[sosuke]

I feel like it has been for the past year, it is exhausting. I think there is a real term for it but at first I was in shock, and now I'm tired of hearing it, being lumped in the same category with folks doing some nasty evil stuff. I just want to play with my trains, shoot friends in CoD and explore wild fantasy worlds. I don't support the harassment or abuse of any person, I feel sorry for these people who are under attack. I don't have an answer on how to stop it, or improve the landscape. Is it even possible to stop some people from being vile? How do you say 'No, you can't think those things, you can't talk like that.' and have an impact on someone who feels completely secure and self-righteous from their position?

I don't want to feel guilt for being a man who likes video games.

[CocaKoala]

You shouldn't feel guilty for playing games, but if your sense of identity consists entirely of the fact that you play games, you should maybe address that. If you're identifying yourself as "A Gamer", then you're seriously telling me that you have no characteristics which are more defining to your sense of self, to your personality, to you as a human being, than the fact that you play video games? That's messed up, and people who do it are messed up.

It is, I believe, a growing recognition of that messed-up-edness that's leading to the rise of articles about the "death of the gamer", because normal human beings (like yourself) who may have previously said "oh, I like to play video games; I guess that makes me a gamer" are now saying "oh no actually these people are all horrible and I like to play games but I am not like them; please do not get confused!".

[jtbigwoo]

I heard an interview with Ed Begley, Jr. where they talked for twenty minutes about his eco-friendly lifestyle. His house has super-insulated windows, walls, and doors, recycles rainwater, generates power from solar cells and a wind turbine, and has a stationary bike that generates electricity for the kitchen. His yard is planted with drought-tolerant garden of California-native plants. He rides a hybrid-electric bike whenever he can.

Toward the end of the interview, the interviewer, seeming overwhelmed, asked, "Well that's great for you rich guys, but what about us ordinary folk?" (I'm paraphrasing both sides of the conversation here.) Begley said, "You think we started with solar panels in the 1970's? We didn't have any money. I started with rolls of insulation in my attic. Saved me thousands of dollars. Start with something small and inexpensive."

You don't have to be an activist, but if you don't like the way things are, pick one thing that can help. You're right that picking fights with strangers probably won't help. Maybe you have a friend who's a dick online. You and a couple friends can ask him to tone it down. Maybe decide to only offer helpful criticism to newbies for a week and reserving taunting for friends. Pick something small and make the world a little better.

[ikt]

I feel exactly the same way, I login, I play wow for sometimes 5 hours a week, maybe 15, I play, I challenge myself, I do my best, I try to be as non-toxic as I can and then I get out... but now I'm a misogynistic mass consumer with no soul and no culture who should feel bad.

[GFK_of_xmaspast]

If you don't call those people out on their behavior, even if they ignore you, then you're legitimizing it.

[TeMPOraL]

No, you're not allowed to do that. You should feel guilty for your privilege of being a man.

I recently had an identical complain in another thread [0]. It turns out I'm apparently an evil hypocritical misogynist.

There's no escape for us, we're collateral damage.

[0] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8260719