Will the Left Survive the Millennials?

[The Brain]

Two good examples from this country:

An article on the second biggest gaming convention in the country praised the event, but there was a serious problem that the organizers really needed to turn their attention to: the complete absence of brown or black people.

If a mass market industry appears to be failing to reach large segments of the population, isn't that a problem for the industry?

Much like my underwear it depends.

[garbon]

I do not believe that counting heads of different colour at any gathering of people that is entirely voluntary and apolitical is proof of anything at all except the intent of the person doing the counting to assign characteristics to people based on their looks. It was wrong when it was done a hundred years ago, and it is still as wrong today.

I don't see why it isn't worth at least questioning and then likely dismissing?

Questioning by whom, based on what?  Dismissing by whom, based on what?  Who or what is the authority on how many minorities must attend a convention in order for that convention to avoid "questioning?"

I think that it would make an interesting topic of discussion here, but I don't think we know enough to go from discussion to judgement.

But that's sort of the stance that I'm taking. Based on the information provided I don't see why that is a question that isn't worth asking. I'm not making a judgement that there must be something intrinsically wrong as I did also suggest that one might likely dismiss it.

As to why I might think one might want to ask the question, well Joan noted a stance from the runners of the association themselves, might be missing out on potential revenue streams. Also maybe asking from an increasing happiness perspective, specifically that there might be non-white gamers who would be happy to join in but for some reason feel inhibited or prevent in some way.

Basically, I don't see why one should be against posing the question unless, of course, the question is solely being posed to make the association out to be evil and or racist. Then yes, I think it probably is best left unasked.

[grumbler]

But that's sort of the stance that I'm taking. Based on the information provided I don't see why that is a question that isn't worth asking. I'm not making a judgement that there must be something intrinsically wrong as I did also suggest that one might likely dismiss it.

As to why I might think one might want to ask the question, well Joan noted a stance from the runners of the association themselves, might be missing out on potential revenue streams. Also maybe asking from an increasing happiness perspective, specifically that there might be non-white gamers who would be happy to join in but for some reason feel inhibited or prevent in some way.

Basically, I don't see why one should be against posing the question unless, of course, the question is solely being posed to make the association out to be evil and or racist. Then yes, I think it probably is best left unasked.

Then we are in agreement, and i was misreading your position.  The original report was about an article that said that the organizers of the convention had "a serious problem that the organizers really needed to turn their attention to."  That's reaching judgement, not asking questions.  That is what i thought the debate was about.

[Savonarola]

When I was in college in the early 90s "Multiculturalism" was the hot topic.  Our freshman English text was something called "Rereading America" which was supposed to introduce the student to a broad multi-cultural perspective (it consisted mostly of hard luck stories and bad Spanglish poetry.)  I also had to read "Women's Oppression Today the Marxist-Feminist Encounter," in which I learned that all men are potential rapists¹.  DWEMs (dead white European males) was a pejorative term in the humanities and their perspective was one to be abhorred.  Worse still was "Eurocentrism." One of our profs wrote a paper critical of Apple hypercard; by using icons familiar to the white male paradigm, such as scissors for cut or glue for paste, they had reinforced white male supremacy in the workplace.

Today, like most of my undergraduate experience, this is all a comical memory.  In twenty years safe spaces and trigger warnings will be a similar memory for the students of today.  The left survived my generation; it'll survive this one as well.

1.)  Are you living up to your potential?  Are you?

[Jacob]

But are they excluded so much as not interested? Here my view is that this conclusion is relevant in the Houses of Parliament - where are the minorities? But why should a geeky pastime be a matter of counting skin colour? Not to mention that other minorities are present, and warmly embraced, in gaming culture: young and old game side by side, boys, girls, parents, children; transgender people are openly present. Everybody is welcome, right? In this country there was talk about why immigrant children from the Middle-East do not start to play hockey. But why is that an end in itself? Is the country segregated as long as every part of it comes out approved in a background check?

Personally I'd be pretty curious why non-white Swedes end up being "not interested" in gaming. I don't think the answer is necessarily going to be because there's anything wrong with gamers or gamer culture in Sweden (though there could be - gamergate has surfaced some fairly toxic elements in gamer culture, though that doesn't mean it's relevant to Swedish gamer culture). But if one of the biggest visible expressions of gamer culture is almost purely white disproportionate to the population demographics, it may be worth looking at the reasons.

[The Brain]

But are they excluded so much as not interested? Here my view is that this conclusion is relevant in the Houses of Parliament - where are the minorities? But why should a geeky pastime be a matter of counting skin colour? Not to mention that other minorities are present, and warmly embraced, in gaming culture: young and old game side by side, boys, girls, parents, children; transgender people are openly present. Everybody is welcome, right? In this country there was talk about why immigrant children from the Middle-East do not start to play hockey. But why is that an end in itself? Is the country segregated as long as every part of it comes out approved in a background check?

Personally I'd be pretty curious why non-white Swedes end up being "not interested" in gaming. I don't think the answer is necessarily going to be because there's anything wrong with gamers or gamer culture in Sweden (though there could be - gamergate has surfaced some fairly toxic elements in gamer culture, though that doesn't mean it's relevant to Swedish gamer culture). But if one of the biggest visible expressions of gamer culture is almost purely white disproportionate to the population demographics, it may be worth looking at the reasons.

To whom?

[Legbiter]

Progressives are the new church lady, tut tutting the immorality all around us.

[The Minsky Moment]

My understanding of the economics of game design is that there are significant up front development costs but unit variable costs are tiny.  So maximizing revenue is critical. 

If segment "X" is 10% of the population and only 2% of sales, and there is no obvious reason why segment "X" would not be interested in the produce, then the industry is just throwing money out the window.

[Jacob]

To whom?

To people who would like to increase their sales, to people who would like to improve their marketing reach, and to people who are interested in society and how it functions.

That doesn't mean it'll be interesting to you, of course.

[Jacob]

Progressives are the new church lady, tut tutting the immorality all around us.

For what it's worth, you and Hami seem to be some of the primary tut-tutters of languish. Barely a day goes by without one of you posting something you think tut-tut worthy or tut-tutting in an existing thread.

[Admiral Yi]

Sure it's nice from a commercial POV to reach markets that are not currently being tapped, but if Del's paraphrasing that "it's a serious problem" was accurate, increasing market penetration has nothing to do with the author's point.

[Siege]

Millenials aint that bad...

[Martinus]

I love that fahdiz posted this on Facebook and Buddha started to argue with him that cultural appropriation is a real problem that needs to be combated.

[Legbiter]

For what it's worth, you and Hami seem to be some of the primary tut-tutters of languish. Barely a day goes by without one of you posting something you think tut-tut worthy or tut-tutting in an existing thread.

[mongers]

I love that fahdiz posted this on Facebook and Buddha started to argue with him that cultural appropriation is a real problem that needs to be combated.

I'd like to say hello to Fahdiz and Buddha, but I ain't going onto facebook.

Marty do me a favour, please, and say hello on my behalf next time you fellows 'speak'.