Jed Whitaker: "It doesn't and shouldn't matter" is something that someone who is heavily represented in the medium would say.

Also this notion of "go make your own game" is stupid too, because when people do that the internet equally cries just as much about it. See: Gone Home.

Wolvenreign:Jed, I must ask you, do you really think that the only reason someone would say that it doesn't and shouldn't matter is because they're heavily represented?

Is it not possible to take their ideas separate from their identity? I don't mean this rhetorically or sarcastically, as I am not a user of either of those. I would genuinely ask you this.

Perhaps someone can say that from a point of neutral observation. In addition, I don't think you actually know what gender/race stratisfire is.

I think the best course of action here is to address the ideas that are being discussed as opposed to the person discussing them. What you are perpetuating here seems to be the ad hominem fallacy.

Jed Whitaker: Do I think that? I'd say a majority of the people I see getting outraged over representation or saying who cares are white dudes, so of course they don't care, they've been pandered to their entire life.

Obviously someone more diverse can share the same opinion.

That said negative opinions of things such as having more diversity in a game, especially when coming from say white males, aren't really valuable or original. Of course they don't care, but they also can't imagine what it is like to be on the other side of the coin, or choose not to.

Wolvenreign: You miss the point. If anyone can have these views, simply by observing reality, then who has them is irrelevant to how valid those points of view are. In fact, even if only one type of person could have these views, it still wouldn't be an indicator of how closely they match reality.

I had to read that second paragraph a few times over just to really let it hit me. Jed, I don't know if you realize this, but what you said was incredibly, shockingly racist. I am not usually one to throw such accusations around, and I do so only when the situation is so black and white as to call for it. Whenever I read anyone's articles, I always do my best to give them the benefit of the doubt. However, there is no more room for doubt here.

What you just said was, and I quote, "That said negative opinions of things such as having more diversity in a game, especially when coming from say white males, aren't really valuable or original." So what you're saying here, and I'm not sure how to interpret this any other way, is that a person's skin color or gender determines how valuable their opinion is.

Furthermore, you said, "Of course they don't care, but they also can't imagine what it is like to be on the other side of the coin, or choose not to." This heavily implies that a person's skin color and gender, as well as whether they're a part of the majority determines whether they are capable of a basic human feat; empathy. The ability to put one's self in another shoes, which is only lacking in the most extreme of narcissists and psycho/sociopaths. What you are saying here, Jed, is that people who are in the majority do not have the capacity to be human. Of course, it would seem that the other option is that they will automatically choose to not use their empathy or humanity, simply because of their skin color.

You have one chance to correct this, if it is indeed a mistake. If you should choose to double down on this, you will make an enemy out of me and the rather large majority of decent human beings on this website who see such thinking for the awful cesspool of racism that it is. Of course, I suppose if you think a person's ability to empathize relies on whether or not they're some kind of minority, you won't really expect us to understand your point of view or have any kind of mercy towards you.

One last chance, Jed.

Jed Whitaker: The reality is a white male lives a very different life than say a black female, so their opinions and outlooks on life are different. Empathy or not.

Opinions of those that aren't represented have more weight to them than those that poo-poo off the discussion of diversity, when said people are heavily represented.

People can be empathetic, but judging from many comment sections, many people choose not to be instead, and those that are mostly remain silent instead of dealing with angry hordes of anonymous commenters raining down upon them. I don't blame them.

Believe what you will. *shrugs*

Wolvenreign: "The reality is a white male lives a very different life than say a black female, so their opinions on life are different. Empathy or not."

I'm not even sure where to start with this one. Are you saying that any black female lives a *VERY* different life than any white male? Even if they have the same interests, hobbies, careers, hopes, dreams, the same school, the same routine, the same income, the same fetishes, they STILL have to live a very different life because of their gender and skin color? If this really is your claim, where is your proof? Do keep in mind that the burden of proof lies with the one who makes the positive claim. You can't just hope to say "the reality is" and expect anyone to believe you.

Once again, you miss the point. I bring up empathy because, believe it or not, it is possible for someone who is more largely represented to consider the point of view of someone who isn't. It's possible for them to EMPATHIZE with their situation, weigh the evidence, and then dismiss it as no big deal because their logic and evidence led them to believe that it wasn't a problem even after empathizing.

"Opinions of those that aren't represented have more weight to them than those that poo-poo off the discussion of diversity, when said people are heavily represented."

I am, once again, utterly in shock, although I suppose if this conversation continues in this fashion I'll just have to get used to it. This is what you honestly, sincerely believe. You really think that ideas shouldn't be weighed based on the logic, reason, or evidence behind an idea, but instead should be based on whether or not someone is part of a majority or a minority.

See, to most people who consider ideas important, an idea stands or falls based on it's own merit. To people who are blatant sexists and racists, however, what really, REALLY matters is what they have between their legs and what color their skin is. Before you ask whether or not I'm calling you a sexist or racist; if the Luigi amiibo buttplug fits, shove it up your ass and twist twice. In other words, if you really believe that the most important factor in measuring the merit of someone's ideas is their gender or race, then yes, you are by definition a sexist racist.

"People can be empathetic, but judging from many comment sections, many people choose not to be instead, and those that are mostly remain silent instead of dealing with angry hordes of anonymous commenters raining down upon them. I don't blame them."

First of all, this is a far cry from your previous statement saying that, "Of course they don't care, but they also can't imagine what it is like to be on the other side of the coin, or choose not to.", implying that ALL of them, as opposed to MANY of them, can't empathize or choose to ignore their empathy. As I always strive to do, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you always meant "many" as opposed to the blatant generalizations that I'm seeing signs of elsewhere in your writing.

With that out of the way, would you care to link me to these comment sections? I think it would be wise to take stock of what these people are ACTUALLY saying, for the most part. Obviously, every comment section will be filled with anonymous trolls given a decent enough level of exposure. Where are they saying, "We absolutely disregard our empathy and won't even for a moment consider the other side."? Is it possible that they consider the other side, find the evidence for it lacking, and then continue to argue based on evidence and reason instead of just feelings?

In addition, you can't just say "There's a silent majority.". It's like saying, "There's an invisible unicorn in my attic, you just can't see it." Citation needed, Jed. If they're silent on a comment section, how would we actually measure for their existence in the first place? How would your claim have any weight to it if you claim something that, by definition, can't be measured? Notice here that I'm weighing your opinion based on the evidence or lack thereof, not your skin color, genitals, or sexual orientation. You see, that's what people who are actually interested in the conversation do.

"Believe what you will. *shrugs*"

I wouldn't take this matter so lightly if I were you. (See what I did there? It's called empathy. Crazy, right?) It is now a matter of public record that you weigh the opinions of people more or less heavily based on their skin color and gender. Considering that you are a journalist and taking note of people's opinions and the validity thereof weighed against reality is part and parcel with your job, this deeply wounds your credibility with your readers. You can bet your beard hedge clippers that I will be there in every comments section of every article that you write informing everyone that if they don't meet a specific quota of what they were born as, you will dismiss their opinions out of hand. I don't think that would be very healthy for your career, do you?

Don't get me wrong, Jed. This is nothing personal; this is about logic.

Good luck. You'll need it.

Jed Whitaker: I don't have time or any reason to read comments this long nor to defend my opinion to anonymous commentators.

Privilege means a great deal when considering people's life experiences. And that is my final take on this.

Wolvenreign: It's your career, buddy. Don't worry; when I'm done sinking your ship, I'll pour one out for you.

It didn't have to be this way.

Jed Whitaker: Nice threat :)

Wolvenreign: You'd know what I'm talking about if you had the attention span to read anything more than a picture book. Then again, I guess you never did grow up past the stage where kids learn that skin color doesn't matter; it's what's inside that counts. Perhaps you should replace your avatar with your kindergarten diploma, since I'm not seeing anything that tells me you're any smarter than that. So predictable, of course you'd see that as a personal threat.

Let me make this clear; you have made your racism and sexism plain as day, and it's going to make your reputation resemble a windshield that's just experienced the fallout of pigeon breeding season. As long as there are people here who will hold you responsible for your blatant simple-minded idiocy, you will find your opinion to be met with scorn and a hot dose of karma; people will ignore your opinion out of hand just as you ignore theirs. What point will there even be in reading any of your articles?

Well, you'll see soon enough what happens when you ignore friendly warnings about career-unfriendly moves and cross empiricism. See you on every one of your articles, Jed, letting everyone know what you think of their opinion before they make the mistake of letting it be known.

Pixie The Fairy: While I'm not always a fan of the way Jed phrases things, I think you are taking what he said completely out of context and jumping to some very misinformed conclusions.

Allow me to bring you some context. Yes, there are white people with problems. Everyone has them. Your misconception here is that all problems all people somehow have the same weight.

Let's say you have two white men, then. They live in North Carolina (oh boy!). They're gamers. Both have broken an arm at some point. High five, stuff in common!

Man A didn't go to college. Man B did.
Man A is an Athiest. Man B is a good bible-believing Baptist.
Both are getting married to their significant others soon.
Man B's family won't be attending because he was disowned.
Man A has never had a crisis of faith because he never believed in a god, but he respects the faith of others.
Man B was kicked out of his house at 16, still loves Jesus, but is wary of his followers.

Actually, Man A isn't exactly white. He's partly Latino, he's just commonly read as white because his father was and his last name is Smith as a result. He kinda feels like an outsider to two communities as a result. Accepted in one, but desires the belonging in the other he really only ever knew with his mother's side of the family. Outside of that, he feels some resentment from other Latinos.

Man B, by law, has to go to the Women's restroom. All his life he was told to value being yourself and he needed that deeply. He was never a girl. Never wanted feminine things for himself, though he's always been attracted to women. He never asked to be trans, or be thrown out of his home. He had to rebuild his life and create his own support network to replace the one he lost. He had to put himself through college.

Man A is moving into a nice house soon. Man B is struggling on that point. He and his wife-to-be have been turned down a dozen times, even on some cheap apartments that hardly looked livable. Landlords sometimes cite "deeply held beliefs" as the reason for turning them away

Everyone has problems, but Man A wasn't made an election year wedge issue unless we're talking about Trump hoping to deport his mother. These are not problems of equal weight or severity. Man A is going to get that wedding cake without objections, even if he thinks it wasn't necessary to have a traditional ChristIan wedding. Man B would love to have that wedding, but has to go without, at least at his old church.

This is the kind of nuance you seem to insist Jed is demeaning but you want to ignore these intersections at the same time, insist they're the same and that a smidge of empathy is a cure-all. Not exactly helping anything, if you ask me.

You can't be on crutches for six weeks and understand how it is to live in a wheelchair all your life. Don't even try.

We are all equal under the law *in theory*. It is something we all want and must continue to strive for, but it is not reality right now. The work is actually never over, but we all benefit and are affected by these different laws and social standards. It is not an equal system. I'm told I'm an abomination in the church and the law suggests I go back in the closet and live a lie. How was your day?

Now with all tha said. I despise threats against writers and other users. It is very much against TOS no matter how nicely it is worded. Consider that you may have read Jed wrong and possibly apologize.

You also said you intended to gaslight and stink up future posts with this long-winded, pearl-clutching bullshit, too. This is not going to happen. This is the only warning.

And Goddess Hylia on a trampoline, all this over saying a race option would be nice?