Toxicity in games

[JellyjamLu]

I completely quit online games like LoL, Deadlock and Marvel Rivals because of the toxicity,

God I love you.

 

[Lt. Gunther Welkin]

I try my absolute best to treat my opponents with martial artist bow-before-the-match levels of respect. I truly believe that everyone I fight against is worth a degree of respect and honor. I don't taunt, I don't t-bag, I don't flame in chat. It's ggs and then I'm out.
I know full-well what it's like to suck at video games. I'm a little brother, and when I was young, my brother and his friends would not pull their punches on me. I was a baby in the lion's den. I had to fight tooth and nail to survive those MW3 1v1s.

Even in the face of kicking my ass thoroughly, they never insulted me and always encouraged me that I could do it. I'm of the opinion that's how all fights should operate!
Now, this isn't to say I'm saintly. I've had my- moments. But as a standard, this is what I try to live up to!

 

[TallGrass]

In my opinion, I think the latter case is worse: the social aspect of online games is most of the reason you play them to begin with, and creating a space where assholes feed each other's bad behavior in a negative feedback loop won't create a tolerable community or playerbase. I also don't agree that "just ignore/block people" is as bulletproof as people make it out to be?

But this is demonstrably false. Almost anybody old enough to have been around for a while will tell you definitively that internet/gaming/etc. culture was leagues better back then. To pretend that some sort of "downward spiral" or slippery slope is going to happen is downright delusional. We were there in the days before censorship, and we all made it. If anything, constantly repressing and "tut-tutting" even the most banal expressions of anger/frustration makes the situation much worse overall, in both cyber- and meat-space.
Frankly, I am of the opinion that any calls for any form of censorship is the most egregious form of toxicity one could ever encounter online. This "toxic positivity" being mandated is infuriating. Anybody who believes it's actually for "safer" (lol) communities, or because they care about "cultivating a more pleasant environment" is a fool, it's simply a process of sterilization for mass market appeal.

 

[pinetreeneedle56]

But this is demonstrably false. Almost anybody old enough to have been around for a while will tell you definitively that internet/gaming/etc. culture was leagues better back then. To pretend that some sort of "downward spiral" or slippery slope is going to happen is downright delusional. We were there in the days before censorship, and we all made it. If anything, constantly repressing and "tut-tutting" even the most banal expressions of anger/frustration makes the situation much worse overall, in both cyber- and meat-space.
Frankly, I am of the opinion that any calls for any form of censorship is the most egregious form of toxicity one could ever encounter online. This "toxic positivity" being mandated is infuriating. Anybody who believes it's actually for "safer" (lol) communities, or because they care about "cultivating a more pleasant environment" is a fool, it's simply a process of sterilization for mass market appeal.

I think you skimmed over what I wrote. As I said, this is just my two cents.

I, personally (and purely anecdotally,) have seen communities fall apart because some bad apples interpret an ettiquette/courtesy based approach to moderation as a carte-blanche check to behave contrary to any sort of common sense, or basic decency. I think I did mention that it can be important to note what type of person expected behavior attracts, so you aren't just left with constantly angry people at each other throats. The point I was trying to get at was that there should be a line drawn at some point so that you don't end up with either extreme.

By the way, I don't appreciate the insinuation you are making about me.