Thats my problem as well and I really don't understand why Boogie or anyone else who is thinking like he does (condemning those attacking women and also wanting more accountability in games journalism and not blaming all gamers for the bad people within GG itself) keeps trying to defend the GG tag, what about the tag itself is so important that you need to defend it despite its origins as a hate campaign? Why not simply start up a new tag that better defines what they believe?
I feel as though the resolution in this matter lies in this sentence.
Be an individual, and people will treat you like one.
Movements and hashtags and the like are very easily hijacked by the loudest voices. You can start whatever movement you want with the best of intentions, but as movements grow, you lose direct control over the message being put out, and before you know it, you are associated with some other persons viewpoint and the integrity of your own views is compromised as a result.
My own views are as follows:
- I openly condemn all acts of misogyny and intimidation, whether made under the gamergate name or not.
- I do not believe there is widespread corruption in the games industry, but I do believe certain outlets do not have the best interests of the consumer at heart, which is extremely disappointing considering how highly some of these are/were regarded in the gaming community.
- I play video games as a hobby, which I am very passionate about.
However, regardless of whether any of the above viewpoints overlap, I do not associate any of my views with #gamergate, #notallgamers, or any other hashtag movement. People can identify me as a "gamer" in the current sense if they wish to do so, but certainly I'm the current climate, it is not something I will associate myself as being. Right now, that to me seems to be the only way to maintain any semblance of integrity.