ironclad_chomskyan

ironclad_chomskyan, 1 month ago

@ward The "unrealistic body standards" argument is quite simple. We are social creatures, and our existence depends on social contacts. Our contacts with society are based on evolutionary innate predispositions that rely on exposure to form generalizations. This requires exposure to normal samples, not ones that are skewed by influences from vested interests. When you allow such skewing it directly benefits a section of society, those pushing the skews, at the cost of others. In this case "unrealistic body standards" as the de facto status quo directly, and palpably, affect how women in general experience social interactions. A subset of women liking that and a subset of men not indulging in that are neither arguments against the original criticism.

Strip clubs are a different ball game. There is nothing generically wrong with sex as commerce. But when such commerce takes place in a society with skewed expectations and power imbalances it once again asymmetrically affects a certain subsection of society.

I would recommend Emma Goldman and Rosa Luxembourg's works in this area.

ironclad_chomskyan, 1 month ago

@ward "Sex, sexiness, nudity, porn, and half-naked characters are a huge part of society. "

Sure. But this, in itself, is not a problem. The problem is at a higher level of generalisation that a priori determines, and restricts, what those half-naked characters "should" look like.

"Anyway, most people I know are very pro-porn... but some of those same people are against sexy game characters."

Porn, again, is not a problem as a concept. But the same arguments apply regarding normalising imposed power-imbalances as status quo. If these people have a principled stance on porn being, ideally, okay, then I don't see an issue with it. If, on the other hand, they think it is an exception to similar analyses then they are just hypocrites. Or addicted. Not unlike most gamers are to the point where for them games, as they are, must not be subject to socio-political and political-economic criticisms, or they make rape threats against Sarkeesian. Everybody who is not a "gamer" was disgusted by the hypocrisy of gamergate, but gamers live in a walled echo-chamber, and made youtube videos for each other to convince themselves that they were the heroes in that fight. This is not unlike how the US refers to its own opinion as "international opinion". Think, also, of the video made about you by some dude called Fritangaplays when you criticised Microsoft's takeover of Blizzard.

ironclad_chomskyan, 2 months ago

@ward Beep bop boop.

ironclad_chomskyan, 7 months ago

@ward Does it have lootboxes, though? And seasons?

ironclad_chomskyan, 8 months ago

@ward I enjoyed Shrine, Shrine II and Wheels of Aurelia... if you want to keep things simple.