It’s been a pretty shitty week. I don’t think I need to explain why. So here’s something to help take the edge off — a new meme featuring a phrase anyone who’s ever said anything critical of GamerGate has heard, again and again: “Actually, it’s about ethics in games journalism.”
This new meme, which started really taking off today on Twitter and Tumblr, seems to be becoming the new “not all men.” Which makes sense: “Not all men” is to mansplaining what “Actually … ” is to Gatersplaining.
Here are some of my favorites, taken from Twitter and from the new Tumblr blog titled, naturally, Actually … it’s about ethics in games journalism.
I made one myself out of an old #NotAllMen meme:
I made one! #ActuallyItsAboutEthicsInGameJournalism #GamerGate #Gamersplaining pic.twitter.com/NQK1F6Myga
— David Futrelle (@DavidFutrelle) October 24, 2014
This blog, meanwhile, uses the phrase as a caption for New Yorker cartoons.
And then there’s this Tweet.
https://twitter.com/alqaeda/status/524985414973935616
Thank you, anonymous meme-makers, and whoever came up with this in the first place! We needed this.
With any luck, some of them will go the way of Nog. Sure he started out as a sexist and deflected criticism from himself with ridiculous claims of others’ lack of ethics, but he learned to respect women and take responsibility.
Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #211:
Employees are the rungs on the ladder of success. Don’t hesitate to step on them.
…actually, Rule 211 is about ethics in games journalism.
Actually, this ‘unoffical rule’ of acquisition is more dead on with gaters…
“A good lie is easier to believe than the truth. That’s why it’s actually about ethics in games journalism.”
“The first rule of ethics in game journalism is you do not talk about ethics in game journalism.”
+1 internets to katz
Rimmer: Kryten, you’re forgetting Space Corp Directive 1742.
Kryten: 1742? “No member of the Corp should report for duty in a ginger toupee”?
Rimmer: Actually, it’s about ethics in games journalism.
I think Hyatt is correct. The whole “gamergate” episode could become a valuable learning experience for many of the young gamers caught up in this. As they mature they will realise they have been used.
Spoon boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead… only try to realize the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Spoon boy: There is no spoon.
Neo: There is no spoon?
Spoon boy: Then you’ll see, that it is actually about ethics in games journalism.
Neo: Whoa.
Cypher: You know, I know this steak doesn’t exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize?
[Takes a bite of steak]
Cypher: It really is about ethics in games journalism.
“Where did you go to, if I may ask?’ said Thorin to Gandalf as they rode along.
To look ahead,’ said he.
And what brought you back in the nick of time?’
Ethics in games journalism,’ said he.”
“Mad Hatter: “Why is a raven like a writing-desk?”
“Have you guessed the riddle yet?” the Hatter said, turning to Alice again.
“No, I give it up,” Alice replied: “What’s the answer?”
“Ethics in games journalism,” said the Hatter”
“All right,” said Deep Thought. “The Answer to the Great Question…”
“Yes..!”
“Of Life, the Universe and Everything…” said Deep Thought.
“Yes…!”
“Is…” said Deep Thought, and paused.
“Yes…!”
“Is…”
“Yes…!!!…?”
“Ethics in game journalism,” said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.
M. The S.J.R. and Kirbywarp have come up with my favourites so far. 🙂
Maybe a Grim Fandango reference would work – “An epic tale of crime and corruption in the land of VIDEO GAME JOURNALISM. Help Manny untangle himself from a QUINNspiracy that threatens his FAVOURITE HOBBY.”
Or that scene in Psychonauts where Coach Oleander reveals his dastardly plan to be about…. Ethics in video games journalism.
Especially pertinent, since Tim Schafer caught a lot of Twitter grievance early on.
A scorpion asks a frog to carry him over a river. The frog is afraid of being stung during the trip, but the scorpion argues that if it stung the frog, both would sink and the scorpion would drown. The frog agrees and begins carrying the scorpion, but midway across the river the scorpion does indeed sting the frog, dooming them both. When asked why, the scorpion points out that this is about ethics in game journalism.
“We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France,
we shall fight on the seas and oceans,
we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be,we shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue of ethics in video game journalism.”
– Winston Churchill (sort of).
Gregory: I will frown as I pass by, let them take it as they list
Samson: Nay, as I dare I shall bite my thumb at them which is a disgrace to them if they bear it
Abraham: Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
Sampson: I do bite my thumb, sir
Abraham: Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
Sampson: (aside to Gregory) Is the law on our side if I say aye?
Gregory: No.
Sampson: No, sir. I bite my thumb at ethics in game journalism.
Excuse me while I insert this into all of the insult fights from The Secret of Monkey Island:
“You fight like a dairy farmer.”
“How appropriate. It’s actually about ethics in game journalism.”
“I got this scar on my face during a mighty struggle!”
“I hope by now you’ve learned it’s actually about ethics in game journalism.”
“Have you stopped wearing diapers yet?”
“Why, did you know it’s actually about ethics in game journalism?”
“I’ve heard you were a contemptible sneak.”
“To bad no one’s ever heard it’s actually about ethics in game journalism.”
“It’s actually about ethics in game journalism.”
“Your hemorrhoids flaring up again, eh?”
“There are no words for how disgusting you are.”
“Yes there are. They’re actually about ethics in game journalism.”
“I’ve spoken with apes more polite than you.”
“I’m glad to hear you attended GamerGate. It’s actually about ethics in game journalism.”
Some of them are disturbingly à propos.
Actually, they’re about ethics in video game journalism.
Love the Blade Runner one! But they’re all right on point.
You all slay me. =]
http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/55627983.jpg
I really feel like the reference to Navi from the Ocarina of Time gets to the heart of the matter.
I saw this this morning and have mixed reactions:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/10/24/how-some-gamergate-supporters-say-the-controversy-could-stop-in-one-week/
The author tosses off:
Campbell also pointed to other efforts to recast the mainstream image of Gamergate, including a crowd-funding campaign to donate money to the PACER Center for National Bullying Prevention. Some have also launched coordinated campaigns against media sites — notably Gawker Media and Gamasutra — to persuade companies including Adobe and Intel to stop advertising on those sites.
Without taking the time to examine what, exactly, prompted them to rally against these sites, which is pretty annoying. And she glosses over its awful fucking inception pretty hardcore.
BUT I do think that both the author and one of the people interviewed have a point: If gaming sites and bloggers began to consistently disclose potential conflicts of interest, it would deprive the misogynist asshats and blatant trolls of a shield.
I don’t think (on that level – individual bloggers & journalists) that there is any substantial “corruption”, at least on the level that GG’s claiming.
Devs have gaming journalist friends and supporters, gaming journalists have Dev friends and supporters – it’s been a natural outgrowth of the fact that the industry, for a long time, has been a relatively insular one.
Disclosures will silence any semi-legitimate criticism of those relationships and will leave those with unreasonable complaints (“They’re covering their friends! That shouldn’t be allowed, period!”), those with their asses on their shoulders because they don’t understand what critical analysis of media actually looks like, misogynist creeps, and general trolls all alone in the #GamerGate sandbox.
At least that’s what I’d like to think.
Even odds that instead you’d have an outcry of “victory!” that would just egg on more awful, bilious behavior.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a land where they will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the ethics of their game journalism.”
“I used to be an adventurer like you, then I realized it’s actually about ethics in games journalism.”