Mar 19, 2:07 am
As I play many online games, on many platforms, and with many different people, I have been chin up in the tedious drama that comes with this type of connectivity with people. I help lead a large clan and am part of many gaming communities that include online worlds, rooms, chats, and forums--all of the types of things that allow me and others access to what I call “Online High School”.
Man I thought High School was over long ago, but apparently when you enter the online gaming environment and belong to communities that exist here, you fall through the rabbit hole and relive the crazy and petty world of cliques, rudeness, cheaters, and punk kids who’s brains aren’t fully developed emotionally and it starts all over again.
I thought I had seen it all the first time around, but I hadn’t--not anything on the scale of what I see when these people get together, hidden by the anonymity of their headsets and gaming characters. Some people in this world are outright evil, and I would bet my life that IRL they are probably a lot better than when they get to hide behind their online gaming identities.
I feel that the people in online gaming world need to reevaluate their motivations, their morals, and their intentions when they deal with others in this realm. There is no excuse for the words and actions people are taking, and others need to realize if you wouldn’t do or say it IRL, why they hell do you suddenly feel you can break every social rule in the book just because you may not have ever met the person before. Some people need to get a clue and start respecting others the same as they would in person.
Some rules to go by that the online world needs to recognize. These rules are what people in the real world follow so why forget them now?
- If you don’t have something nice to say DON’T SAY IT AT ALL. Quit name calling random people that kick your butt and learn to say “good game.” If the principal heard you that would mean detention and I’m calling for a lot of detention slips to be handed out.
- Follow the Golden Rule and do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
- Don’t argue. Make your point once and then be done with it. Do you really believe arguing with some random person serves any vital function other than creating drama? If you did this in school you would probably get your nose punched. Remember that.
- Don’t cheat--most people wouldn’t cheat playing a sport IRL, why do you think it is right online? THIS IS A PASSION for most people that play, so why make it unbearable for most of us? If you cheated in a football game, you would not only have serious consequences with your peers, but with the school administration as well. Why take the chance or even try to justify it?
- Quit taking everything personal and get over yourself- it’s not always about you.
- Treat people in your gaming communities FAIRLY and equally. Be consistent with yourself and with others ALWAYS. I was recently part of a guild in FFXI where a bad situation happened. The leader of the guild was rude and disrespectful to two members over a situation he caused. All he had to do was address the situation in the right manner to get it handled, but he chose instead to essentially tell these members publically that he didn’t have to answer to anyone and didn’t really care what they thought. Of course, these two members left with a bevy of people behind them, including me. I can’t tell you all the drama this caused, but it was a very big blow to this guild--all of which could have been avoided by not being rude to people.
- Don’t bring drama with others into your communities. What this means, is most people don’t really want to hear that your other online friend stole your online boyfriend/girlfriend, and even if they do they do not want to see the gossip about it all over the internet. Quit being such a drama queen/king and don’t post personal crap about people on your blogs, in forums, or sit there griping about it online to us. As in High School, you sitting at the lunch table crying about what so and so did is going to make everyone get up from the table and walk away eventually.
- Quit being so stuck up and jaded, you big bully. I see a lot of people with superiority complexes attacking people or making them feel unwelcome in many ways in games and in community forums and such. Do you really feel that by ripping someone apart for no reason all is FUNNY? It’s not only NOT funny, it is hateful and evil and I know most people would never be so hateful to people they met on the street. Usually this is done for amusement, using verbiage that would make someone feel inferior and it is quite sickening when it is unprovoked and unwarranted. There is a big difference in defending yourself or something you believe in, rather than picking on the new kid in school.
Anyway, that’s my first set of rules to avoid drama. I am sure I will have more in the next episode of “Online High School” where I might address certain instances of drama that come across my keyboard or headset every day just to make light (yes I mean make fun) of the stupidity that exists out there.
