Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

[Jgainsey]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

I agree that sometimes randoms can really be annoying, but c'mon Sessler... calm down. I've had a little bit trouble with randoms when it comes to them exploiting glitches, being sore losers, or just plain not being good sports, but how much are you going to let some 12 year old with a mic get to ya? Did he really just compare online gaming to, "what we did with the Democratic primary"? What does that even mean, lol? He's talking about online gaming right?

[mgoblue]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

I agree that sometimes randoms can really be annoying, but c'mon Sessler... calm down. I've had a little bit trouble with randoms when it comes to them exploiting glitches, being sore losers, or just plain not being good sports, but how much are you going to let some 12 year old with a mic get to ya? Did he really just compare online gaming to, "what we did with the Democratic primary"? What does that even mean, lol? He's talking about online gaming right?

He's implying that as a whole, the Democratic Party is going to nominate a black man for President...Meaning we are becoming a much more tolerant society, compared to the past, yet the idiots on Live don't represent anywhere near that...

I agree with him though, it's one of the things that give gamers a bad rap....

[Mossfan8480]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

The best way to deal with this sort of problem is not to rant, but to let these "people" say what they want, regardless of how offensive you find it. When these "people" say ignorant things everyone gives them instant attention. For a moment, they are popular and in a way able to become the "bully of the schoolyard" without facing any consequences except being booted from a single room out of hundreds.

By paying them no mind, they are instantly caught off guard by the lack of attention being shown to them; like a barking dog whose owner refuses to acknowledge it. And like that barking dog who stops barking when he realizes that nothing will come of it except wasted energy, the "people" online will cease voicing their ignorance.


Remember, these "people" do not know you and you do not know them, whatever they say holds no weight in the grand scheme of things.

Silence is sometimes one's best weapon in combating ignorance. The echo of one's own hate reverberating in the mind can lead to an introspection that is much longed for.

[Jgainsey]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

He's implying that as a whole, the Democratic Party is going to nominate a black man for President...Meaning we are becoming a much more tolerant society, compared to the past, yet the idiots on Live don't represent anywhere near that...

I agree with him though, it's one of the things that give gamers a bad rap....

I understand what he was implying. I was just asking the question rhetorically to point out how silly it is to compare some idiot kids on XBL to Democrats selecting an African American as their nominee for the first time in history.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

First off, I think Sessler's Soapbox is the best Op-ed in gaming journalism.

Secondly, I don't agree with this "silence is the best policy" bit, or "ignore them and they'll go away. These people should be held up to the light of scrutiny, and made to be as responsible as the medium allows. Anonymity is the shield for these guys, and any steps towards taking that away not only scares the weaker of them back into their holes, but it starts a dialogue about online etiquette for younger gamers. If we never talk about it, they never see the issue discussed, and it's important for them to see behavior opposite of the bigots.

[Mossfan8480]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

First off, I think Sessler's Soapbox is the best Op-ed in gaming journalism.

Secondly, I don't agree with this "silence is the best policy" bit, or "ignore them and they'll go away. These people should be held up to the light of scrutiny, and made to be as responsible as the medium allows. Anonymity is the shield for these guys, and any steps towards taking that away not only scares the weaker of them back into their holes, but it starts a dialogue about online etiquette for younger gamers. If we never talk about it, they never see the issue discussed, and it's important for them to see behavior opposite of the bigots.

The approach of silence and detachment from what a complete stranger is saying to you relies solely on yourself. It is an internal form of controlling and dealing with the problem, there is no update needed to the XBOX Live system for this to work. It is an immediate cure to the problem that can be applied by the individual to relieve them of the irritation brought on by ignorant "people". Freedom is not restricted here, but actually gained in the sense of the individual who has liberated oneself from the pang of offensive language.

Your approach is external, it relies on others to carry out a "policing" of the online and comes with many complexities , mainly due to the fact that it relies heavily on a system and others. Ultimately freedom is restricted here.

A dialouge for online etiquette sounds wholesome, but isn't practical. The "people" are saying such offensive things as an act of rebellion. They are rebelling against society and how they are told they should speak; and the inordinate amount of attention they receive for what they say brings them pleasure. A sit-down discussion with them on what is "proper" to say and what "is not proper" is exactly the type of "censorship" and "political correctness" they are rebelling against with their words and actions. Such a dialouge may work with mature intelligent adults, but it is obvious here that we are not dealing with such a group of people.

[eDotd]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

I agree with Sessler, although this is nothing new, and there's really nothing you can do about it but ignore it and/or avoid it altogether. If people think XBL is bad then I'd hate for them to play on the PC.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

The approach of silence and detachment from what a complete stranger is saying to you relies solely on yourself. It is an internal form of controlling and dealing with the problem, there is no update needed to the XBOX Live system for this to work.

I'm talking about public silence, in direct reference to Adam's op-ed, not personal silence when in direct contact with a belligerent XBL user. I never said anything about an XBL update, or a policing system. That's your own invention, and not something I addressed at all.

Freedom is not restricted here, but actually gained in the sense of the individual who has liberated oneself from the pang of offensive language.

Not true. Either you're enlightened enough to understand the symptoms of limited education, or you aren't. Silence would be result of freedom, not the other way around.

A dialouge for online etiquette sounds wholesome, but isn't practical.

Of course it is. That's why we've practiced it since the beginning of developed society. It is one small but integral part of maintaining social balance.

. The "people" are saying such offensive things as an act of rebellion. They are rebelling against society and how they are told they should speak; and the inordinate amount of attention they receive for what they say brings them pleasure. A sit-down discussion with them on what is "proper" to say and what "is not proper" is exactly the type of "censorship" and "political correctness" they are rebelling against with their words and actions. Such a dialouge may work with mature intelligent adults, but it is obvious here that we are not dealing with such a group of people.

These are your own presumptive hypotheticals. The reasons for social aberrance all comes down to lack of education and have nothing to do with age or aptitude (re: intelligent adults). So my proposal for continued discussion (with respect to Sessler and others who have kept it going already) is a proposal of a social education answer to a social education problem.

I don't mean to be immoderate, but I find the idea of a wholly internal resolution of a social conflict to be utterly ridiculous, even in concept.

[Skyboxer]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

Why do I get the feeling Spock is gonna show up at any moment to take me away from this...?

[Candyman5]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

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[IlliniM1ke]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

That's the difference; XBL is a paid service so they should be policing it.

Apparently achievement point cheaters are more of a detriment to XBL than racism.

I agree it ruins the online gaming experience but how exactly can Microsoft police it?

You can send negative feedback which doesn't really do much, I'd assume in large part due to their is no way to prove they actually did anything to warrant said negative feedback and I know I've heard people in public rooms say they're sending negative feedback even on people not doing anything wrong.

I personally just don't see how it can be policed, the feedback system is pretty much a joke but how else can they enforce anything? I can't think of any ways to do so.

Achievement cheating they can at least police somewhat because they can figure out its going on, as far as the language used on XBL thats just he said she said stuff.

I rarely play on XBL anymore due to the amount of idiots but I still play enough to warrant paying the $5 a month or whatever it is, I have found a big enough core of friends through my time on XBL (and through those friends made more) that I can get on at about any given time and hop onto a game where I know I won't have to deal with listening to all that.

[freezeframe]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

Unplug Microphone be done with it. You dont need a Microphone to play online Genius! You can Game the same with no Microphone. Use Mute!
There are plenty of other options then to just Quit Gaming Ladies and Gentlemen! Its that simple quit whinning!

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

Unplug Microphone be done with it. You dont need a Microphone to play online Genius! You can Game the same with no Microphone. Use Mute!
There are plenty of other options then to just Quit Gaming Ladies and Gentlemen! Its that simple quit whinning!

Everything you posted is ridiculous. I'll only pull one point out of the mud to address directly: muting games with Team Deathmatch/Co-op is not an option and would severely hamper your ability to win.

I always marvel at how society is willing to accept belligerence from the uneducated, but want to cease educated discussion and dismiss it as "whining".

[ODogg]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

The best way to deal with this sort of problem is not to rant, but to let these "people" say what they want, regardless of how offensive you find it. When these "people" say ignorant things everyone gives them instant attention. For a moment, they are popular and in a way able to become the "bully of the schoolyard" without facing any consequences except being booted from a single room out of hundreds.

By paying them no mind, they are instantly caught off guard by the lack of attention being shown to them; like a barking dog whose owner refuses to acknowledge it. And like that barking dog who stops barking when he realizes that nothing will come of it except wasted energy, the "people" online will cease voicing their ignorance.


Remember, these "people" do not know you and you do not know them, whatever they say holds no weight in the grand scheme of things.

Silence is sometimes one's best weapon in combating ignorance. The echo of one's own hate reverberating in the mind can lead to an introspection that is much longed for.

That's exactly what I do. I just let them try to outrage me and don't get outraged. Sometimes i'll just kinda bored say "oh really" or "mmm-hmm" and eventually they usually quit saying anything.

For all you guys saying you just stick with friends, well that's one strategy but you shouldn't let these idiots keep you from making new friends. I would never give them that much power personally.

[DubTrey1]

Re: Adam Sessler's rant on Xbox Live users

It is unfortunate that most of us are in the minority online when most of the people online are these idiots (so it seems). I do a combination of not even plugging in my headset, or if I do - mute players that are annoying etc. And when they target me or anyone in my clan or on my team - simply ignore them and keep on trucking - Seems like I have had the most issue while playing GTA IV. Seems to bring out the worst of the worst, but I won't be discouraged, I just shoot them in the face, run them over - or drop into another game session - I refuse to modify my gaming styl because of some losers mouth. Especially when you need to communicate in some match types in order to win -