Pre-social media was a much simpler time.
Sure, these online networks do a lot of good in terms, but often times, it’s devolved into a cesspool of toxic interactions solely because someone thinks differently than you. What’s worse is social media rewards this type of negativity because it drives online traffic.
I recently opined on gamers striving to find more middle ground and agreeing to disagree. Today, I take it a step further: not only should we learn to disagree better, but we should tone back the negativity as a whole.
Before I continue, I want to be clear that I am not referring to criticism. We do not have to love everything that is happening in gaming and we should express our displeasure when we feel compelled to do so.
That said, there is a way to express your dissatisfaction or displeasure without being standoffish to those who do not agree with you.
It is this space that I wish more fans of gaming would occupy. Rather, many take an alternate route where they speak so hyperbolically that there is no room to have a conversation.
Many times, those who speak in this manner do so through the either-or logical fallacy. They speak in absolutes to the point that there is no room for nuance. Either you absolutely despise the PlayStation 5 Pro or you are a Sony shill.
To further the point, those who engage in this type of discourse don’t ever offer positive alternatives and if they do, they move the goal posts when that change happens.
It feels like their sole purpose is to be a contrarian and they won’t be happy until everyone hates everything they do.
In the words of Michael Jordan, “stop it.”
This approach does more harm than good to our favorite pastime. It alienates newcomers and chills discourse. In a lot of ways, we’re so used to being an echo chamber where everyone thinks like we do that we forget that there are others who do not.
I love video games and I love writing for Boss Rush about those games. I will also admit my standards are not that high when it comes to video games as my bar has always been how much fun I’m having.
I see gaming as similar to food. Sometimes, you get a five-star meal made by an award-winning chef and sometimes you get McDonalds. It’s OK if you like both because each type brings you joy.
Again, I am not asking people to shy away from their opinions. I am asking people to tone back their approach to allow for more nuance.
Gaming is supposed to be fun and we all experience that fun in a different way. That’s the beauty of gaming, and all of entertainment for that matter.
With that in mind, we should be kinder in our online interactions. We should welcome debate without isolating others. Sure, we can’t please everyone, but we shouldn’t express thoughts like it’s the gospel truth because it’s not, it’s our opinion.
I can say from personal experience that a lot of online negativity makes it hard for me to share my opinions.
It takes a lot for me to feel comfortable to share and lately, I’m afraid to mention that I enjoy certain things for fear of personal attacks and belittlement.
At the end of the day, video games are part of the inconsequential “toys and games” department. What happens in this space likely won’t affect the world at large. So why do we treat it as such?
We should celebrate our differences as a community and engage in friendly debate over it. The Spiral of Silence should not be the norm in our community.
What about you? Do you think negativity has gotten out of hand in gaming and entertainment? How would you fix it? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Discord channel to join the conversation.
Featured Image: Ravi Sharma (via Unsplash)
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