Racial Slurs and Video Games - Page 4
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fLyiNgDroNe
Belgium3996 Posts
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kaykoose
United States2302 Posts
I agree with AttackZerg though. Overall things were significantly worse when I was a kid. I'm 31. I played Counterstrike in the early 2000s and the things that would be typed and said into those servers would mortify a lot of people today. If it weren't for my dad moving the computer into my room, I might not have been able to play anymore. Seriously. In those days I had the sound coming through the speakers and my mom heard so much nonsense she was ready to throw the computer away. Funny enough, I think the hate speech in Counterstrike actually toughened me up and allowed me to navigate these situations without getting too emotional. Still, this sort of speech has no place in any community. It's disingenuous to suggest this is protected under free speech. These companies have EULAs that explicitly say otherwise. I suspect anyone making a free speech claim to justify saying the n-word in a game all day is being purposely obtuse. It's ok guys. You can continue to say it in the comfort of your home if you must. | ||
Ronin2011
Greece30 Posts
Also, does ur child listen to american pop and hip hop or rap songs? If it does, haven't it already asked you why black rappers call other black people as nigg*rs like 100% of the time? inherent racism in video games? Someone said something about what the media do to our brains, and he is totally right. | ||
Karis Vas Ryaar
United States4396 Posts
Slurs seem the easiest to ban for because its literally one word and you're unlikely to be using it in any context where it wouldn't be a slur in a video game (IE talking about it academically). Even if other things are worse both can be bannable. Regardless though of what the games do to deal with people who say this stuff playing a game game shouldn't force you to be subject to it and there really needs to be better options in a lot of games for quickly muting people/turning chat off (I play a few games where this isn't a feature and its awful)/some sort of ping system for MP games that isn't as toxic so you don't have to rely on chat to actually play the game. | ||
WeddingEpisode
United States356 Posts
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virpi
Germany3598 Posts
Kids have harder time doing this, which is why an adult should guide them, when they start playing competitive online games. | ||
vyzion
308 Posts
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AttackZerg
United States7454 Posts
On September 25 2020 02:33 Ronin2011 wrote: May I ask why you don't care about the "typical", on your own words, "go kill urself" but you mind the "shut up nigg*r" so much that u feel obligated to make a thread about it? Also, does ur child listen to american pop and hip hop or rap songs? If it does, haven't it already asked you why black rappers call other black people as nigg*rs like 100% of the time? inherent racism in video games? Someone said something about what the media do to our brains, and he is totally right. In American society, black men have reclaimed the word as a way of dealing with it used being used as a cudgel. In the vast majority of music, you hear a colloquial version with an a at the end of the word not an r. When said by a black person, this version of the word can be many things from brother-friend-homie-dude to brother-in-struggle all the way to my enemy. When ANYONE black or not uses the word with an R at the end, it is always meant in its most disrespectful and ugly context. The difference between the words and it's usage is HUGE. But again, if a black person says the word with the r, it still means less because their direct ancestors didn't own 'yours' , or if we went back in time, one of us would be hunted like a dog and used as a beast and one would not. Parts of the country those black people live in, still celebrate and mourn the loss of the institution of slavery. If you are in the American context and are white calling a black person the n word, you are slapping them with "Your just an animal slave". It is a cruel thing to say, in a country where current Senators have grandparents and great-grandparents who were slaves. There is word that works very similarly in South Africa. From a black man it is an insult, from a white man it is a battle cry of a time where you and yours were theirs'. In closing, no, you do not hear black people call other black people the n-word with an r at the end 100% of the time, if we search rap genius, I bet it is used 20-1 or less then the other version. | ||
AbouSV
Germany1278 Posts
Is it the same as beeping "fuck" on American TV? | ||
Pentarp
210 Posts
You can call yourself and others in the same situation whatever is culturally appropriate. Doesn't make it okay for those who don't share the same experience use to that word. It's the polite thing to do. | ||
AttackZerg
United States7454 Posts
On September 25 2020 03:18 AbouSV wrote: I don't understand why it is called "the N word", and not "nigger". Is it the same as beeping "fuck" on American TV? I refuse to use that word in any context, my last name is Harris. My family owned slaves in three States and supplied grain and other supplies to surrounding plantations. I am sure there was some words, that old Germans will never use or say again because they only represent evil. Fuck is just fucking fine with me. That is the single word that I edit and don't use. Others have different reasons. | ||
dUTtrOACh
Canada2339 Posts
On September 25 2020 03:18 AbouSV wrote: I don't understand why it is called "the N word", and not "nigger". Is it the same as beeping "fuck" on American TV? It's about having a bit of decorum. In the context of the United States, and certain other countries, saying certain words is a sign that you lack tact. Not just tact, but you may lack empathy, class, shame and may be an oblivious racist. A clever racist knows what the fuck they're doing. When a platform appeals to all people, or at least wants to, you could say that the social climate dictates what is and is not tolerable. Day-time TV tries to censor swear words and inflamatory words to avoid stepping on toes and to keep clean with their sponsors. What happens with gaming, is it puts a person into an emotionally vulnerable place sometimes, maybe moreso when you're losing. People get defensive or aggressive and words really are the only weapon you have in those moments. The words people choose in those moments aren't necessarily a reflection of their own character, but that also isn't always true. I literally can't vote on any of those choices, because in any one instance of rage where someone drops an N bomb with a hard R, I can't be in their head-space at that moment or understand their feelings. | ||
dUTtrOACh
Canada2339 Posts
Racism is probably better explained as a prejudice and/or bias that an individual wants to avoid having, for a number of reasons. It is very real, and all people are potentially vulnerable to it. Racism has two expressions. Inward (required for outward) and outward (being openly racist). Racist language in online interactions is not necessarily an outward expression of true racism, because the speaker doesn't know their target's ethnicity. This leaves multiple doors open in terms of the context of why they said it in the first place. The fact that you can come up with four explanations, none of which I singularly agree with, is proof that it isn't simply explained. | ||
Zzzapper
1791 Posts
On September 25 2020 03:25 AttackZerg wrote: I refuse to use that word in any context, my last name is Harris. Use is key here. I find it really interesting that Americans have dropped the use-mention distinction for a seemingly increasing number of words. Personally, I obviously wouldn't use the n-word but I see no issue with mentioning it. I'm not gonna do that around English speakers because I know that they likely think differently but I do think that substituting "the x-word" for various slurs/swear words tends to make things needlessly complicated, at least when the custom is expanded beyond one or two words. For example, I see people substituting "the f-word" for two different words and it's not always clear from the context which one it is. To the point of this thread: I don't think you can fit everyone's reasons for saying terrible things online into one neat category. Some of the people using slurs do it to get a rise out of others, others are legitimately racist. Some people are sore losers and tell you to kill yourself in a fit of passion, others are bitter or hateful and will calmly tell you to die of cancer. The thing is, there's no way to discern those categories when all you have is a few sentences in a video game chat. I think it's prudent to focus on what's common to all cases. People tend to talk about anonymity a lot but while anonymity does tend to exacerbate the issue by removing any kind of accountability, I don't think it's at the core: Just like at the absolutely vile things people will say on facebook with their real name and picture right next to it. In my opinion, the heart of the matter is that when communicating over the internet, you are in some very real sense not talking to a person but to a representation of that person, a representation that may be more or less limited, say, sc2 in-game chat contra video chat. This alone removes a lot of the inhibitions that would usually have because they do not fully experience themselves as interacting with a person. While it's always possible to better the situation, I'm afraid we'll never be rid of that fundamental issue. The phenomenon is old, and not unique to the internet: look at prank calls or love letters for example. The latter interestingly shows that the social or emotional distance enforced by the medium is not always a bad thing, it might allow people to express things that they would otherwise find themselves unable to. | ||
dUTtrOACh
Canada2339 Posts
On September 25 2020 03:03 AttackZerg wrote: + Show Spoiler + + Show Spoiler + On September 25 2020 02:33 Ronin2011 wrote: May I ask why you don't care about the "typical", on your own words, "go kill urself" but you mind the "shut up nigg*r" so much that u feel obligated to make a thread about it? Also, does ur child listen to american pop and hip hop or rap songs? If it does, haven't it already asked you why black rappers call other black people as nigg*rs like 100% of the time? inherent racism in video games? Someone said something about what the media do to our brains, and he is totally right. In American society, black men have reclaimed the word as a way of dealing with it used being used as a cudgel. In the vast majority of music, you hear a colloquial version with an a at the end of the word not an r. When said by a black person, this version of the word can be many things from brother-friend-homie-dude to brother-in-struggle all the way to my enemy. When ANYONE black or not uses the word with an R at the end, it is always meant in its most disrespectful and ugly context. The difference between the words and it's usage is HUGE. But again, if a black person says the word with the r, it still means less because their direct ancestors didn't own 'yours' , or if we went back in time, one of us would be hunted like a dog and used as a beast and one would not. Parts of the country those black people live in, still celebrate and mourn the loss of the institution of slavery. If you are in the American context and are white calling a black person the n word, you are slapping them with "Your just an animal slave". It is a cruel thing to say, in a country where current Senators have grandparents and great-grandparents who were slaves. There is word that works very similarly in South Africa. From a black man it is an insult, from a white man it is a battle cry of a time where you and yours were theirs'. In closing, no, you do not hear black people call other black people the n-word with an r at the end 100% of the time, if we search rap genius, I bet it is used 20-1 or less then the other version. One could argue that by "reclaiming" the word, hip hop culture may have inadvertently normalized, or at least created a second niche for the word. Whether or not this is the case, you do see examples of people using the word not as a slur, but as a term of endearment, but being chastized nonetheless. You see examples of rappers who won't use the word. Biggie was not well-received in Jamaica because his lyrics contained the word. In many countries (mostly former English colonies, but others as well), there aren't two versions. The version with the hard R is indistinguishable from the version with the soft R. It's an accent thing. When they hear a rapper say "nigga", they hear "nigger". This is why the point of view of English-speaking non-Americans can come off as confused. Their accent does not allow for two forms. | ||
kramvti
73 Posts
It is a convenient way for those that do this to categoize other people in a generic fashion, thereby stigmatizing, ostracisizing them, and margenilizng them. You know, exactly the same things you supposedly are fighting to end. It is intellectually disgusting at every level. The fact that so many people are on this bandwagon yet don't even realize it astounding. I personally do not use the language that offends you so much, as it is lazy, pejorative, and lacts tact. I am predjudice against one set of people...assholes. They come in all flavors and colors. Just like good people. | ||
AttackZerg
United States7454 Posts
On September 25 2020 04:43 kramvti wrote: For starters, why do people use the most extreme word to describe prejudics or biggotry? Virtually nothing in this discussion is qualified as racist. Racism denotes a genetic superiority, using an offensive word is not that. To me, this whole run towards labeling people is much more offensive than any word. It is a convenient way for those that do this to categoize other people in a generic fashion, thereby stigmatizing, ostracisizing them, and margenilizng them. You know, exactly the same things you supposedly are fighting to end. It is intellectually disgusting at every level. The fact that so many people are on this bandwagon yet don't even realize it astounding. I personally do not use the language that offends you so much, as it is lazy, pejorative, and lacts tact. I am predjudice against one set of people...assholes. They come in all flavors and colors. Just like good people. www.merriam-webster.com Using discriminatory words that carry the argument of, less than or greater than based upon racist-theory is racist. Using the n-word towards someone is at least an attempt to hurt them and at worst an expression of superiority. If I call you a piece of shit, I am better then you. When I degrade you with language, I am better then you. When I degrade you with language of racial superiority or inferiority, I am being racist. Are you so upset because we aren't using the word bigot, which is the act of uttering hateful shit? Because we are talking mostly about writing? The expression of racial prejudices is racist. It is amazing for you to be so upset and so purposefully ignorant. "You know the same things you supposedly are fight to end" So, you are ... not on the side of being against racism? Sounds about right from your dumbass indignation. You are on a bandwagon too. | ||
Karis Vas Ryaar
United States4396 Posts
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AttackZerg
United States7454 Posts
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Karis Vas Ryaar
United States4396 Posts
I'll go back to saying saying racial slurs should not be acceptable in society and it's important to teach kids that it has consequences is they think their just being edgy so it later doesn't cost them a job/relationship etc. | ||
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