I have a list of writing related topics, one for each day of this month. \u00a0I thought it would make it easier to maintain the schedule. \u00a0For the most part it has, but there’s been a few topics, such as the one I have scheduled tonight, where I felt like it would be forced. \u00a0I felt like I’d be talking out of my ass more than usual.<\/p>\n
Tonight I’m going to let out some of the pressure that’s been building up inside me. \u00a0There have been events this month that have made me upset. \u00a0I’ve commented on some of them in Facebook and Twitter, but it has been less than satisfying. \u00a0I keep feeling compelled to get into arguments with people I respect a great deal.<\/p>\n
I’m going to share my opinions. \u00a0They\u00a0probably won’t make me very popular.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We should stop talking about GamerGate.<\/b><\/p>\n
GamerGate was started by a small group of people that do not represent gamers or gaming culture on the whole. \u00a0This small group is all about misogyny and slut-shaming women. \u00a0They are despicable, they’re ideas are despicable, and anyone that thinks that what they are doing is noble and good is no friend of mine.<\/p>\n
But here’s the thing. \u00a0They had to have known that their “movement” was going to fail. \u00a0If that is true, then why did they persist?<\/p>\n
The answer: they were trolling.<\/p>\n
Alfred was right. \u00a0Some people just want to watch the world burn. \u00a0Trolls just want to see what kind of damage they can do. \u00a0It costs them nothing. \u00a0And when they see someone respond to their bait, they are delighted. \u00a0They slap each other on the back and keep going.<\/p>\n
And everyday, I see in social media more feeding of these trolls.<\/p>\n
Some want to use this as part of their platform to gain greater equality and representation for the genders in gaming. \u00a0I do not oppose equality and fairness. \u00a0I want equality. \u00a0I want men and women developers to be paid fairly. \u00a0I want developers of all races and sexual orientation to be treated equally and fairly, too.<\/p>\n
If your cause is to promote gender equality, then I support you. \u00a0However, I beg you not to promote your cause on the back of GamerGate. \u00a0Your cause…\u00a0our<\/em> cause… is not supported by feeding the trolls.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We all need to think more, and use less hyperbole when talking about sensitive subjects.<\/b><\/p>\n I’m referring to what John Grisham said about the penalties for viewing child pornography.<\/p>\n I should haven’t to say this, but from what I’ve been seeing lately, I guess I have to: I do not support child pornography, or those that consume it. \u00a0I think it is despicable. \u00a0I also think what John Grisham said was a bit stupid.<\/p>\n Now\u00a0I’m going to share my unpopular opinion. \u00a0I’m going to do my best to be sensitive to the subject matter. \u00a0I understand that it is a difficult topic for many to read. \u00a0If you are the victim of sexual assault, please know that I am deeply sorry whatever pain you have been through. \u00a0I do not know and can’t even begin to comprehend what you’ve been through. \u00a0If reading about this topic makes you uncomfortable, please skip on to the next bolded area.<\/p>\n I think that John Grisham wasn’t completely wrong about the penalty for viewing child porn. \u00a0The penalty might be a little bit too steep.<\/p>\n There is a difference between the monster that perpetrates the creation of child porn, and the asshole that views it. \u00a0Some of those assholes are monsters, too, but they might not all be monsters.<\/p>\n Man, this is difficult to express without sounding like I support child porn. \u00a0I don’t. \u00a0I’m starting to understand how John Grisham spoke so poorly on this.<\/p>\n He tried to use examples to illustrate his point, and they were terrible. \u00a0It was something along the lines of “watching a 16 year old girl isn’t as bad as watching a 10 year old boy” or something like that. \u00a0Both are disgusting, but if we’re being honest, I think we know what he’s trying to say. \u00a0At least, I hope he was trying to say that a child in their late teens can pass for a young adult. \u00a0Deriving sexual stimulation from watching a young adult is different than getting off on watching young children.<\/p>\n An argument for penalizing the consumes of this porn\u00a0is that people that view child porn are creating the market for it, and support child pornographers. \u00a0They’re not being held responsible for their part in making it possible to create the pornography.<\/p>\n I have a couple of\u00a0problems with that argument. \u00a0First, unless money is exchanged, I don’t see how the support is happening. \u00a0You think someone is going for pornography with their ad blocker off? \u00a0That they’re not downloading anonymously via torrent? \u00a0If downloading something for free equates to providing support for it, then piracy is no big deal, because downloading music and videos is providing support for the artist, right?<\/p>\n The second problem I have with the argument is that it is not equally applied. \u00a0That is, the heart of the argument is, “I want to protect children, so if we punish people viewing child porn, less child porn will be made.” \u00a0If you are trying to protect children, then why stop at child porn? \u00a0Stop and take a moment to look at your phone. \u00a0How was your phone built? \u00a0Is it an iPhone? \u00a0Was child labor involved in its construction? \u00a0If we apply the argument equally, then you have, by purchasing your iPhone, supported a market that exploits children.<\/p>\n When the iPhone 6 came out recently, millions were purchased the first day. \u00a0Should all of those people be held accountable for supporting child labor?<\/p>\n Again, I don’t support child porn. \u00a0I don’t support exploiting children for any purpose. \u00a0I think John Grisham said some stupid stuff. \u00a0I also think that with our loaded prisons, maybe we can consider\u00a0the possibility that the way we\u00a0are too harsh in how we penalize people that view child porn.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n