@NPR Thanks for writing this but it would be great if you were to do a deeper dive. For example, Milo Y. a former NPR guest used GG to galvanize anti-feminists and anti-civil rights philosophies in sad men who felt inferior and powerless, looking for belonging through gamer culture
@NPR Milo used these steps to indoctrinate into hate groups 1) Praise "gamers" for the things they felt judged for (in this case, gaming and/or being apathetic) 2) Give them a boogie man (feminists, SJWs) 3) Set up an emotional reward system for attacking boogie men (likes, followers)
@NPR Milo didn't invent this. Steve Bannon used these tactics to manipulate people into doing virtual gold farming for him for years. Bannon later ran Beitbart, where Milo once worked, and transformed from a shapeless journalist to Nazi-allied pundit usatoday.com/story/tech/tal…
@NPR When it comes to the manipulation of "gamers" specifically, it's all about capitalizing on their struggle to achieve in Erikson's stages of development from ages 6-25 (Industry Vs. Inferiority, Identity Vs. Role Confusion, Intimacy Vs. Isolation). AAA game marketing does the same
@NPR AAA game marketing and hate groups both prey on "gamers" by offering them the illusion of being powerful online (Industry) a cultivated identity to latch on to (Identity) and an "in-group" to find belonging within (Intimacy). It's American History X but with games as the bait
@NPR AAA game marketing uses these techniques to breed millions of loyal customers who feel inferior, unsure of who they are, and disconnected from their peer groups unless they buy "the hottest new AAA games". Hate groups use the same techniques to demonize socially conscious games
@NPR The difference is AAA marketing stops after they've manipulated kids into valuing one kind of game over others. Hate groups use that as a means to get kids to start valuing one kind of people over others. Devalue socially conscious games & you devalue socially conscious people
@NPR Anyway, I've been writing about games and gamer culture for ten years or so and I have a lot to unload. Hope that was helpful.
@NPR Yikes that blew up overnight thanks everybody here is a shirt I made bonfire.com/in-gud-we-trus…
