MRA: The National Rifle Association needs to stop talking about video games and fight the real enemy: feminists.
Video Games: Super Serious Man Business
Our old friend over at the Pro-Male/Anti-Feminist Technology blog is angry again. This time he’s mad at a legitimate target: National Rifle Association president Wayne LaPierre. But not because LaPierre is the head of an organization that has stood athwart every attempt at sensible gun control, making tragedies like the one in Newtown an all-too-predictable side effect of the easy availability of semiautomatic weaponry.
No, Mr. Pro-Male/Anti-Feminist Tech is made at LaPierre because he thinks the NRA big gun has turned into a feminist. No, really. Noting that in the wake of the Newtown shootings LaPierre launched a transparently opportunistic attack on violent video games, Mr. PMAFT accuses him of doing the work of the grand feminist conspiracy against men and manhood:
The most important reason why LaPierre is wrong is because what he is doing is feminist. Video games are an activity predominately enjoyed by men. So are guns. Both activities are under attack from feminists (just like other predominately male activities like science fiction are) because men are interested in them and women are mostly not interested in them. LaPierre is shooting himself in the foot (pun intended) by alienating allies among the video game community and helping out feminists in their war on male activities.
Never mind that nearly half – 47% — of those playing video games these days are girls and women, according to the Entertainment Software Association. (I await the inevitable comment from a troll telling us all that whatever games these women are playing just don’t count because blah and blah.)
What LaPierre should have done is form an alliance with the video game community. While the Newtown shootings are being used against gun owners right now, the next target will be video games and other mostly male interests and activities. Both the video game community and the gun community are fighting the same enemy, feminism. They should be working together to point out facts like how the Newtown shooter was raised by a single mother and how homes where the father is kicked out lead to more violence.
Never mind that the shooter — like virtually all mass shooters — was a dude; a woman is always to blame.
The NRA is in a position of weakness now because they are attacking video games and not the real causes of the Newtown tragedy, single motherhood and feminism. The NRA is in the same boat as the Republican Party where it needs to become an explicitly anti-feminist and pro-mens rights organization to survive. (Lots of conservative and right wing organizations are in this situation.) Guns aren’t the problem here, but neither are video games. The NRA needs to realize this and realize that its only way forward is by fighting feminism. Anything else leads the NRA to irrelevance.
So one of the most powerful lobbies in American politics needs to team up with a Men’s Rights “movement” that can’t organize a single event that draws a crowd bigger than 8 people, or else it will fade into irrelevance?
I dearly hope the NRA fades into obscurity, and I am hopeful that public opinion about guns is beginning finally to shift in the right direction, but I’m not sure the NRA needs any pointers from MRAs on political relevance.
Posted on January 7, 2013, in a woman is always to blame, all about the menz, antifeminism, men who should not ever be with women ever, misogyny, MRA, no girls allowed, playing the victim and tagged antifeminism, guns, men's rights, misogyny, MRA, video games. Bookmark the permalink. 806 Comments.
Feminists ruined Dungeons & Dragons! I’m sure they’re responsible for dailies and healing surges somehow! Back when it was manly and untainted by vagina-havers, Dungeons & Dragons was all manly THAC0 and descending Armor Class and you had to step up and be brave and figure out if you wanted this roll of the d20 to be high or if you wanted it to be low, none of this namby-pamby always-roll-high-and-pay-women-as-much-as-men. Oh, and it was no use naming your character until he’d hit about 3rd level or so, because before then there was a high chance you’d have a different one by the end of the session.
CURSE YOU FEMINISTS, IS THERE NOTHING MANLY YOU WILL NOT RUIN?!!
The above was, of course, absolute sarcasm.
“So far, guns, comics, SciFi, Fantasy, videogames, being white, what else?”
Having a penis, I’m sure. I know ruining that for men is on *my* agenda : P
Where did this 47% statistic come from anyway? The linked article asserts it in a link to an article about iPad games and grannies.
Actually, in this context, based on the linked article, they don’t.
@Flora: My only Skyrim character is a murderous mage. She’s also a woman. So I guess getting your face gnawed by scamps is misandry.
Those poor urinals don’t stand a chance!
@2D Man
What, pray tell, counts as a videogame? You’re talking to woman who knows more than a handful of professionals in both viedogame design and theory, who is sitting next to one of them right now and we could use a laugh.
“Civility! We have destroyed civility with our stubborn refusal to be nice to people who’re full of shit.”
Being nice to people who are full of shit is our female obligation. Along with shaved legs.
In fact, hairy legs = Fall of Western Civilization.
Videogame dammit. I taught my autocorrect the plural and ugh.
“it is the same kind (not degree by any stretch) of stigmatizing that happens when you imply that you must be mentally ill to think/do certain things. (Like referring to Mr.Pro-Male in the OP or mass shooters as probably mentally ill.)”
Sure, I understand.
Mr. PMAFT does has some serious issues though.
“So I guess getting your face gnawed by scamps is misandry.”
Is she getting sexed up by scamps? No? Then MISANINENADRY!!!!!@!
When women play Farmville it totes doesn’t count guys, but men play Mafia or low-tech text-based RPGs they’re just old school.
When it comes down to it, the majority of World of Warcraft is just Farmville achieve-get mechanics with better graphics. Go do this menial task to receive this menial reward. Now we will force you to go do the same thing with friends. Now do it 50 billion more times.
@atomicgrizzly
Oh, hell yeah! He’s fucked up to be sure.
@Flora
Yep. In fact, all videogames operate on the same push a button, get a treat in your brain principle so the argument can (and has been) made that it isn’t much different from what we do with mice.
“When it comes down to it, the majority of World of Warcraft is just Farmville achieve-get mechanics with better graphics.”
That’s why I moved to other online games. I’ve been playing Everquest and Vanguard and I’m thinking of trying out SOE’s new game Wizardry. Those maniacs give you so much for free.
The mental-health registry idea sent shivers down my spine. Basically anyone who’s ever sought a therapist through their insurance, or been prescribed anti-depressants, or had a school report for behavior could end up on a list like that; and the potential for abuse by future employers, bank-loans etc is chilling.
Some Gal said:
That’s not at issue. Specifically, the context is dealing with games that get blamed for mass shootings.
“Yep. In fact, all videogames operate on the same push a button, get a treat in your brain principle so the argument can (and has been) made that it isn’t much different from what we do with mice.”
I wouldn’t say it’s that simple. Of course it is always getting a treat in your brain, but some games (the better ones) make you think more. I got the Ico/Shadow of the Colossus collection recently and those games are far more intellectually stimulating than almost all modern games.
Timothy McVeigh was raised by his single father. Thus, single fathers cause mass bombings. The logic is so obvious.
“I’ve been playing Everquest and Vanguard and I’m thinking of trying out SOE’s new game Wizardry”
Vanguard is still around? Man, the SO and I played that back when it first came out to cleanse our systems of WoW. Tried Everquest and couldn’t get into it… I guess the problem with MMOs in general is the pressure to keep up with the Joneses. This is why I love Skyrim… I don’t miss anything when I need to drop it for weeks at a time.
@2D Man
You brought it up so now it is very much at issue. Specifically, the larger context is about feminists ruining videogames. Are we only ruining some of them? How exactly are we ruining them?
“Basically anyone who’s ever sought a therapist through their insurance, or been prescribed anti-depressants, or had a school report for behavior could end up on a list like that;”
That’s my entire family (except me. I haven’t been to therapy… yet)
“Yep. In fact, all videogames operate on the same push a button, get a treat in your brain principle so the argument can (and has been) made that it isn’t much different from what we do with mice.”
Or how we raise children through reward-based toys and education. Which leads people believe nothing is worth doing for its own sake, but only for payback. Which leads to NiceGuy™ mentality……
Oh dear, I just came up with an anti-gaming argument, sorry kids ; (
I’m sure Joe1 will be along shortly to make that reality.
To echo Some Gal, tell us what constitutes a “real” video game, oh mansplainer. Because if you’re going to tell me today that social media games are not “real” video games, then I’m going to tell you that all those arcade games y’all played in the 80’s and 90’s aren’t real, either, and “video games” are only about ten years old.
As a gamer who got her start playing Burger Time and Q-Bert on the Colecovision that her dad bought for her 7th birthday, let me be the first to tell you to fuck off.
@atomicgrizzly
Oh, I agree it is certainly more complex, but there is a whole field of study that ignores narrative elements completely, thus boiling it down to button/reward or series of buttons/series of rewards. I think they are stupid, but they are considered experts in videogames.
I did no such thing.
I suspect – correct me if I’m wrong 2D Man – that games with guns = man games and games that don’t involve murderdeathkill are lady games. Of course, this negates the fact that there are plenty of puzzle and word games that achieve immense popularity across the board (Angry Birds, Draw Something, Braid, Portal, Tetris).
@atomicgrizzly
Learning is considered a reward for the brain in this context because we love learning as a species and our brains reward it like almost nothing else.
“there is a whole field of study that ignores narrative elements completely, thus boiling it down to button/reward or series of buttons/series of rewards. I think they are stupid, but they are considered experts in videogames.”
I read about Zynga hiring psychologists who specialized in this stuff to help develop their games, which is why they became so popular. For people like me who view games as a great potential for artistic creativity and mental challenge, it’s pretty grotesque.
At least we still have Phoenix Wright. I need a 3DS.
@2D Man
Then tell me the difference between the games that are blamed (that women play) and the games that aren’t (that women play). The problem is that the NRA understands videogames and demographics even worse than you do. There is no way to make what they claim make sense in the real world.
“Learning is considered a reward for the brain in this context because we love learning as a species and our brains reward it like almost nothing else.”
Sure, of course. But it’s so much better than the push button, kill things model that so many games use today.
Ironically I’m a huge Dynasty Warriors fan, which is the epitome of this. Yeah, I’m a huge hypocrite.
@atomicgrizzly
It’s like the Michael Bay school of video games – people like explosions, childhood nostalgia, and sexy wimmins, so let’s make a movie with all those things! It’s sure to be successful!
@atomicgrizzly
The 3DS is awesome and the 3D screen is still fun after a year or so. I loved Sticker Star so much! Although the regular DS Lego Harry Potter was one of the funniest things I’ve ever played.
“It’s like the Michael Bay school of video games – people like explosions, childhood nostalgia, and sexy wimmins, so let’s make a movie with all those things! It’s sure to be successful!”
Ugh. You’re digging up some bad memories there.
Except, the OP here does not single out FPS games — he says “video games,” PERIOD. And he makes a claim that we’ve seen again and again from sexists — that video game culture belongs to men, that women who try to participate are interlopers who are only there as attention whores, etc. Stop shifting goalposts, dood.
“The 3DS is awesome and the 3D screen is still fun after a year or so. I loved Sticker Star so much! Although the regular DS Lego Harry Potter was one of the funniest things I’ve ever played.”
I want one for Phoenix Wright vs Professor Layton. I do love me some Paper Mario though.
I still need to get through all of my Humble Indie Bundle games first though. Limbo and Superbrothers: Sword and Sorcery FTW!
I’m sure 2-D man has surveyed all women in the world regarding their video game preferences.
@atomicgrizzly
The button-kill stimulates some of the same things and studies have show that fantasy killing is definitely seen as fantasy by almost everyone (even young children). Real violence is a different issue. Blaming violent videogames is no different than blaming violent films or books and very different than blaming violent rhetoric (which deliberately blurs boundaries between fantasy and reality).
As I said above, this is very context-dependent. Regardless of PMAFT’s accuracy, he was referring to the relatively small set of games that get blamed for mass shootings. Responding with the 47% figure, according to the lined article, is lumping Dragonvale in that category.
As a violent video game, Dragonvale doesn’t “count”.
Mom and I are a lot closer now on videogames, thanks to her relatively recent involvement with Second Life. I used to be a big MUCK denizen back in the late 90’s, so she’s speaking my language now. :)
Got her hooked on Pocket Planes over Christmas. Yes I’m evil.
Heck, roughly 40% of my raid team in WoW are women; kick-ass tanks, healers and nukers.
Wait, so feminists are attacking video games, guns, and sci-fi now? But how would I clean my rifle in the soft blue glow of a paused game of Star Tropics while watching wrestling on SyFy?
THAT IS IT I AM GOING MRA
“The button-kill stimulates some of the same things and studies have show that fantasy killing is definitely seen as fantasy by almost everyone (even young children). Real violence is a different issue. Blaming violent videogames is no different than blaming violent films or books and very different than blaming violent rhetoric (which deliberately blurs boundaries between fantasy and reality).”
Huh? when did I argue for blaming video games for violent behavior? I didn’t accidently do that, did I?
Again, you’re shifting the goalposts. Mr. PMAFT says that “video games” are for men, not FPS, not violent games, but all video games. He further says that science fiction itself belongs to men.
@2Dman
Here’s your citation.
Now show me yours.
@2D Man
The recent NRA statement singled out a rather diverse group of games and movies. In addition, it is implied that the games they themselves released are not part of the problem. Do you really want to try to make sense of his statement especially when what we are specifically discussing is women/feminists ruining games?
Unless you want to claim that the existence of games for which women are the primary audience is ruining the games for which women are a large secondary audience, you are just moving goalposts.
“he was referring to the relatively small set of games that get blamed for mass shootings.”
No, he was characterizing video games as a male activity.
@2D Man,
But that’s not what he’s saying at all. He says that “Both the video game community and the gun community are fighting the same enemy, feminism.” and that ” Video games are an activity … under attack from feminists…because men are interested in them and women are mostly not interested in them.”
He doesn’t specify violent video games, and in fact is directly talking about the broader gaming community. In any case, the line between violent and non-violent video games is incredibly blurry. What are stealth games that let you choose between lethal and non-lethal force? What about games like Pokemon which are violent in concept (you use your vicious pet to attack other vicious pets and wild animals) but designed for children?
@atomicgrizzly
Sorry, the second part of that was just me riffing on the first bit (which was a response to you). Singling out violent videogames as different from other games just never makes a lot of sense considering that the players of both violent and nonviolent games have very similar experiences.
thenatfantastic
Citation for what, exactly?
From David’s citation:
Which means 67% of them are playing “real” video games. Uh oh, I think there must be some vaginas in there!
“Singling out violent videogames as different from other games just never makes a lot of sense considering that the players of both violent and nonviolent games have very similar experiences.”
Indeed. When they’re playing games, they’re not shooting “real people.” In their minds they’re just shooting interchangeable digital targets.
Sources cited: My brain as a gamer :D
Side note: Does anyone else find it comical that Dynasty Warriors was attacked by the press because the killer was a fan?
You asked where the 47% citation came from, I showed you it. Now prove that those 47% don’t account for ANY of what you have deemed to be ‘proper’ video games.
“Which means 67% of them are playing “real” video games. Uh oh, I think there must be some vaginas in there!”
@blitzgal
In 2004, it was at least a quarter, I bet it is higher now.
*sigh*
Greetings from Texas, where the men are men and the women are damned good shots.
Assholes.
And yes, the NRA will be jumping at the chance to ally with people who are terrified by a box-cutter wielding mob.
Yes. Totally gonna happen. Just not in my lifetime.
I know I should be more offended that single mothers are being blamed for horrible tragedies (their lives are nightmare mode), but it just irks me so much when people equate a hobby of mine (video games) with horrible stuff like MRAs and Second amendment fundamentalists.
Atheism is the same way, always lumped in with Randian philosophy and all that jazz. It leaves an icky taste in my mouth!
So I just spent my entire morning break reading articles and comments over at Pro-Male/Anti-Feminist Technology. I need brain bleach STAT!
Brain bleach
Some Gal,
It appears I’ve misread PMAFT’s statement. I took it to mean video games that get targeted for censorship. But no, your interpretation is more accurate. He does appear to be talking about all games across all platforms, so the 47% statistic is valid. My mistake. Sorry about that.
I honestly didn’t expect anyone to be that… detached.
thenatfantastic:
I did not make that claim.
What do people who want to “attack… single motherhood” mean by that, anyway? I get that it’s coded racism mostly, but how exactly does one attack single motherhood? If they’re suggesting women stay with abusive partners, which seems likely, I doubt that’d be a better situation to grow up in.
Helping single mothers, on the other hand, could work.
@2-D Man
I know! It is just like you’ve never read this blog before!
Hedgie yawning!
Don’t you mean “forcing Big Daddy Gubmint to give men’s money to women?” Which is what they actually think happens now.
Brain bleach?
Single moms, not to blame. Why does no one ever talk about the men who made them single mothers?
Yeah, I’m better off playing some Baldur’s Gate 2 right now.
@Argenti
Thank you for the link, I must have missed it (I don’t want to fall into the trap of saying “Oh, well we don’t KNOW”…when that info has been released. Oops.)
@atomicgrizzly, re: mental illness database.
Well to be fair, doing that is about as American as bald eagles and apple pie. It’s the American way. (Or, really, the conservative way.)
That bulldog looks so happy. It makes me want to take up skateboarding, just so that there would be one more “man” thing ruined by feminists.
Oh, for fucks sake. Any time I play video games online, there is at least one girl around. And she’s usually at least average skill level. And, go figure, no one really tries to stop her. Stop saying this is predominantly male.
As for Saints Row the Third, it’s not just female characters. It has the closest thing in a video game to transsexual characters, or hell, you can even control a walking toilet that hits people with dildos.
I had to post this; I went over to one of my other favorite blogs right after here, and look, MRAs infecting regular life (I’m not always sure that all of these stories are real but there are too many of them that go down exactly like this for me to think they are all made up):
http://notalwaysright.com/bigots-and-sexists-on-line-one/26296
Over the holiday my youngest niece kicked all available ass at all available PS3 games.
AND commandeered the remote control so we could watch the X-mas day Doctor Who marathon. That’s my girl!
I hope that ruined everything available for all available MRAs.