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General Discussion => Moderation Discussion => Topic started by: Ember Vykos on 20 Apr 2013, 00:06

Title: For the record...
Post by: Ember Vykos on 20 Apr 2013, 00:06
The signature comic I have under a spoiler with the hero of ass rape...is meant to be funny and PVP related. It nor I actually condone the rape (ass or otherwise) of anyone/thing.

Sorry some people have a problem with it, but if it becomes an actual problem this is me telling the mods to either snip it if you can or let me know and I'll remove it. I like it so it's staying unless I have to get rid of it.

Thanks. :D

Edit: The dancer and Avril are staying no matter what so there.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Katrina Oniseki on 20 Apr 2013, 00:08
It nor I actually condone the

(http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/086/344/carl1.jpg)
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Ghost Hunter on 20 Apr 2013, 00:20
There is an argument to be had that using offensive words and slang, regardless of context, is promoting its negative usage. That is to say, with your signature as an example, using rape as a joke even when you or the creator don't approve means it still invokes the horrific context in which it spawns from. It is a cop-out similar in nature to say, "Not to be offensive, but [offensive commentary]", "Look I'm just saying, [rhetoric about sensitive topic said offensively]".

I am of the mind it's generally sound to disapprove of such jokes and usage of negative words that demeans their severity. However, I've not convinced the administration of this position so I refrain from enforcing such a view.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: BloodBird on 20 Apr 2013, 03:37
Interesting topic.

I have one thing I would like to point out first.

Quote from: Laerise
Also some food for thought: http://evenews24.com/2012/02/28/corelins-mad-haberdashers-sexism-in-eve-online/

This article is highly annoying. While the topic is mostly the same as this one - the use of "Rape" as a casual term is to be avoided for a number of reasons (and I happen to agree, even if I have come so far that casually using the term happens allot to me as well) - said article states that the use of the term is SEXIST. Against Women. Yeah, sure it is. Because as we know, double standards (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DoubleStandard) are perfectly fine to make. For women.

Putting that whole topic aside, I personally see little problem with Ember's signature, spoiler tag or no, simply because I see it as the joke it was intended to be. Regardless, others are free to disagree and be offended, so in order to be entirely politically correct, you might want to remove it. Alternatively, screw it and keep it around for what it was meant to be, though this might prove to be a poor idea now that it's pointed out as an issue. I dunno, I can't seem to decide either way, personally.

Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Lyn Farel on 20 Apr 2013, 06:41
There is an argument to be had that using offensive words and slang, regardless of context, is promoting its negative usage. That is to say, with your signature as an example, using rape as a joke even when you or the creator don't approve means it still invokes the horrific context in which it spawns from. It is a cop-out similar in nature to say, "Not to be offensive, but [offensive commentary]", "Look I'm just saying, [rhetoric about sensitive topic said offensively]".

I am of the mind it's generally sound to disapprove of such jokes and usage of negative words that demeans their severity. However, I've not convinced the administration of this position so I refrain from enforcing such a view.

+1

You can call it political correctness, I don't mind. When it comes to respect and decency, in general, yeah...

For once I support political correctness anyway... vOv

But I don't find the image especially funny nor really offensive myself, pretty insignificant actually, so I don't really care. Hard to tell, conflicting ideas about this one in particular in my mind.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Lyn Farel on 20 Apr 2013, 06:50
Interesting topic.

I have one thing I would like to point out first.

Quote from: Laerise
Also some food for thought: http://evenews24.com/2012/02/28/corelins-mad-haberdashers-sexism-in-eve-online/

This article is highly annoying. While the topic is mostly the same as this one - the use of "Rape" as a casual term is to be avoided for a number of reasons (and I happen to agree, even if I have come so far that casually using the term happens allot to me as well) - said article states that the use of the term is SEXIST. Against Women. Yeah, sure it is. Because as we know, double standards (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DoubleStandard) are perfectly fine to make. For women.

I am not sure to see where is the problem with that article. Of course RapeCage is sexist against both sexes. More against women could be argued since 95% of the victims or something are women. But against both, sure.

However, Cunt, Fag, etc, not so much.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Rhiannon on 20 Apr 2013, 06:59
Being a C&H comic, I kind of figured that part of the humor of it is in its offensiveness and horror. C&H specializes in making you laugh at things that will make you go to hell for laughing. Part of the beauty of that kind of comedic strategy is that it can't try to minimize or glorify the horrible, but instead amplifies the horribleness, sometimes into absurdity.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: BloodBird on 20 Apr 2013, 07:47
I am not sure to see where is the problem with that article.

In short: Stating that Rape is in itself sexist implies that it's something that can only happen to women, thus underlying the belief that women are unable to commit the crime themselves and/or men can not be victims of it, how often it happens or who it happens to is irrelevant to the point I'm making.

Regardless, the general argument here is, as far as I see it rather simple. Ember has a sig that utilizes rape as black comedy. This may or may not offend some. It would be up to Ember to decide towards it's continued use now that this has been pointed out, unless a mod-decision on the topic is made.

And these two are effectively my whole contribution to this topic, so I will simply leave it be unless I feel a need to reply to anything.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Tiberious Thessalonia on 20 Apr 2013, 10:24
Sexism aside, casual use of the word Rape is a trigger for anyone, man or woman, who has been sexually abused.  I cannot stand the way gamer culture throws it around as if its no big deal.  Makes me cringe -every time-
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Lyn Farel on 20 Apr 2013, 11:37
I am not sure to see where is the problem with that article.

In short: Stating that Rape is in itself sexist implies that it's something that can only happen to women, thus underlying the belief that women are unable to commit the crime themselves and/or men can not be victims of it, how often it happens or who it happens to is irrelevant to the point I'm making.


Ah you mean the title where it is called sexism... I didn't pay attention to it tbh. Sexism is not mentioned anywhere in the article itself.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Ghost Hunter on 20 Apr 2013, 11:51
Being a C&H comic, I kind of figured that part of the humor of it is in its offensiveness and horror. C&H specializes in making you laugh at things that will make you go to hell for laughing. Part of the beauty of that kind of comedic strategy is that it can't try to minimize or glorify the horrible, but instead amplifies the horribleness, sometimes into absurdity.

Those involved would rather it not be evoked in any context other than a most serious consideration for its due emotional weight. To do so otherwise is a most offensive action that belittles the person and their own emotions in the subject matter. This varies from person to person, some are more fine with it than others. Yet as a general trend, by allowing its ridiculous usage you promote its presence as slang and general civil conversation material.

In this context it might be understandable to see offensive humor as a gateway into areas it's not tolerated. When contained by itself, offensive humor only touches the demographic it's designed for. When that demographic starts bleeding it out, then problems begin to escalate. The root question is, do you destroy the source or gate the community? It's usually more feasible to gate the community and excommunicate such words from civil conversation.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Gottii on 20 Apr 2013, 13:13
Sexism aside, casual use of the word Rape is a trigger for anyone, man or woman, who has been sexually abused.  I cannot stand the way gamer culture throws it around as if its no big deal.  Makes me cringe -every time-

This.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Makkal on 20 Apr 2013, 20:40
I am not sure to see where is the problem with that article.

In short: Stating that Rape is in itself sexist implies that it's something that can only happen to women, thus underlying the belief that women are unable to commit the crime themselves and/or men can not be victims of it, how often it happens or who it happens to is irrelevant to the point I'm making.

That would only be true if sexism were something that only affected women.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Vikarion on 21 Apr 2013, 00:12
deleted
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Silver Night on 21 Apr 2013, 00:33
Those involved would rather it not be evoked in any context other than a most serious consideration for its due emotional weight.

If this is to be accepted as an argument for the word "rape", it also must be accepted for every other word which a victim of a particular crime feels a particular response.

I once arrived on a job site to find that thousands of dollars of equipment and material had been stolen, by means of thieves breaking into the house I was restoring. To this day, I can't think about that incident without the sinking feeling of loss, violation, and murderous anger I felt when I walked through a pair of shattered doors to find a good portion of my business simply gone, and I still can't help but feel immensely frustrated about the fact that the police response was very much of the "don't give a shit" variety.

This makes theft a crime that, to me, possesses a lot of emotional impact. I could use this as an argument to claim that phrases involving theft, burglary, and other property should thus be prohibited from use in a particular community, to avoid emotional harm to people who have experienced situations like my own, but I think that there is a large difference between "I stole your shit!" in Eve (been the victim of that, too), and RL theft.

What about someone who has experienced the loss of a family member due to murder? Should we prohibit phrases like "and then we're gonna kill him and all his friends, and take that system"? Should we avoid creating games which allow violence at all, in order to avoid creating contexts in which the act of killing is not taken seriously?

If one wishes to aver that rape is a special case, I must ask if the person making that claim is not indeed contributing to the stigmatization of rape victims as somehow "defiled" or "ruined" by the crime of rape. Isn't it better to view rape, while a horrible crime, as not being somehow "special"?

No. To all of the above, rather than to your question in particular.

Additionally, this is not the place to have that discussion in any case. Feel free to find a part of the internet where comparing being raped to grand larceny is not considered offensive and trolling, and head there to talk about it. Further 'slippery slope' arguments in this vein will be moderated.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Vikarion on 21 Apr 2013, 00:39
Silver,

A slippery slope argument, or a claim that I was holding such things to be equal, could not be derived from my post by a reading in good faith. Nonetheless, I'll blank it, since you find it offensive enough to make such a claim about my argument.

To put it more concretely, when someone makes the argument of "we don't treat types W, X, and Z (some of which are possibly worse, and some possibly 'better' than type Y) in such a way, so why should we treat type Y differently?", the appropriate response is not to come back with "you must think type Y isn't very bad!".

That's both a personal attack, and a bullshit move.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Silver Night on 21 Apr 2013, 01:07
[mod][/list][/mod]
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Ember Vykos on 21 Apr 2013, 01:56
Silver,

Viks post is actually valid here (slippery slope or not). I've had a traumatic experienve involving theft as well when I was a 6 year old turn key kid coming home from school to find my house broken into and one of the guys still there. Luckily he just ran out the back door when I opened the front, but I understand what he's trying to say. Sometimes I still get weird feeling when people talk about theft in a way that is close to what i experienced, but that was 26 years ago and for the most part I'm over it.

This thread has been derailed from the get go IMO, but that's my fault since I just meant to make a statement to the mods and community since the thread that prompted said statement was locked already. In retro I should have reported my own post and asked that it be locked since I wasn't actually trying to make this a discussion about rape just giving my side of why I have the sig I do.

If you could, please lock the thread and if you and the mods feel it necessary to discuss my sig and make a ruling just pm me if you want me to get rid of it. I don't see anything wrong with it, but that said I'm not a completely heartless bastard, so if enough people have reason to complain/whine about it to you then I'll get rid of it. Till then it stays.
Title: Re: For the record...
Post by: Ghost Hunter on 21 Apr 2013, 02:14
[mod]I'll have this thread locked per the operator's request, and as it has potential to get off the rails (if isn't already). I'll leave it to a fresh perspective tomorrow about further actions, if any.[/mod]