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Nick Robinson (Polygon) involved in sexual harassment allegations [Suspended]
- Thread starter Bowlie
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TharpDaddy
Member
I'm not going to bat for Nick or dying on a hill for him, but in my case I mentally defended him for a bit because of the mental disconnect between the person I saw in videos and the person who sent these things. It's hard to build up an impression and schema of someone over a year and immediately change it when something goes against it.
At first I ended up rationalizing it that this is just a bad side of him, that the entertaining, funny person from stuff like Car Boys is who he really is, and if he can get help for his issues we can see that person return. It's obviously not that simple. I can see a world where I jumped into an argument before giving myself time to think and ended up arguing on behalf of the character I built up in my head, and not the reality of what is going on.
SwordStruck
Member
What the hell does any of this have to do with Donald fucking Trump???
SJurgenson
Banned
I think that mis-understands my argument.
I'm not saying we should allow him back into the industry/community as a carrot to get him to change. I'm saying that if he truly changes deep-down as a person and has honestly come to regret his actions irregardless of outside incentives, we should not just blacklist him.
He needs to realize that the consequences of his actions are a fair social response to his disgusting antisocial behavior. If he believes the actions are spiteful (as in a 100% he-could-cure-cancer-but-who-cares blacklist), then he would be blinded by the bitterness at the reaction from being able to truly see and understand the personal faults and changes he needs to make.
Basically, my point is: Yeah, dude should be fired and we should not see him again for a long while. But if he comes back, and claims to have bettered himself -- we should watch him like a hawk, but allow him to prove he is a better person worthy of resuming his career.
ClosingADoor
Member
Up to his employer if they want to keep him on. And up to people if they want to watch him. Nothing is stopping him from going out and making his own content for example. It's not on us to forgive him or anything, we are just spectators in all of this.Its a good question: what does it take for forgiveness?
If nick came out and said I appologize to all the women affected by my behavior. What I did was wrong, and I am ashamed. Im attending counseling to deal with these issues. I want to be sure that I never make anyone feel like I made these people feel again
Would it be enough?
Can people rehabilitate?
Im a bit drunk, and I think the inner fan is me is coming out. And I hate it. I just...wish this had never happened. He was such a promising guy on such a good trajectory. Yet as I type these words I feel guilt and shame myself for trying to make it all ok for him
Im sorry if this doesnt make sense
Im just so sad I guy I legit loved (I have car boys art in my house that WAS waiting to be framed) betrayed so many with his behavior.
It goes back to the softboy thing. He was such an ally. He was so sensitive to feelings....it just hurts to know it was all to be a dickhead
BreezyLimbo
Banned
Because at times this industry is nepotistic. Like, alot of publications are staffed by people that knew each other previously to some extent.
SJurgenson
Banned
It's a good question: ”what does it take for forgiveness?"
If nick came out and said ”I appologize to all the women affected by my behavior. What I did was wrong, and I am ashamed. I'm attending counseling to deal with these issues. I want to be sure that I never make anyone feel like I made these people feel again"
Would it be enough?
Can people rehabilitate?
I'm a bit drunk, and I think the inner fan is me is coming out. And I hate it. I just...wish this had never happened. He was such a promising guy on such a good trajectory. Yet as I type these words I feel guilt and shame myself for trying to make it all ok for him
I'm sorry if this doesn't make sense
I'm just so sad I guy I legit loved (I have car boys art in my house that WAS waiting to be framed) betrayed so many with his behavior.
It goes back to the softboy thing. He was such an ally. He was so sensitive to feelings....it just hurts to know it was all to be a dickhead
I just don't think we should declare people 100% lost causes in most circumstances. If he claims he has changed in the future, we should at least allow him to prove that under a strict, watchful gaze. We want to judge him in part due to his lack of compassion towards woman as people, but then we declare we have no compassion for him in the future if he truly betters himself? It doesn't seem right to me on a philosophical level.
I'm just saying, if he wants to go to the back of the line and prove he is valuable again, we should give him some benefit of the doubt and allow him to prove it. Obviously the level of 'proof' would be much greater than someone new coming in, but we should at least be open to the possibility he can better himself and be a positive force in the community/industry in the future.
CannonFodder52
Member
I'm not sure if all that much of this discussion is really on aggressively hating this guy. Thread would not have grown nearly as big if it wasn't for people defending shitty behaviour popping in on every page.
Because I'm guessing that people like familiarity. How many times have you heard of people saying they'll jump from one ship to another because of a personality. If it means more clicks, more ads, more money, it may seem like it's in its best interest to tolerate or at least keep said person.
Look at Colin Moriarty. Despised by lots of people and was forced out of KF. They kept him around for a long time despite his shortcomings because he was a fan favorite. When he finally left, Patreon money dropped and he made thousands doing his own deal.
Money talks.
TheFinalCut
Member
As someone who was a fan of his work with Griffin at Polygon, I never want to see, hear, or read anything from him in the future.
Abusing position within an industry is always unprofessional, and when to sexually harass, absolutely disgusting. This was always going to catch up to him, and he should pay the price for how he treated both female colleagues, and fans.
Abusing position within an industry is always unprofessional, and when to sexually harass, absolutely disgusting. This was always going to catch up to him, and he should pay the price for how he treated both female colleagues, and fans.
Bobo Dakes
Member
In this case, it'll be in no one's best interest to keep him because no one wants to work with him.
See my edit
SJurgenson
Banned
Nah, man. Compassion is the heart of the beauty of the world.
We should all be open to forgiving those who wrong us, while never forgetting. A lot of the worlds ills are caused by a lack of compassion, forgiveness, and understanding.
If he comes back and claims to be better and have changed, we should open our arms to him -- but keep our eyes open.
We can talk about harassment and racism and shitheads on the Internet all we want, but the basis of all that awfulness is a lack of compassion.
Fahzgoolin
Banned
I agree that people trying to defend someone harassing women and preying on them because of their status is indefensible (and sadly probably more common than we know).
I just think it's also wrong/unedifying and silly to be so interested in someone's life falling apart. Perhaps it's an interest in justice, but I find the abrasive nature and mean spirited mob obsession kind of gross.
I appreciate your tone in your question btw. It's refreshing and kind.
The poster below is getting at what I mean as well. I'm concerned about the angry mob mentality with really awful things being said and accepted, which is disturbing.
Bobo Dakes
Member
My point still stands.
Colin doesn't count because he left to do his own thing. No one "kept him around" or "tolerated" him for clicks.
mr teaspoon
Member
Good question, and there's no easy answer in this instance, because so much of it has to do with personality and judgment.
I swear I'm not saying this to be inflammatory, but based on those screen caps and the way he carries himself, the guy just seems like a real manchild. I don't know how you teach somebody to behave like an adult if they reach 26 and are still behaving this way. Sure, it would be great if he acknowledged what he did wrong and vowed specifically never to ask for nude pictures from a young fan ever again, but I don't feel like that specific scenario really properly covers the problem.
I guess I can't justify this belief with hard facts, but it really seems to be a case of stunted development. I suspect he has a hard time differentiating between completely innocent, non-sexual conversation and flirting. And, to me, the solution is, 'Don't be a 26 year old man who chats with 18 year old girls. This should just not be intellectually engaging for you on any level.' It's going to be a really, really rough time for him if he still wants to be Mr. Twee with the young girls.
This kind comes across weird.. I can talk to much younger women without being a bag of dicks.
How about just treat anyone despite their age and sex like respectable human beings..
RumbleHumble
Banned
This is a bad comparison point. KF made very clear that Colin left of his own volition because he was upset that they didn't say his joke was funny. Let's not get carried away here.
All that being said, we really don't need another thread on Colin Moriarty, so I'm gonna leave that alone.
If someone voted for trump, regardless of their own beliefs, they're at fault and bad people. They're either complicit with his beliefs or share them. As bad as Hillary was, she wasn't an outward gigantic bigot.
Just because you may want to keep your precious guns doesn't mean it's okay to vote for the man who has on camera bragged about sexual assault, jfc
RumbleHumble
Banned
The tone comes from making plenty of mistakes of my own in this thread and trying to be better. And thank you for responding. It's easy to get rushed into a mob mentality on things, but I would still argue that whatever negative statements being directed towards Nick do minimal damage compared to the damage Nick did to this industry through his abuse of power. People have reacted so forcefully in this thread, because, in my perspective, they're trying to show that this kind of behavior should not be tolerated full-stop. Tolerating it means preserving an environment that allowed this whole mess to happen in the first place. If we don't show a forceful condemnation of these actions, it will make those who spoke up feel impotent in speaking up in the first place.
The last thing any of these users want is an environment where people who've been exploited are afraid to say so. I think that's the motivation behind whatever vitriol you're seeing directed against Nick.
I also want to point out that I was a fan of Nick's content in the past and this shit sucks. Hell, I'm Catholic, so seeing people I trust use their position to abuse others hits a particular button.
joecanada
Member
What does sexual harassment have to do with a guy who said " just grab them by the pussy" and was elected to the highest office anyway? Gee I wonder .
Sexual harassment culture and Trump go hand in hand.
Donald Trump publicly harasses women and is unapologetic about it.
If the President of the United States thinks it's okay to "grab women by the pussy" against their will and laugh about it after the fact what sort of example does this set for younger men in this country?
We have a President who thinks sexual assault and harassment are perfectly fine things to do if the woman is attractive enough. You don't think this puts in place a culture of harassment being seen as something men can get away with?
canedaddy
Member
And that guy ran against a woman who accepted her own husband's sexual assaults and trashed his victims. And her top aide and confident was the wife of Anthony Weiner. So yeah, not the finest moment in U.S. politics if you care about these kinds of issues.
Equating women staying married to a husband who cheats on them as equal with a man who PUBLICLY BRAGGED ABOUT GRABBING WOMENS GENITALS AGAINST THEIR WILL is goddamn insane.
Trump has admitted and bragged about sexually assaulting women against their will. How many people did Huma and Hillary sexually assault?
I honestly feel bad for you if you think staying with a man and trashing the women their husband cheated on them with is just as bad as rape (and yes grabbing women's genitals against their will is rape, and Trump had admitted and bragged about doing this).
Staying with a man who cheated on them is not the same thing as sexually assaulting women. My god man.
Women reconciling with husbands (and saying not so nice things about the women their husband cheated on them with) is not something to shame a woman over. It's their choice. And to try to even compare it in the slightest to Trump forcefully sticking his fingers inside various women's vagina's against their will is sickening
TyrantGuardian
Member
...wow
autoduelist
Member
People do change. I've seen it. But nobody 'deserves' a second chance. You might get lucky and get one. You might earn it. But there are billions of people in this world who never get a first chance. It's why you should always try to make the best of any chance you get. I think there is some overreaction in this thread, but this guy seemingly deserved being removed from his position. I do wish it was done with a bit less publicity [I'm not sure any of this is our business while it's being worked out].
This is wildly off topic and I'm sure will get deleted, but...
I didn't vote for Trump, but this is a load of hogwash. It's far too reductionist, like a religious nutjob saying 'anyone who voted for Hillary Clinton supports is an abortion loving murderer'.
Politics are far more complex than that. Most people do not care about the issues you care about, no matter who you are. For some, it's economy. For some, it's character. For some, it's abortion. Or war. Or... anything, really. In most cases, it's very simple - jobs. And Trump talked a lot about jobs.
And when you take that into consideration, there are a million and one reasons someone might justifiably vote for someone despite other issues, like the reprehensible comment you're talking about. That was your line in the sand, not someone else's.
The issue was that Trump should -never- had made it past the primaries. He was a terrible novelty candidate that never should have made it past the first round of vetting, but thanks to a controversy hungry media got turned into a giant snowball. But once he was the candidate? People who hated him felt forced to vote for him because they do not want a Democrat in office for a thousand and one other reasons.
Stop vilifying those who don't agree with you. It does not strengthen your position, it undermines it. Trump is an absolutely terrible president... he was a terrible candidate. He is pretty much terrible through and through. But he won because our political system is f'd up, and we're often forced to choose between 'the lesser of two evils'. Both parties put up absolutely terrible candidates, ones literally despised by the other sides, and turned this election into a farce.
This is wildly off topic and I'm sure will get deleted, but...
I didn't vote for Trump, but this is a load of hogwash. It's far too reductionist, like a religious nutjob saying 'anyone who voted for Hillary Clinton supports is an abortion loving murderer'.
Politics are far more complex than that. Most people do not care about the issues you care about, no matter who you are. For some, it's economy. For some, it's character. For some, it's abortion. Or war. Or... anything, really. In most cases, it's very simple - jobs. And Trump talked a lot about jobs.
And when you take that into consideration, there are a million and one reasons someone might justifiably vote for someone despite other issues, like the reprehensible comment you're talking about. That was your line in the sand, not someone else's.
The issue was that Trump should -never- had made it past the primaries. He was a terrible novelty candidate that never should have made it past the first round of vetting, but thanks to a controversy hungry media got turned into a giant snowball. But once he was the candidate? People who hated him felt forced to vote for him because they do not want a Democrat in office for a thousand and one other reasons.
Stop vilifying those who don't agree with you. It does not strengthen your position, it undermines it. Trump is an absolutely terrible president... he was a terrible candidate. He is pretty much terrible through and through. But he won because our political system is f'd up, and we're often forced to choose between 'the lesser of two evils'. Both parties put up absolutely terrible candidates, ones literally despised by the other sides, and turned this election into a farce.
We are at the point now where we have people think a woman staying with her husband after he cheats on her is just as sexually assaulting women against their will.
Of course we are at that point.
Hmmm Person A had heir husabd cheat on her and she, as any person with human emotions, was angry at the person who slept with her husband.
Person B sticks his fingers in women's genitals against their will then brags about it.
Yeah. Same thing.
Of course we are at that point.
Hmmm Person A had heir husabd cheat on her and she, as any person with human emotions, was angry at the person who slept with her husband.
Person B sticks his fingers in women's genitals against their will then brags about it.
Yeah. Same thing.
canedaddy
Member
You're seriously not aware of Bill Clinton's history of sexual assault? Google Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey and Paula Jones.
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