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[kinoki]

I've known a couple of real anime/gamer fanatics in my days and they've all gravitated toward some rather extreme and unsettling political and social views. I'd say that any group of people who are extreme in one aspect would be likely to be extreme in others too.

 

[luulubuu]

I think yes but also no.


Internet it's a big place and as some gamers are from the right wing, others are the total opposite, look for example at the Midboss con called GaymerX it's an amazing place for minorities to enjoy game and share them


I think most of groups will always have their different idiologies, but if you look at Twitter you can be scared about all the serious stuff

 

[Mushroomer25]

Ultimately, yes. The far-right mostly works on selling lies of innate superiority to white males who have been, through other means, beaten down in life. Gaming communities are rich with people who feel unfulfilled, and can buy into the notion of a singular pressuring force that can be blamed for all of their issues. Because obviously, they deserve more. Society has been giving them more from day one, and any challenge to that is a direct attack on their livelihood.

Feminists were just the scapegoat they needed.

It's dangerous, hateful, and should not be given an inch if credibility in any intellectual discussion. Excommunicating them from communities is one of the few effective tools to inform them this rhetoric is unacceptable.

 

[danmaku]

I guess it's the same thing as incels on reddit. Nerdy loser, can't get a girlfriend --> fuck these bitches who don't want to sleep with a nice guy like me --> rabbit hole of hatred

Sorry, I don't know what an incel is and I don't want to google that at work lol

 

[Orayn]

Sorry, I don't know what an incel is and I don't want to google that at work lol

INvoluntarily CELibate

Basically, people who'd like to have sex but aren't successful have convinced themselves they're an underclass oppressed by "Chads" who allegedly take all the opportunities for themselves.

 

[The Technomancer]

Sorry, I don't know what an incel is and I don't want to google that at work lol

"Involuntary celibate", literally people who believe its an injustice that other people won't have sex with them

 

[Poodlestrike]

I mean.. Yes. Duh. Which is bizarre, considering how popular the far right is as villains in games (e.g. Nazis), but I guess critical thinking isn't exactly most peoples' strong suite.

The long and short of it is, it's a combination of simultaneous social isolation and interconnectivity brought about by the Internet resulting in a fertile recruiting ground for white nationalists. Millions of people who feel utterly alone yet simultaneously perfectly reachable. It starts out with shock humor, a way of striking back at a system they feel has diminished them (despite being easily some of the most privileged people in society). This is picked up on by actual white supremacists, who, by degrees, change it from a joke into an earnest statement. It's why the Pewdiepie thing is so fucked, and why I'm decidedly unfond of the PC Master Race meme.

 

[deriks]

I imagine some percentage of every group of people is susceptible to this.

Thank you.

For example, I'm a gamer and I'm a libertarian. I have a friend that is kinda of a gamer but is socialist.

 

[John Kowalski]

Involuntarily celibate

Damn.

Of course that's a thing...

 

[DorkLord54]

I'm not so sure... did white nationalist movements in the 70s and 80s contain a disproportionate numbers of D&D players or comic book geeks or Star Trek/Wars fans?

Historical context matters in this case. In the 70s and 80s, white supremacy has just exited the political mainstream in the US, and so much of the movement was filled with segregationists and Southern Democrats who watched their party turn against them in a blink of an eye, and saw as their ideology went from party-supported to fringe.

Now, white supremacy has been fringe for over half a century, and so white supremacist groups began turning to online geek circles in desperation for recruiting. To them, it was a veritable goldmine of recruits, as these communities have a sizable number of less-socialized individuals, many of whom were already likely to be decently conservative, to mold into their image.

 

[Nightbird]

Yes, Gamers and geeks could are easy targets for that ideology.

I would have almost fallen for this myself several years ago, and looking back at it, it's almost scary how easy it was.

The fight club example is on point.

 

[Soph]

Are some humans susceptible to be recruited by far-right ideology?

 

[hydrophilic attack]

absolutely

i was on the start of that path in my early twenties myself

 

[Nepenthe]

They have done a terrible job if so, since many gamers seems more left-wing, or even extreme left (like thinking violence is ok to make their voices heard)

Seriously? Excluding the fact that violence is not endemic to any single wing of politics, since when is gaming culture left-wing? It's based in the unquestionable value of invisible hand market theory, indiscriminate consumerism, and preservation of the status quo that it's (mistakenly) always been a white male space, in part because many gamers see it as a club for them to retreat to in the face of oppression from the feminists and other propagates of mainstream culture who rejected them in high school. It's a space where asking for minority representation is at best met with immediate defensiveness and at worst responded to with Gamergate. Left-wing it is not. It's libertarian at best.

 

[karasu]

Hell yes. Gamers are often a cowardly and superstitious lot. Gamergate exposed it all.

 

[AmuroChan]

Sure, some will be susceptible, just like any other group, but I've always felt the gaming community at large leans more to the left since influencers in the industry (journalists, devs, personalities) are predominately liberals, at least the ones I follow on social media.

 

[LionPride]

Yo it's like that with male nerd/geek culture as a whole

I remember the topic on OT, way people get these people is giving them someone to blame, typically women or a racial minority.

 

[cubicle47b]

and their anger and bitterness is being directed at people who threaten the privilege because they perceive "equality" as "oppression".

Or their anger and bitterness is directed at people who attack their identity in the name of equality.

Yes, gamers/geeks are more susceptible to far-right ideology due to social isolation and a lack of self-worth. It's sad that they're both pushed in that direction and that they choose to go.

 

[MisterShine]

...It's as if geek masculinity is so fragile that when some buttons are pushed and some questions are asked, they run into the arms of neo-nazis and white nationalists to feel safe and secure from the groups who are asking questions about representation of women in games, employment opportunities as a minority, the toxic culture of gaming communities, and so forth....:

Absolutely.

I spent the majority of my childhood having my masculinity and skin color questioned because I liked video games, comics and anime. I can absolutely see how a lot of young people would cling to whatever group first told them it's okay to be yourself, and on top of that it is okay to hate those groups of people that have harassed you because they are jealous/inferior/whatever.

I'm a high school teacher now and that seems somewhat less true today, at least in the area of "geekiness", we've more or less gone main-stream. It absolutely still occurs in other ways though. It might just be my biased opinion now, but it seems like teens are a lot more accepting of things like LGBT issues. There's plenty of homophobia et al, but there are also plenty of students that call it out when they see it.

 

[randomengine]

Gamer gate.
Libertarians.
Steam users who are against curation (because freedom)

I find that the Venn diagram of these groups has a lot of overlap.

 

[The Technomancer]

Sure, some will be susceptible, just like any other group, but I've always felt the gaming community at large leans more to the left since influencers in the industry (journalists, devs, personalities) are predominately liberals, at least the ones I follow on social media.

The industry probably leans more left wing just because urban professionals in general lean more left wing, but their audience is a very different segment of people

 

[The Spoony Hou]

Even if this was true, that would make gamers to be more susceptible to any kind of propaganda, not just extreme right.

Yes, I'd think that's the case. Fascist propaganda seems to have an allure of physical power that likely endears those who perceive themselves as lacking in that department. It also probably fits well with American culture (or western culture), but I'd have to think longer about that.

 

[Ninjimbo]

Some gamers are susceptible to it just like any other person who has felt powerless at some point in their lives. The people in Fight Club came from all parts of life. The guy who started it owned a condo that he kept it stuffed with all sorts of expensive material and he still felt like a shackled societal zombie.

Games are enjoyed by millions and million of people. You're bound to have racists, sexists, and all around weirdos enjoying them.

 

[Zakalwe]

Of all the people I know who would identify as "gamers", at least half of them have questionable beliefs that are tipping them toward the alt-right. And these are otherwise seemingly decent people, with girlfriends/wives/children, people who would seem to be more progressive at a glance.

There's definitely a vulnerability here. So many people were exposed to it during the GG fiasco, and many popular figures in the community made unexpected comments that were questionable.

Some gamers are susceptible to it just like any other person who has felt powerless at some point in their lives. The people in Fight Club came from all parts of life. The guy who started it owned a condo that he kept it stuffed with all sorts of expensive material and he still felt like a shackled societal zombie.

Games are enjoyed by millions and million of people. You're bound to have racists, sexists, and all around weirdos enjoying them.

Sure, but we're talking about those who identify as "gamers" which is the geekier side. The average person who plays video games isn't this.

 

[Dylan]

Yeah, I might be, but having physical contact with other people is way more valuable than online contact. But there's also many cultural characteristics that have to be taken in consideration. Many people who will naturally isolate themselves from others will find solace in games and minimal online interactions, which might cause for gamers to be a bit more susceptible as a consequence.

I'd agree and also add that if your interactions are mostly online, you are probably seeing a much larger proportion of hateful attitudes than you would in the real world, and it might seriously skew your perception of how people actually think.

Every day I see horrible, intolerant comments online, but honestly I've heard such hatred in person maybe only once or twice over the course of my entire life.

 

[akidnamededdy]

I don't think they're any more susceptible to far-right ideology than they are to far-left ideology.

I mean, just look at GAF.

 

[zelhawks37]

Any group of people can be pushed to the far right or far left. It all depends on the person and the circumstances.

 

[what-ok]

Yep. Play any online match of COD or the equivalent and it becomes clear right away how distrustingly hurtful humans can be. Especially when they can sit back and not have a face to face interaction with those they are lashing out to.

 

[MorshuTheTrader]

It's not really limited to gamers. I feel like modern technology (specifically how it isolates people) has lead to a lot of people feeling down/unfulfilled and extreme politics on both sides speaks to a lot of people and ignites that fire.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

I don't think they're any more susceptible to far-right ideology than they are to far-left ideology.

I mean, just look at GAF.

yes, the hivemind known as NeoGAF.com is just one step away from violent socialist revolution

 

[Dahaka]

"outcasts" or people that perceive to be one of them or look for something to identify with that's strong with words and slogans will always fall prey. Gaming is a hobby where these types of people are easier to be sucked out of the living world and its social interactions. That can't happen with team sports or anything which involes real social interaction.

"Involuntary celibate", literally people who believe its an injustice that other people won't have sex with them

Why don't they come to GAF? There are a lot of them here. Reading OT I'm amazed how inept grown adults can be living their life, maintaining/cleaning their apartment/flat, taking care of finances, simply TALKING to a girl.

 

[Skilletor]

Look at any thread about diversity on GAF, and this is one of the better moderated sites.

Absolutely. The demographic that is normally catered to with gaming feels threatened at the thought of diversity in their games.

 

[randomengine]

So my bro is a liberal.

He started posting alt right stuff because he went to a social event and said something without thinking and was accused of racism and so he went on a "free speech" bender and found a home online with these types of people. He started repeating their rhetoric. Got super interested in free speech rights in NYC towards transgender tenants. He lives in Tennessee.

All because he was embarrassed in a social situation and found people telling him what he wanted to hear who then directed his energy towards their own agenda.

 

[The Spoony Hou]

I'd agree and also add that if your interactions are mostly online, you are probably seeing a much larger proportion of hateful attitudes than you would in the real world, and it might seriously skew your perception of how people actually think.

Every day I see horrible, intolerant comments online, but honestly I've heard such hatred in person maybe only once or twice over the course of my entire life.

That's absolutely true. Hate begets hate, and those people live in a very toxic environment.

 

[pashmilla]

Why don't they come to GAF? There are a lot of them here. Reading OT I'm amazed how inept grown adults can be living their life, maintaining/cleaning their apartment/flat, taking care of finances, simply TALKING to a girl.

No no, incels believe the government should be giving them women to rape. Like full on red pill crazy.

 

[Lady Gaia]

You probably can't handle any right-leaning gamers, not just far-right. Neogaf is a bubble

NeoGAF handles anti-social behavior just fine, as any sane society should.

 

[Nepenthe]

I don't think they're any more susceptible to far-right ideology than they are to far-left ideology.

I mean, just look at GAF.

GAF isn't far-left. It's centrist with a slightly left meaning.

Dig a little deeper into Off-Topic Community and you'll notice minority OT threads are frequent spaces for people to lament just how shitty the main board can be in terms of empathizing with their struggles and perspective.

 

[The Omega Man]

I don't think they're any more susceptible to far-right ideology than they are to far-left ideology.

I mean, just look at GAF.

scary

 

[Draft]

Many gamers are white guys that don't have much sex, so absolutely.

 

[Kinsei]

Yep.

They also have a bunch of socially insecure #notallgamers dudes to hide behind.

 

[patapuf]

I came in here to post the Polygon comment

Yes absolutely, this is true with geek culture in general I think. Any sort of subculture that fancies itself as a victim of oppression while not suffering under actual structural oppression is ripe for conversion into reactionary ideology.

I don't think the qualifier is necessary.

You can easily radicalise actually oppressed people too.

 

[Kai Dracon]

If "gamers" are more vulnerable, I suspect it would have a lot to do with how closely tied they are to internet culture. Since the late 90s there has been a focused online culture of cynicism and passive-aggressive resentment from young nerds celebrating how much the world sucks. In my experience it was tied at the hip to video games due to overlap of interests.

Online culture has done a good job of spreading memes conditioning young insecure men everyone is out to get them because everything is rotten and life hates you. It seems an effective recruiting tool. Come online and find forums full of bitter persons ripping into everything that likely torments you: society telling you it's an irredeemable failure to lack constant sexual conquests, material success, testosterone-flavored respect from your male peers.

Once you're essentially radicalized, it's easy to transfer the radicalization to other subjects. "Jews getting in the way of MY future wealth and success? It's more common than you think!"

 

[AColdDay]

Gamer gate.
Libertarians.
Steam users who are against curation (because freedom)

I find that the Venn diagram of these groups has a lot of overlap.

Oh come on now. I fought the good fight for Steam curation in the Steam Direct threads, but even though I think those people who were telling me how impossible it was to find bad games on Steam were nutjobs (LOOK AT THIS SCREENSHOT, SHOW ME WHERE THE BAD GAMES ARE! WHERE ARE THEY?!), I wouldn't EVER lump them in with Gamer Gaters.

 

[AmuroChan]

The industry probably leans more left wing just because urban professionals in general lean more left wing, but their audience is a very different segment of people

Sure of course. My point was that if the "influencers" in gaming are largely liberals, wouldn't the ideology that gamers are exposed to most be liberal ideology? or are we suggesting that gamers find far-right ideology more attractive to them than liberalism?

 

[LiLSnorpSnorp]

Does being far right actually make someone more prone to take up an extreme ideal? Wouldn't things like education level, socioeconomic status, what life at home is like, etc., have a much bigger role?

 

[Portugeezer]

Some? I dont se why not, it's not really a question though. Most gamers are left leaning anyway, so I don't understand this fascination over some right wing/alt right leaning gamers, unless you believe that those are peoples true thoughts... Well, most likely it is not and someone doesn't need to constantly say fuck you to trump or agree with every feminist idea to prove themselves; but just because someone doesn't agree with everything that would be considered left leaning or PC doesn't make them alt right or neo Nazis.

 

[Skronk]

Like others have said I think some people always had these thoughts but were too scared to voice them. The gaming industry's own marketing used to be heavily targeted to sexist male gamers.

It's also been a pretty big shock to me how many people that I thought I could identify with through shared interests turned out to be massive racists and misogynists.

 

[Peltz]

lol no. People are people. Uneducated people are susceptible to extreme regressive views... whether they're gamers or otherwise.

Extreme regressive movements have existed all throughout history, including before videogames and nerd culture. Gamer gate is no different from other horrible movements in the past.

Gamer gate is just a subset of a much larger alt right.

 

[pashmilla]

Some? I dont se why not, it's not really a question though. Most gamers are left leaning anyway, so I don't understand this fascination over some right wing/alt right leaning gamers, unless you believe that those are peoples true thoughts... Well, most likely it is not and someone doesn't need to constantly say fuck you to trump or agree with every feminist idea to prove themselves; but just because someone doesn't agree with everything that would be considered left leaning or PC doesn't make them alt right or neo Nazis.

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gamergate proves that radical right-wing ideals are not some fringe thing, they are EVERYWHERE in the gaming community. Gaf is a well-moderated site that shuts that shit down but go to reddit or gamefaqs and you'll see it.

 

[RionaaM]

Threads like this make me realize I only barely skim the surface of game circles and the internet. Like not even putting my toes in...just skimming across the top like a smooth stone.

I wouldn't even know where to go to get recruited for something....or even contacted to, lol.

I guess it's a mix of places. 4chan, Twitter, Reddit, some Youtube channels, all of that. You get bombarded with this stuff, and after some time you start thinking "You know, they really seem to have a point here". Couple that with low self-esteem and an easily influenced mind, add a bit of disillusion plus some lack of empathy and critical thinking, and what you get is a recipe for disaster. Read that crap long enough and you may start believing it's normal and acceptable. Casual racism, misogynist remarks, complaining about political correctness and "SJWs", they are all jokes these groups take part in, and as a result you do the same. It's only a matter of time until you start seeing your new friends harassing women and minorities on Twitter, and decide to join in the fun since it's "just internet trolling" and "protecting our hobby".

When you think about it, it's scary how easily a normal person can be tempted by this shit. I doubt every Gamergate supporter was really a woman hater, but they still helped boosting that message and allowed the ones who were to carry out awful actions.