Journal of Other Forum Analysis

[Eric Cartman]

Rich and middle class white women commandeering feminism to be exclusionary so they can re-centre themselves as the victim. Not new but immensely tiring. Feminism should be centred

I mean, strictly speaking, most trans activists are middle class white women.

Most of the real assholes on twitter are actually baldy beardy soyface he/him 'allies' tbf

[BIONIC]

1687726031[/url]']
Constructive:

Question and clarification of the rules and policies. What qualifies as a "shock" thread?

In the General Guide, a shock thread is described as, "These are threads about news or content that is just disgusting and/or shocking, with little potential for discussion other than outrage. Nobody gains anything from these threads and you should not make them."

Two threads in particular are the very recent threads are the "[SoraNews24] "A friendly reminder not to accidentally get squid sperm in your mouth, it hurts" [NSFW?]" and one posted in early June titled, "Just a friendly reminder that we are all going to die"; the latter's op is just a sentence long and the former clearly written for the sake of the shock value, especially since the OP ends with, "Happy weekend dining, Era! 👋".

Neither of these threads really had much to discuss  and the replies are just filled with memes, disgust comments, innuendos and tons of one sentence comments, mostly jokes. These aren't the only two threads like this, but just two examples of something I've noticed has become more of a trend over the past year on the Etcet side of the Forum.

It honestly feels like "Weekend era" has just become "be as gross/shocking/edgy/dark as possible" now and many of them are just low effort, especially when it feels like long time users get a lot of leeway with these threads that wouldn't normally be acceptable. Personally I find it can often create a boys club feel, feels at best tacky and makes me uncomfortable sometimes, especially when the titles are deliberately vague just to draw in users to make them feel disgusted or uncomfortable when they read the op; plus incredibly annoying just to having to keep ignoring these threads.

I feel like suggestion a NSFW area for the site (within reason) but fear that would only make it worse and just give many of the users a place to be even more uncaring about the feelings of women.

We’ll sooner achieve world peace than this dumb fuck stop feeling “unsafe” about everything

I'm thoroughly confused by this post, not gonna lie.

The squid thread is funny and completely harmless. It's "gross" yes but not in a dangerous, creepy or alienating way, it's just humour about how the peculiarities of some of the animals we eat can backfire on humans. That's a perfect example of a completely fine "weekend era" thread. Why are you bringing up the feelings of women in this context?? Not only is there nothing about gender politics in this thread (at least I seriously hope you don't consider jokes about squid sperm to be gendered or sexist...) and a woman made the thread.

If anything, I'm actually annoyed that you would be bringing up the real issues of sexism and "boys club" shit we see on Era in the context of harmless threads about weird animals/food. Just because you don't like that kind of thread or humour or whatever doesn't mean you get to bring up sexism where it does not belong.

Sorry, wasn't in a good place and went overboard.

I don't think there is a need to apologize. Sometimes we find something but it is hard to pin down exactly what it is and boys club has always been a little more vague in like this.

Everyone draws the line a little differently on things whether it is boys club or shock threads. For myself I find stuff that is aiming to be humorous more acceptable than for example pain or violence or tragedy. Boys club isn't always strictly leaning misogyny or clear cut sexism. I think a lot of different behaviour especially in an environment where majority of the users are enthusiasts and the industry works like a hype factory can be potentially uncomfortable. We might feel it as cringey or borderline toxic or creepy or just... overly enthuse fan craze. Sometimes it isn't one person but the culmination of majority of the users and off-site opinions as well, from general or from popular figures. It can add weight to change the atmosphere of a thread and it can be unpleasant. It isn't always just boys club contributing either.

We also don't want to always be the fun police. Weekends we do tend to allow a little bit more mischief, partly because we want users to have fun and let loose a bit but also because we (staff) want to do other things and aren't moderating Era so might not be as active. The general state of the forum also needs to be considered, how many such silly threads are there? How frequent? How does the discussion feel? How is the OP? How are you? If the forum is slow and this thread isn't too problematic then generally it is whatever for me or maybe I'll make a note to reconsider it on Monday if it is even still relevant by then. The latter tho can be a thing. A thing like a 2am discord ping where I'm reading a report and thinking "This thread? W-why? How? Why? ... Ohhh ffs."

Any ways. I just want to say that while I know you've taken the post back and such, discussing feelings can be hard and more so for feelings of unpleasantness or exclusion. Trying to pin point examples is hard too but it is also important. Staff needs posts like this sometimes too, to check things, to remind us and everyone. Because it is hard and we all draw the line different.

Hope I'm not mansplaining.

[Snoopy]

That's not fair...on Nicko

He must've been confused as fuck when people started saying, "oh you're so brave" everywhere he went

[kaleidoscopium]

Having to preface and postface every single post they make must get tiring

[HaughtyFrank]

Boys club isn't always strictly leaning misogyny or clear cut sexism. I think a lot of different behaviour especially in an environment where majority of the users are enthusiasts and the industry works like a hype factory can be potentially uncomfortable. We might feel it as cringey or borderline toxic or creepy or just... overly enthuse fan craze. Sometimes it isn't one person but the culmination of majority of the users and off-site opinions as well, from general or from popular figures. It can add weight to change the atmosphere of a thread and it can be unpleasant. It isn't always just boys club contributing either.

[jooseloose]

Morrigan's cuntishness making fragile people leave the forum.

[BIONIC]

1687781276[/url]']

Boys club isn't always strictly leaning misogyny or clear cut sexism. I think a lot of different behaviour especially in an environment where majority of the users are enthusiasts and the industry works like a hype factory can be potentially uncomfortable. We might feel it as cringey or borderline toxic or creepy or just... overly enthuse fan craze. Sometimes it isn't one person but the culmination of majority of the users and off-site opinions as well, from general or from popular figures. It can add weight to change the atmosphere of a thread and it can be unpleasant. It isn't always just boys club contributing either.

Fixed

[kaleidoscopium]

Final Fantasy XVI is tearing these people apart, I love it.

https://www.resetera.com/threads/thegamer-final-fantasy-16-is-afraid-to-let-women-be-powerful.734937/page-3#post-108019005

Racism and misogyny going hand in hand again. This game is indefensible.

Reaching.

The game is racist because it doesn’t show diversity, a travesty honestly, but, racist?

The game isn’t outright misogynistic either, it’s disingenuous to give this loaded statement.

Such a valuable insight, thanks.

Ah you've edited substance - and I use that word lightly - to your post.
Edit: The game is not an island, it's a follow-up by the same director of FFXIV - infamous for it's mistreatment of characters with melanin (and women) - accompanied by shockingly ignorant (at best) interviews that shows a complete disinterest in having any diversity in their product. It's not just one game, but a pattern. A racist pattern.
It's treatment of women is misogynistic. Shouting over the voices of women rightly put off by that fact changes nothing.

As Kline said, it‘s especially fucking shitty when men completely disregard misogyny concerns from women & other people experiencing misogyny. Y‘all aren‘t the ones going through your everyday lives having to live with that shit in one way or another every fucking day.

[Uncle]

when you're talking about women and "others," those others are experiencing misandry

[HaughtyFrank]

Always love it when they play the "disagreeing with a woman is by itself already misogyny" card because it always only applies one way. That you'll find women who themselves are bored of the flawless, stoic strong female characters is just ignored.

Don’t mention the strong female character descriptor to Emily Blunt. During a recent interview with The Telegraph (via IndieWire), the actor rejected the archetype and said she’s “bored” of getting scripts where her character is labeled a “strong female lead.”

“It’s the worst thing ever when you open a script and read the words ‘strong female lead,’” Blunt said. “That makes me roll my eyes. I’m already out. I’m bored. Those roles are written as incredibly stoic, you spend the whole time acting tough and saying tough things.”

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/emily-blunt-rails-slams-strong-female-lead-label-worst-thing-ever-1235432354/

[Potato]

It's already well established that "strong female lead/character" is industry code for "gender swapped male lead/character".

[kaleidoscopium]

There was a thread about Horizon Forbidden West that summed it up well in the first reply:

https://www.resetera.com/threads/playing-ffxvi-really-should-make-us-appreciate-forbidden-west-even-more.734838/

The lip syncing is great in Horizon. Shame I just skipped it all since I didn’t care what anyone had to say.

These characters are dull.

[AldusMoneyPenny]

Always love it when they play the "disagreeing with a woman is by itself already misogyny" card because it always only applies one way. That you'll find women who themselves are bored of the flawless, stoic strong female characters is just ignored.

Don’t mention the strong female character descriptor to Emily Blunt. During a recent interview with The Telegraph (via IndieWire), the actor rejected the archetype and said she’s “bored” of getting scripts where her character is labeled a “strong female lead.”

“It’s the worst thing ever when you open a script and read the words ‘strong female lead,’” Blunt said. “That makes me roll my eyes. I’m already out. I’m bored. Those roles are written as incredibly stoic, you spend the whole time acting tough and saying tough things.”

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/emily-blunt-rails-slams-strong-female-lead-label-worst-thing-ever-1235432354/

Ahem

Feminism should be centred on the needs of the most vulnerable women in the world, not the 0.1% who get to spend the day drinking Chardonnay and making up issues to get upset over.

[killamajig]

I don't think there is a need to apologize. Sometimes we find something but it is hard to pin down exactly what it is and boys club has always been a little more vague in like this.

Everyone draws the line a little differently on things whether it is boys club or shock threads. For myself I find stuff that is aiming to be humorous more acceptable than for example pain or violence or tragedy. Boys club isn't always strictly leaning misogyny or clear cut sexism. I think a lot of different behaviour especially in an environment where majority of the users are enthusiasts and the industry works like a hype factory can be potentially uncomfortable. We might feel it as cringey or borderline toxic or creepy or just... overly enthuse fan craze. Sometimes it isn't one person but the culmination of majority of the users and off-site opinions as well, from general or from popular figures. It can add weight to change the atmosphere of a thread and it can be unpleasant. It isn't always just boys club contributing either.

We also don't want to always be the fun police. Weekends we do tend to allow a little bit more mischief, partly because we want users to have fun and let loose a bit but also because we (staff) want to do other things and aren't moderating Era so might not be as active. The general state of the forum also needs to be considered, how many such silly threads are there? How frequent? How does the discussion feel? How is the OP? How are you? If the forum is slow and this thread isn't too problematic then generally it is whatever for me or maybe I'll make a note to reconsider it on Monday if it is even still relevant by then. The latter tho can be a thing. A thing like a 2am discord ping where I'm reading a report and thinking "This thread? W-why? How? Why? ... Ohhh ffs."

Any ways. I just want to say that while I know you've taken the post back and such, discussing feelings can be hard and more so for feelings of unpleasantness or exclusion. Trying to pin point examples is hard too but it is also important. Staff needs posts like this sometimes too, to check things, to remind us and everyone. Because it is hard and we all draw the line different.

Hope I'm not mansplaining.

[/quote]
"Oh, thank you Mods! For allowing us to have some fun on the weekends."

[Uncle]

benji is it alright if we cut loose a little bit on the weekends? I mean we're doing good work here the rest of the time, just want to have some time to relax and collapse into fits of giggles for a while

[Boredfrom]

it's a follow-up by the same director of FFXIV - infamous for it's mistreatment of characters with melanin (and women) -

It wasn’t a problem until FFXVI was announced.

[Daft Hand]

Weekends on ERA, you're allowed to be slightly whimsical. But only slightly, too much whimsy may trigger another summit meeting.

[HaughtyFrank]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/count-as-high-as-we-can-until-mods-close-the-thread.556576/page-88

Now, now, be careful you don't have too much fun

[kaleidoscopium]

Have some mandated weekend fun, but please do not engage in mansplaining.

[Taco Bell Tower]

Morrigan's cuntishness making fragile people leave the forum.

We're certain she's the one who permbanned RustyNails the first time since she's Islamophobic during her power hungry times as a mod.

[HeavenIsAPlaceOnEarth]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/count-as-high-as-we-can-until-mods-close-the-thread.556576/page-88

Now, now, be careful you don't have too much fun

I hope this isn't too mischievous...

[jooseloose]

Y'all

[saltygeneraltso]

........4157! 

[Greatness Gone]

Spent my weekend doing nothing but gym and powering through my current GOTY FFXVI, only to come back to the thread and see that the discourse around this game is somehow even worse than it was last week.

Brown skinned Arab-coded characters are snow white CACS and murderous female villains should not be punished according to Ree logic. 

[Taco Bell Tower]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/known-scumbag-cheater-lance-armstrong-starts-a-podcast-with-caitlyn-jenner-about-trans-athlete-unfairness.735159/
Guess the OP!

Also getting owned by the community tweet editor

Oh, now they love Twitter.

Caitlyn continuing down the path of thinking she will be picked as a good one. I honestly don't even know what to say on this one, but it all speaks for itself.

The more attention we give them, the longer they stay relevant.

[kaleidoscopium]

They are truly obsessed with Twitter, despite it being owned by Evil Elon

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/the-microsoft-activision-blizzard-acquisition-ot-antitrust-simulator.633344/page-1133#post-107878107

User Banned (1 Month): Sexist commentary

Jamie is a woman :0

Is it just me or... having so many women at the senior leadership, and the judge being a woman, could have a positive psychological effect on the judge? No biggie, but I guess it happens.

Good that Xbox values diversity!

[Nintex]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/count-as-high-as-we-can-until-mods-close-the-thread.556576/page-88

Now, now, be careful you don't have too much fun

they really are retarded

[Taco Bell Tower]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/what-was-your-worst-subject-in-school.735237/#post-108036177

Like most of Era, PE.

Only two people admitted to reading which is astonishing as majority people at Ree can't read OPs or articles at all before throwing in their hot takes.

[Potato]

At Reeeeesetera, you can have fun on the weekend, but come Monday you'll be banned.