined August 2010
Chile31 Posts
August 14 2010 03:32 GMT
#628
i absolutely agree with you, that's why i try not to say things like that, which sadly are everywhere when it comes to gaming
Radfield
Profile Joined September 2009
Canada2720 Posts
August 14 2010 03:45 GMT
#629
@savant: You've read the thread, but I think missed a valuble point. Some words cause people pain, and some do not, despite both being vulgar or taboo. Fuck is vulgar, but the word fuck doesn't reasonably cause anyone emotional pain. However, faggot, nigger, and the inappropriate use of rape, do cause people pain. Why is this? It's because these people have been victims in their life of abuse, racism, discrimination, homophobia, or likely worst of all, sexual violation. The casual derogatory use of these words are understandably distressing.

Also consider that these emotionally hurtful terms also have no secondary meaning in normal speech. Fag, Nigger and Rape all only have a single meaning in our culture, as opposed to beat, abuse, etc which are terms that have many meanings.
Roe
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
Canada6002 Posts
August 14 2010 04:02 GMT
#630
On August 14 2010 12:25 Sizzle wrote:
Can we use gangbang instead? I don't use rape a lot but I do use it when I see 1 unit gets pulverized by 20 zerglings or so.

that's actually a pretty funny compromise. everyone has fun in a gangbang and it's lude and lascivious enough to make it a fun and extreme thing to say. hehe
Zergneedsfood
Profile Blog Joined September 2008
United States10671 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-14 04:17:44
August 14 2010 04:04 GMT
#631
I remember Gretorp saying that he used to say "rapin' bitches" in his stream, and in real life too.

And then he stopped saying it....when he met a rape victim.

I think the term "rape" is just a sensitive topic, but so long that gamers talk about rape within themselves, then it's totally fine.

Who the hell defined the word "rape" and set it in stone? As far as I can see, gamers and other people distinguish the word in two different ways, and so long as that's true, I don't see a huge problem in using the world.

Sure, socially it might be unacceptable because societal norms dictate the way we think. But eh...that's never stopped gamers before. >_>

Edit: But I do agree it's a pretty bad habit. I, myself, have switched over from the word rape, to the word destroy.
/人◕ ‿‿ ◕人\ Make a contract with me and join TLADT | Onodera isn't actually a girl, she's just a doormat you walk over to get to the girl. - Numy 2015
FusionCutter
Profile Joined October 2004
Canada974 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-14 04:10:18
August 14 2010 04:10 GMT
#632
The word rape is pretty tasteless, and immature. It hardly sounds professional.

Old habits die hard.
FireBlast!
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
United Kingdom5251 Posts
August 14 2010 04:10 GMT
#633
On August 14 2010 12:28 Savant wrote:
Note: I think "rape" would be discouraged in commentating simply because Western, and especially American, society is profoundly hypocritical in their prudishness, and also because feminists (and feminine men) think they have a monopoly on human injustice. Rape is singled out not because it's painful, but because it involves genitals. I've yet to see a handicapped person complain about the common use of "lame."


After the claim that you have read through the majority of the thread all that followed was nonsensical and prejudiced especially the absolutely ignorant statement above. Feminists having monopoly on human injustice now that theyre drawing attention to issues buried over by patriarchal standards thousands of years old? And you assume the controversy around rape surrounds genitals involved rather than the act? Youre clueless mate, just clueless.
Victoria Concordia Crescit
FusionCutter
Profile Joined October 2004
Canada974 Posts
August 14 2010 04:17 GMT
#634
On August 14 2010 13:04 Zergneedsfood wrote:
I remember Gretorp saying that he used to say "rapin' bitches" in his stream, and in real life too.

And then he stopped saying it....when he met a rape victim.

I think the term "rape" is just a sensitive topic, but so long that gamers talk about rape within themselves, then it's totally fine.

Who the hell defined the word "rape" and set it in stone? As far as I can see, gamers and other people distinguish the word in two different ways, and so long as that's true, I don't see a huge problem in using the world.

Sure, socially it might be unacceptable because societal norms dictate the way we think. But eh...that's never stopped gamers before. >_>


Haha, worse, he'd always say "I'm going to rape you in the asshole!'
Severedevil
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
United States4839 Posts
August 14 2010 04:24 GMT
#635
On August 14 2010 11:19 RinoZerg wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 14 2010 11:13 howerpower wrote:
I'm so tired of people getting offended over everything, its childish and immature.


Yeah man, rape victims should just get over it. Sheesh. O_o

I agree with your implication; Rape Victims should stay broken for the rest of their lives.
My strategy is to fork people.
L
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
Canada4732 Posts
August 14 2010 04:24 GMT
#636
On August 14 2010 11:29 FireBlast! wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 14 2010 11:21 CharlieMurphy wrote:
you could say the same thing about the word owned. Anyone who was a slave is offended and reminded of when they were owned. Black people all over the US are turning in their graves.


I dont understand why people keep using the word owned as an example when its implications are broader and more abstract. Owned in gaming terms in no way intentionally or unintentionally makes connections to slavery. Its semantic impetus comes from "to seize something completely, to hit the spot" whereas "rape" specifically evokes sexual violation. This has been covered many times throughout the thread

Because to seize something completely does not entail the same physical dominance over the target that sexual violation does? I'd argue that rape is a instance of brutal control, whereas owning denotes a temporal relationship of control which spans over far more time, and is thus far more offensive to our current conceptions of liberty and freedom as cherished ideals.

That we'd focus on rape MORE than literally appropriating someone speaks to the fact that we're hyper-sensitive to genderized issues and really nothing more.
The number you have dialed is out of porkchops.
Mykill
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Canada3402 Posts
August 14 2010 04:25 GMT
#637
People need to stop being so sensitive.
People say things like "your such a fag" so often and its just to express somebody being stupid or unkind. Every word can be used in a different context for different meanings. "gay" is supposed to mean happy but we spun it into meaning homosexual and now annoying.

There's this kid who used to be in my class and is really opinionated. He would say "I find it funny how gay and unpleasant are synonymous." I always told him I didn't care, I don't care because they have different meanings. Everybody who takes offense to language not directed at them are just trying to feel like they are better than those around them.
[~~The Impossible Leads To Invention~~] CJ Entusman #52 The problem with internet quotations is that they are hard to verify -Abraham Lincoln c.1863
kwlpp
Profile Joined January 2010
United States41 Posts
August 14 2010 04:26 GMT
#638
because rape offends someone, then we can't use the word "owned" anymore. the connotations behind the word and slavery suggests we must not say it around black people in fear of offending them. the word "rape" does not reflect cultural or social ignorance of a group of people. yes, it is terrible when it happens to people, especially ones you know, and it will then cause those around them to stop using the words. but to think it stops people from playing games in itself is... stupid. words offend people, that is life. i understand you cannot always block out words and grow a thick skin, but then maybe games involving other users from all across the world from many different age groups shouldn't be something you get involved in. that isn't to say you can't play games, but certainly ones where you are directly communicating with people you dont know anything about them.
Blondinbengt
Profile Joined July 2010
Sweden578 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-14 04:29:38
August 14 2010 04:27 GMT
#639
While that may be true, you surely agree that rape basically only has one meaning in this day and age.


That would be true if languages were limited to what can be read in dictionaries and grammar books.
But that's just not how languages work, languages evolve constantly through introduction of new words and the changes of old words. Dictionaries have to be updated regularly to keep up with this, but they will always be several steps behind the actual language on any given day.
There's also the factor of words, expressions and meanings that are exclusive to a certain community like the Gaming community. Many of the smaller communities aren't big enough to have their expressions etc,etc in the official dictionary of the language, but that doesn't mean that the words lose their meaning in those communities.

Rape for example, just because the dictionaries most likely won't contain the gamer-version of the word rape any time soon, that doesn't mean that to us gamers rape can't mean anything else than what the dictionary says.

If I used the word rape while attending a meeting for rape victims, then I would be either a dumbass or just a regular old asshole. Because I either didn't understand that I was with a group of people that is pretty much 100% certain to think of the sexual meaning of the word or I understood that but just didn't care that they would take offense by it.

On the other hand, if I use the word rape while playing a game online or writing on a gaming forum then it's a different story. Because quite frankly, now we're in the gaming community and here the word rape has one more meaning. If someone doesn't agree or like that then all I can say is that no one is forced to be a part of the community. That might not be very fair to people who want to be a part of the community, but then again, since when was life very fair?
Many communities are pretty rough and the simple truth is that if you want to be a part of them, you need to grow some thicker skin.

I would also like to point out that the OP offends me, because I believe that censoring language based on trying to not hurt anyone's feelings is to treat humanity like a bunch of five year olds. But I have thick skin, so no harm done.
Vedic
Profile Joined March 2008
United States582 Posts
August 14 2010 04:28 GMT
#640
The OP makes many assumptions (like singling out females as victims, when rape can happen to anyone), but generally misses the point of the way that English works.

The point of using rape is to signify that general description was lacking. Even if someone is using a different "word", the meaning is the same. To say that it trivializes the event would be as absurd as accusing someone of trivializing any other word when used in personal context. Does someone using the terms "awesome" or "cool" in reference to things that you do not believe are awesome/cool devalue the word?

There can be no true objective stance on word use unless you are for everything, or against everything. People should care less about the potential meaning of a word, and more about the actual meaning of the content.
I tried to commit seppuku, but I accidentally committed bukkake.
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