Don’t get sold on “advance esports” bullshit
re: Destiny being removed from the GIGABYTE event
There’s a debate going on about whether or not it is okay to complain to sponsors if you do not like what you see from someone they sponsor — for instance, if you do not like seeing words like nigger, gook and faggot tossed around ad nauseum.
One particularly vocal side has said that emailing the sponsors hurts esports overall. You shouldn’t do that. Esports needs that money and by complaining, you take the money away from esports. This side places the blame largely on the complainers
This is indicative of a warped set of priorities from certain parts of the esports community and industry.
It is to be expected from the industry. Expect individuals with a financial stake to say ‘no, you shouldn’t contact the sponsors’ because they’d be the first feel the hurt. It’s dirty and it makes my skin crawl but it’s something that we easily can see through.
We do not need to expect this from the community. The community has bought, hook, line and sinker, the idea that we must advance esports above all else, the idea that esports is this intrinsically benevolent force in the world.
Esports is not intrinsically good or bad, that comes from the environment it produces. If it becomes an environment where people toss nigger, faggot and gook around on a regular basis then I don’t want it to advance on its current path. Send out the emails, put on the pressure and make it known that we need to change.
Stopping hateful language is so, so much more important than advancing esports. How did we lose sight of that?
I didn’t send those emails but so what if I did? I’ve made known that I am thoroughly repulsed by the casual use of that language in corners of this community and that I think it is incredibly destructive on a much wider scale than esports touches.
I didn’t send those emails but to those who did, good for you. We should make the moneyed interests aware that we won’t put up with hate in our community. No matter how agile the verbal acrobatics to get out of it, that’s what it comes down to. Hateful language begets hate. If that’s what esports is about, it’s not worth advancing an inch.
A quick blurb as to why the language is harmful
- 3 days ago
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