Last night, I was supposed to perform in the Thrilling Adventure Hour at Largo with a bunch of my friends, and a bunch of people who I really admire. Unfortunately, the sinus infection I was fighting all week had other plans, so I stayed home and rested on the couch with a screening of Repo Man.
I ended up sort of live-tweeting the thing, with silly pictures and quotes from the movie, which I did with Forbidden Zone awhile back. I'm not sure if it was as amusing to Twitter as it was to me, but it was still fun.
At that point, I could have gone to bed, but I thought I'd check Twitter to see if anyone had clever Repo Man references to toss back at me (they did) or if anyone was amused by it (some were). Then I caught this thing that made me explode into HULK SMASH for the first time in … I can't even remember the last time I was as angry. Here's an image that someone uploaded of the ensuing ragefest, which was captioned "Damn, Wil Wheaton is a jerk."
(click to embiggen at Imgur)
So reading that back today, I can totally see how I come off as a raging asshole. I make no excuse, but I wanted to offer a bit of context and perspective that 140 characters doesn't allow.
First, a little history: At PAX in 2007, I was approached by some folks from the ECA, who asked me if I'd endorse their organization. I'm very reluctant to do this sort of thing, because I feel like high-profile people tend to throw their support behind every cause in the world, and when I support an organization, I want it to actually mean something, instead of being just another entry on a list.
I looked at what ECA does, and I was impressed. I thought that it was a good idea for gamers to have a lobby in government, and I thought it would be great to educate non-gamers about who we are in a way that would dispel the hysteria spouted about us by politicians and other moralizers who demonize gamers and the games we play for their own political purposes.
I signed up, and I gave ECA a quote that I've since forgotten, but was signed, "Wil Wheaton – actor, author, gamerdad."
About a week after that went live on the ECA website, some guy who apparently trademarked the term gamerdad – oh, excuse me, gamerdad™ – e-mailed me with this long and rambling rant about how I was using his trademark without his permission, how he had some history with ECA that made this nefarious, and a bunch of other stuff I've also forgotten. I forget how ECA got involved, but the end result is the organization caved to this guy almost instantly, and took the "gamerdad" out of my endorsement.
You know, writing about this now, the whole thing seems really stupid and petty, but I was pissed. I remember saying to a friend of mine, "The ECA won't stand up to some crackpot who's basically being a patent troll, and I'm supposed to expect them to stand up to Congress? I can't be part of this organization."
I didn't want to make a big public scene (I waited until last night for that! Yeah! Go Wil! You're SMRT!) and the ECA people seemed nice and genuinely interested in making a positive difference in gamers' lives, so I kept my annoyance to myself, but I didn't renew my membership. I saw Hal Halpin at PAX the following year, and I told him how disappointed I was in ECA for not standing up to that guy and leaving me sort of out in the wind, and I couldn't vocally support the ECA because of it.
So last night, when I saw GamePolitics, which is part of ECA, Twittering what I interpreted as a passive/aggressive slam at me ("Ya, Wil is good, but what does he advocate for gamers/gaming?") something in my brain snapped, and I went HULK SMASH.
Maybe I misinterpreted it — I tell my kids that you can't get tone and nuance in text messages, so it's important to think carefully about how you engage people when you're only using text — but when GamePolitics replied to my "Really?" with "Other than Net Neutrality…" and "While I've really enjoyed your keynote speeches at PAX, it's not really representing" it seemed pretty clear to me that whoever writes GamePolitics was being deliberately obtuse, was genuinely ignorant, or was just being a jerk. Take my history of annoyance with ECA and stack this on top of it, and I was Godzilla in Tokyo. Hell, I was MechaGodzilla cranked up to 11 … ON FIRE.
If GamePolitics was just some random person, I probably would have just ignored it and gone to bed, but since it's part of ECA, I expected GamePolitics to know better. Since I expected GamePolitics to know better, I assumed that he/she/it was either deliberately insulting me, or making a conscious effort to minimize the things I've worked really hard to do.
See, I've worked really hard to advocate for gamers. I spent months writing my keynotes for PAX Prime in 2007 (message: We're not the bloodthirsty psychopaths some in the media say we are, and the best way we can prove them wrong is by example. Also, don't be a dick.) and my keynote to PAX East earlier this year (message: Playing game brings people together, and PAX is a time and place where we can celebrate the things we love.) I published a chapbook for GenCon this year called Games Matter, for frak's sake, about exactly that!
I've written dozens of columns for a number of diverse publications about games and gaming, and I've worked really, really hard to remove the media-created stigma associated with being a gamer.
When I got pissed at GamePolitics last night, I wasn't saying, "I'm Wil Fucking Wheaton, man. Don't you know who I am?" (Which, I was very sad to see, a lot of people seem to have thought I was saying) as much as I was saying, "I'm really hurt and offended that: a) you are supposed to represent gamers and don't know how I've tried to advocate for us; or b) you're minimizing the things I've done to advocate for us."
The responses I got on Twitter from GamePolitics last night just made me more and more angry. I felt like I was talking to a child who had broken my Death Star, and then sat next to it in mock innocence wondering why it was in so many pieces. Taken in context in the clear light of day, it doesn't seem to be quite like that, but that's how I interpreted it at the time, and I reacted accordingly.
I hope this gives some context to why I got so angry. I'm not offering excuses, just hoping to clarify. I should have just written a private e-mail, but I let my passions get the better of me. I'm human, and I do things I regret from time to time.
I'm sorry that so many people had to witness me explode in furious anger, and I am embarrassed that I lost my temper. I hope this doesn't get me voted off of Gamer Island, or invalidate the times I've tried to live my life's philosophy — Don't Be A Dick — by example.
Added: after much thought, and some discussions with trusted friends, I publicly apologized on Twitter to GamePolitics for losing my shit at him/her/it last night. I'm not saying that I'm sorry for getting upset, and I'm still not entirely sure what his/her/its motives were, but that's not really the issue: I regret the way I behaved, and I'm embarrassed that I did it in public. I don't view this as some Team Wheaton / Team The Other Guys thing, and I hope we can all learn something from this about how we communicate and treat each other. Well, I hope I can, anyway; what you do is up to you.
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Did they really expect a long explanation on what you stood for on Twitter?
140 characters is a bit absurd to explain your stance.
You should start working on choking people with your mind through the internet.
It worked for Darth Vader,
they built him not one but two Death Stars.
Thank you for this post.
I read the exchange this morning (I’m in the UK) and wanted to reply to both parties “Hey, chillax, take 24 and then discuss this in a forum that allows more than 140 characters” because it was clear both GP and you were reacting to incomplete information and misunderstandings.
I obv. missed the gamerdad history because I wondered why you would be offended being called a gamerdad because you not only are but have written about it repeatedly.
I hope this will resolve itself soon.
Someone has to play devil’s advocate here, at least without being a condescending jerk, so it might as well be me. Because nobody here is right and both parties have the same problem.
You have, through keynotes and chapbooks, said a lot in favor of gaming and gamers. In fact I was in the audience for your PAX keynote and it was probably the best the expo has ever had. Based on that experience I can only assume your PAX East keynote and the chapbook were on par with that.
The problem is that the keynotes were at PAX and the chapbook was at Gencon. You were promoting gaming to gamers. There’s a huge value to rallying the troops and putting ideas a group shares into words, I’m by no means minimizing that, but to call it advocacy is like reading a Bible to a church congregation and calling it missionary work.
Being a true advocate for a cause has as much to do with the audience as the message. Jack Thompson is an anti-gaming advocate because he doesn’t just rant at anti-gaming rallies, he goes on cable news and he brings his message to the masses. In fact that’s the problem with the ECA as well; they do a great job of defending gaming to gamers but they don’t get out there to the general public. Survey people on the street and they’re far more likely to have heard of Jack Thompson than the ECA and that’s the problem.
If you or the ECA or anyone else reading this wants to become a gaming advocate, don’t just talk to each other, don’t talk to PAX, don’t talk to Gencon, talk to everyone else. Do what Thompson does and let CNN and the like know that you’re available to comment on gaming stories, make a counterpoint easily accessible and get our voice heard.
Stop preaching to the choir and preach to the heathens. Then you’ll be an advocate. Until then we’re all just echoes in the chamber and the other side will continue to win.
I’m going to take an unpopular POV and say that I thought you were over the line last night.
Reading your blog today, I can understand why you had that reaction, but you could have saved yourself some blood pressure points by simply asking “what kind of info do you need?”.
No need to assume the worst, especially in an on-line interaction.
I probably would have done the same thing if that happened to me. I know there are times that I have posted stuff that I regret afterwards. I don’t think you came off as a jerk, in fact I felt that GamePolitics was the real jerk. You really are the GamerDad!
I wonder if you had the option to undo a message that you just sent, like Gmail will have/or has already, if you would have used it in this situation?
What I take from this… Will is a human being (gasp! ^_~,)who got angry at a publicized misinterpretation and reacted as most of us would when we perceive a verbal attack.
What I add to it is this, Will is also the better man for publicly admitting his reactions weren’t the best and clarifying.
I’m sorry but I in NO WAY thought you came off like that. When I read it I saw it as you getting offended by this person saying that you haven’t done anything to advocate. That’s the way I took what they were saying and I would have gotten angry also. I’m glad you explained it so everyone else can get your side because I hate people thinking you’re a jerk. Sometimes you have to go HULK SMASH. i do it every day! haha.
Actually, http://twitter.com/GamePolitics/status/24172278266 specifically says that his keynotes at PAX “aren’t representing” That really sounds a whole lot like questioning the validity of Wil’s contributions and advocacy to me. I honestly don’t see how that could be anything else.
And Wil’s articles, speeches, and even just his blog are plenty that even the most cursory research shows enough to make plain his advocacy, even if the only thing he’s specifically been overtly political about is Net Neutrality (i.e. “write/call your congresscritter about this!”).
Chello!
Not an ass at all, Wil. There are some people you have to hit in the head with the jawbone of an ass and then throw it up in the air in Kubrikian glee (to paraphrase Dennis Miller) because they don’t understand anything else. He attacked you first is my opinion.
Also, I myself am a gamer dad (if I separate the two words, do i get around an asinine TM?).
uh oh… i see “evil wheaton” escaped out of his cellar last night. 😉 jk 😀 i probably would have gone monkey nuts on the guy too. :p
Honestly Wil, I can completely understand why you’d lose your mind a bit and lose it on the guy. And if snapping at a troll from time to time gets you thrown off Gamer Island, we’re pretty much all screwed. 🙂
sorry wil, the context helps but you did totally go hulk smash on this dude. it’s pretty unreasonable for you to expect this random gamepolitics guy to know your entire and admittedly secret history with the ECA. and it seemed to me more like he was trying to maybe generate a discussion of your advocacy rather then questioning your cred. then you freaked him out by raging on him and he didn’t know how to respond
Mr. Wheaton,
I have no qualms with you showing emotion, nor would I have had any issue with you flat out telling them to F-off (profanity included). The entire exchange was both understandable and warranted.
My issue lies with you putting a period before your @ reply thereby making it visible to other peoples twitter feeds. Whatever your reasoning behind it, I personally think it was uncalled for. While I agree with your stance on the matter, I do feel the need to point out GamePolitics never once tried to make their side of the story more easily accessible to the public.
I understand your frustrations/anger/WILSMASH rage, but I wonder if you didn’t at least to some degree hope us rabid fans (after seeing your side of the story) would go to bat for you/rage @ Gamepolitics on your behalf.
That being said, if there was some other reason behind you making it public…consider this my apology and recantation of the above statement.
Thank-you for at least explaining yourself, and proving that even the great Wil W. can’t be perfect all the time.
Sincerely,
K. Manchester
(And sorry, I know your whole point was that it isn’t about “I’M WIL WHEATON YEH SONUFABITCH!” I do understand its mainly about your love of gaming. I just tend to look at the picture as a whole, rather than just elements of it. Apologies if I’m making wild assumptions. )
100% this.
You're absolutely correct. replying with .@ was really uncalled for, and a direct result of me losing my temper. I really regret that.
Apologies for the second post, but I fancy expanding on something that’s been striking me for a while.
Twitter is encouraging this strange behaviour from people, and when I say twitter here I mean the ecosystem, not the company. There is this weird habit of using the persons twitter handle in the tweet when talking about someone, rather than to them, even if the content of the tweet is stuff you’d expect to be “speaking behind their back.” Then you see almost shock when the individual responds, either positively or negatively. It’s almost like people tweeting forget that whilst using @ points followers directly towards whomever is being referenced, it also makes the tweet appear in their tweetstream.
It’s strange that as a ccommunity we also do virtually nothing to discourage such behaviour, and in fact merrily engage in it ourselves even in our most mundane of tweets. “At the supermarket, saw someone who looks vaguely like @wilw”. I’m sure Wil’s life is enriched by such tweets!
While I can totally understand where you were coming from and empathize with your position, you really just do yourself discredit to fly off the handle like that, and especially to imagine the individual behind the GamerPolitics Twitter account speaking as some official representative of the ECA.
Still, as some people have already said, you’re a human being. Human beings do things like this, and they generally have a pretty good reason. It’s just that now, in this digital and very public information age, a conversation that originally would have been confined to a handful of people in a room or on a chat service has now become the center ring in a circus of pedantry that never blinks, never sleeps, and certainly never agrees.
I feel for you, Wil–just take solace in the swelling tide of people (not just “Gamers”, a term I hate to use) who are taking your “side” of the issue.
That sounds like a perfectly just form of punishment.
You know what, Wil? I like the fact that you let out your inner green beastie. It wasn’t out of line or over the top, it was an honest reaction to something you are quite obviously passionate about.
Good on ya!
Wil, I just got caught up on this whole thing right now.
You are one of my heroes, I have been a huge fan since I saw “Stand By Me” as a kid. I wouldn’t even know where to begin to thank you for everything you do as geek/gamer icon. But what I like most about you, is the way you come off as a guy who is genuinely grateful for everything he’s gotten. I was with you when you talked about struggling to make the transition from child actor to adult actor. Anyone can see that you are genuinely appreciative of your success.
When I finished reading your tweets from last night, I thought maybe you had let it all go to your head. I thought maybe you had actually become one of those “don’t you know who I am” Hollywood d-bags. And it broke my heart to think that that’s what you had become, after all your hard work and struggling.
Fortunately, I came to my effing senses fairly quickly. I know that that’s not who you are or what you’re about. Did you act rashly? Yes. Were you wrong? I don’t believe so. Thank you for the explanation and apology you have posted here, it just reinforces what kind of person you really are. And so, I remain, your devoted fan.
If you’re ever in New Jersey, I’d love to have a Guiness with you some time.
Dave GX (DaveMacAddict on Twitter), signing off.
Gamepolitics was totally calling you out, and I don’t think anyone was really buying the “innocent” act. You couldn’t say to me, “Who the frak are you?” and when I get offended turn around and say, “Oh, I was only inquiring about your identity! *flutters eyelashes*”
But the original question was looking for people who have gotten political: http://twitter.com/GamePolitics/status/24154636503
A speech to gamers at a gaming convention isn’t exactly political representation, and it absolutely isn’t questioning the validity of Wil’s advocacy. It’s simply saying, “I know you have given speeches at PAX, but what political contributions have you done?” Which is a legitimate question. I think this entire thing is just a huge misunderstanding, but GamePolitics never once said that Wil didn’t contribute anything, and Wil never once said what he did contribute. “Google it” and “Don’t you know who I am?” aren’t valid answers, and “I have speeches at PAX” isn’t the type of thing they were looking for. None of what GamePolitics said warranted Wil’s little freak out.
Using your own metaphor/simile, the actual content of the speeches was less like a preacher simply talking about the Bible to a church congregation and more like that preacher encouraging his congregation to go out and live the message of the Bible to show what it’s all about to everyone. That is decidedly missionary work in its own way, and needs to be done as much as the visible “in the field” work of “preaching to the heathens”.
He exhorted gamers to work on changing the perception of gamers, as he has worked to do with articles for LA Weekly and other publications.
I post here (but only rarely) as Dave@NASA usually, thru FB, but today the login via FB dropdown doesn’t appear to work. In any case, it would appear I’m the only commenter thus far who does not Twitter. Reading the screencap, it does look like you overreacted, Wil. But, as many have said, you just had a bad day, you’re not feeling well– happens to the best of us.
The proof that you really are the Good Man we all know you to be is how you man up today and provide the background to why you reacted as you did. That’s what really matters, and it’s good enough for me. Some of my best friends act like dicks every so often (just as I do!). I love ’em anyway.
I hope you feel better soon Wil! I’ve got a sinus infection myself at the moment, and they are not fun.
The fact you didn’t try to make an excuse for the great period fiasco of ought ten(in my eyes at least) absolves you of any wrong ragedoing, so thank-you. I really do appreciate the fact you’re so willing to own up to any “mistakes” you may make. I tip my hat to you sir. *hat tip*
That being said, I didn’t find it appropriate to say it to you mid-conversation last night but BETTER LATE THAN NEVER:
Mr. Wheaton, I believe you have a troll in your dungeon. TROLLLLLL IN YOUR DUNGEOOOONNNNN.
Showing anger is what makes us human, Mr. Wheaton. Thank-you for all that you have for gamers.
It may be a LMGTFY question, but Wil getting angry isn’t really an appropriate response. GamePolitics original question was looking for people who have made political contributions, and all they did was ask a fan what contributions Wil has made. They never once said that he didn’t do anything or questioned his advocacy, they asked what it was. If Wil had said, “look into my contributions to x, y, and z” or “I’ve done a lot for x” then it could have ended there, but instead he pulled a “don’t you know who I am?”
I try and make a habit of including @ when I’m talking about someone on Twitter. My reasoning for this is, I don’t talk behind someone’s back. If I talk about someone and they are not present, I make sure they find out what I have said. I hate gossip. And I hate talking out of school. So to make sure nothing can ever get back to anyone a la “telephone wire game”, I make sure they know I am talking about them.
Also gives them the opportunity to share their side, pov, etc.
For what is worth, i really don`t think you over reacted on this one, it seems clear to me this guy was diminishing your life work, and that really pissed me off too, so (in case no one has said so already, which i doubt) thx for defending yourself publicly so we didn’t had to stand to that guy (he/she/it) idiocy.
dude, i watched it happen live, and *i* went to bed upset. and i’m just, this guy, you know.
i took it exactly the same way you took it, as a third party observer.
they seemed antagonistic and jonesing for a fight; you gave them what they asked for.
sure maybe that’s not how they meant it, but that’s how it read to me last night.
woke up sort of grey brained and still annoyed this morning, so.
there’s that.
k.
Not to worry. As one of your Twitter followers I was interested in what had set you off, and now you’ve explained it sincerely to all of us (that were probably scratching our heads last night.) You’re in a bad mood, sick, probably a little angry you had to miss a show, and somebody (knowingly or not) pushed one of your buttons. It happens to us all. This is how we learn. 🙂
Rock on.
I didn't see the original post from GP about political contributions, just the message that I referenced in this post.
I know I can't do more than just give you my word, but I hope that's worth something: I swear to the FSM I wasn't pulling "don't you know who I am". That type of attitude is antithetical to everything I believe in. I deeply regret freaking out in a way that easily gave that impression.
Okay, that explains the dickishness behavior last night… but it doesn’t exonerate you or GamerPolitics.
First of all, GamerPolitics may be owned by ECA but is it fully controlled by ECA? I doubt it, especially when it abides by industry standard disclosure showing it’s link to ECA when it reports on ECA in a story. It’s what C|NET does when it reports on CBS (because it’s owned by CBS). Most major news organizations have such disclosures. I don’t treat GP as “ECA’s propaganda department” but as “a politics/free speech/gaming blog owned by ECA.”
Second, how can GP do it’s research? You don’t list your publications in various magazines and newspapers like Randall Schwartz or even Jerry Pournelle does. Your past appearances and speeches are scrolled off your blog. The ones you quote are ether at gaming conferences (PAX) which is equal to preaching to the choir, or to the vague reference of “various media”… which circles back to “Okay, which ones… oh look, there’s no listing.”
So GP basically was in the middle of doing the research, and you weren’t helping any. To be a true advocate for gamers, you need to start publishing your past speeches, and where you spoke — in other words, you must be traceable (your actions provable in court) and quotable (“Wil Wheaton said that in his speech at PAX. You can get a copy on his site”). Did you only stick with gaming, comic, sci-fi, or other geek-oriented conferences? You need to reach out to others outside the “geek-o-sphere.” Anything else, and you’re just be a forgetable pundit.
I stayed up and watched this unfold last night and was really insulted for you (like a lot of folks watching). You’re not just a celebrity that plays games and maybe has an opinion about them, you are a part of the greater gamer community. You’re also someone that is very vocal about that community and its culture- sharing both the good and not so good aspects of it. By any definition you are an advocate for both gamers and the gaming community. If GamePolitics was looking for a list of specific things that you advocate (like bullet points) then he asked in a really poorly worded way and came off as completely dismissive (imho anyway). I’m someone that tries to avoid conflict most of the time, so yeah, I think the situation could have maybe been handled differently, but sometimes we actually pass the Turing test and let our emotions take over in the heat of the moment. That’s not a bad thing per se, but it’s how things are handled once the dust settles that will determine if anyone has broken Wheaton’s Law beyond repair.
Ok this post makes me feel better about being a fan of yours, I didn’t know the context from your side but last night through 140 characters you came off as a total dick while to me at least @GamePolitics could be at best misconstrued as being a dick. And this was after you tweet spammed Repo Man quotes and blurry pictures.
I was *this* close to unfollowing @wilw when I recognized that I was getting caught up in the heat of the moment and their might be history available to only you and them.
Does anyone win in this? I don’t know.
I can sympathize with the sinus infection though. I picked it up at PAX too. While not as widespread as last year’s PAXFLU it did get around. Hope you’re almost over it, I’m going to go make another pot of soup.
To be frankly honest, the ECA have engaged in some genuinely shady behavior with their members in recent times and I think it is probably for the best that you do not support them or GamePolitics.
To be honest, I sort of got pissed about it once I realized what was happening. Seeing a blog sponsored by an organization that has defrauded it’s own supporters go after you like that, and then try and play innocent about the whole thing, was pretty well not on.
I can sort of see the argument that they were referring specifically to political action, but I’m not sure that was the intent at all, and they certainly didn’t go about asking it at all tactfully if that was the intent.
So I guess you can throw me on the pile of “Go Wil!” posts, in the end. I can’t honestly lend much support to an ECA-sponsored blog anyway, so I feel good about that.
Honestly, to me, it comes off as the person who was using that tweet name looking for validation and for a way to boost following and notice.
And it worked. GamePolitics is on everyone’s lips today.
What was said from their side is unforgiveable, because, frankly, they are a reporter for one specific area of the spectrum, and anyone who knows that area knows that you loom large in it. If they don’t even know some of the things you’ve done for gamers, they should never have gotten the job.
Wil – I’m with everyone else here who feels that GamePolitics initiated the exchange and that your response was totally justified. I did not feel that you came across as “Hey, man, I’m fucking Wil Wheaton.” I think it was a real dick move of GamePolitics to call you out as not advocating for gamers. The guy also later went on to say some shit about how Gabe & Tycho only do Child’s Play and that doesn’t count for some stupid reason? I’m not sure.
Anyway, I also blogged about this. I responded to your tweets last night with some support (which you probably missed because it was later and most sane people were in bed asleep at the time). After I tweeted my support to you, someone else attacked me as being starstruck and choosing your side simply because you’re a celebrity. Then, it was my turn to hulk smash.
If you want to check it out… http://dancewithgrenades.com/blog/alright-its-rantin-time
That’s part of the problem, though. @gamerpolitics never clarified that position, and was using a very specific definition of “advocacy” without stating so. I don’t think it’s Wil’s fault he was insulted, when @gamerpolitics never said he was asking for a specific kind of political advocacy, rather than general “I support gamers” advocacy.
FWLIW…
This is an example of why one should never have a text based conversation late at night, especially when dealing with an illness[1]. Email is dangerous enough but when you’re limited to a very small amount of characters, like Twitter or SMS, it’s even more dangerous.
One thing that has worked for me in my 20+ years of online communication is to always read text as if it were being spoken by my dear mum. I “hear” her voice, speaking in a soft and kind tone, reading the words on the screen. Sometimes this is more difficult than others (my mum doesn’t generally use swear words when referring to me) but it has helped me slow down and reread the text. Then it is just a matter of deciding if I want to expend the energy it takes to go all ballistic. This hasn’t completely stopped me from going off, but it has made a major impact in keeping the blood pressure down.
[1] Sinus infections also have a tenancy to cause cognitive impairment, too.
I totally understand your frustration, and I know you’re not a dick. I think this entire thing was just a big misunderstanding. Like you said previously, it’s difficult to understand tone in something like Twitter, on both sides. I just don’t think GamePolitics was being hostile, they were just looking for celebs who have made political contributions to gaming, and when a fan gave your name, they asked what those contributions were.
Hey Wil,
Don’t wrestle with the pig. You both get muddy and the pig likes it. I’ve followed you long enough to know that, as one gamer*dad (the asterik makes it different than that douche’s trademarked expression) to another, you represent just fine, thank you. Dude is clueless.
Turff
Like most of the comments above, I think your reaction was perfectly reasonable, but as someone (at the moment tacitly) involved with politics, I thought I would add the point that political action committees work in a very weird way – they don’t just speak out for a specific cause, they also try to silence (or control, integrate, or repurpose) variant voices. It sort of makes sense – to get things done, they need to be able to speak with authority, so that their opponents don’t say ‘yeah, well that guy said x, y, and z, and he also represents your cause, and his ideas are intriguing to me and I would like to subscribe to his newsletter!’. But unfortunately it can turn to incivility very quickly.
I’d bet my insubstantial grad school salary that’s what happening here. The problem is that you are a big name among gamers, and having pulled your support for ECA, even as politely and quietly as you did, puts them at a disadvantage. I’m definitely not encouraging you to rejoin them – I really would prefer celebrities and well-known folks only join causes they understand and support whole-heartedly – but it would make sense that @gamepolitics, which appears to be ECA’s public voice to a certain degree, would want to discredit your role as a gamer representative as much as possible.
Sorry to say, very few people in politics got the announcement about Wheaton’s Law . . .
You got pissed in public by some uninformed, arrogant ponch. And sense you publicly apologized, you’re fine. Twitter is a public forum so regardless that you placed a “.” in your tweets, anyone who wanted to follow that conversation could have easily.
I appreciate that you stood up for yourself. For me, the best example you set was to not be a doormat.
I think both Wil and GamePolitics were just caught off guard. They were looking for political advocacy, a fan mentioned Wil’s name, he caught only part of it and misinterpreted it. Twitter isn’t really the place for these types of conversations and it resulted in a big misunderstanding.
I love you Wil, but I think you were feeling sick and/or overtired and you overreacted to a not-clearly-worded post. At the time it seemed like a misunderstanding to me, and it seems even more like that this morning.
Oh well, happens to all of us!
I did say there’s value to that and I meant it, it’s an important role in any cause. But it’s not advocacy.
What I’m trying to say is that gamers are losing to anti-gaming organizations because while they get out and advocate for their cause we spend all our time telling each other to advocate. And the people in the crowd at PAX are far less likely to get face time on CNN than an ECA representative or an actor.
Wil you are human – anger happens. To post this lengthy clarification to make sure the rest of us know that you weren’t just being a dick is a class move.
You’ve done more for gaming than most will ever know. Personally I owe you. You have gotten me back into D&D, M:tG and opened up a new world of gaming that I did not know existed. I had fallen into the mid-life doldrums and it took a trip to PAX in 2007 to see you speak to slap me in the face and remind me how important a part of my life gaming used to be – and still SHOULD be. I’m sure that there are many other’s with the same story.
Finally – for that idiot to spout off like that was totally inappropriate.
Are there any other political organizations to support other than the ECA that have gamer’s interests at heart?
Signed-
@stevebargelt – geek, not a dick and most importantly – a gamerdad
This still comes off as a personal vendetta by you that could’ve been settled in private, and not any sort of relevant issue for gamers everywhere that needed to be duked out on twitter and blogs.