Wollongong [12833] —
Original article
In recent weeks there has been a noticeable increase in cases of alleged bullying. I use the word alleged because, in a city where the entire economic fabric is based on crimes and wrong-doing, anti-social behaviour is something to be expected. Still, even among criminals, there are ethics to consider. While the Code of Thieves has proven to be somewhat mythical, it cannot be denied that even the worst criminals are human beings inside. To verify this, I visited the jail and asked the inmate with the longest penalty (almost 10 hours) if he was human. The answer was that, indeed, he was.
Yet, despite the humanity of us all, some of us are still singled out and grouped upon. Claims have been made against both staff and players in the past 24 hours alone, with all of this coming hot on the heels of the Pink Power 204 controversy. But in Torn City, where bountying and repeated hospitalisations are considered the norm, where players can lose a year's earnings in a single second, what exactly constitutes an act of bullying?
One of the examples which will make it into the Torn history books is the case of MarlonBrando. On the occasion in question, Marlon had all of his karma stripped by an entire faction. The victim accused the faction of being a bunch of bullies. The faction involved said it is "just part of the game". But is it?
Nobody can deny that MarlonBrando makes himself a target through his constant self-promotion and long-winded polls. If the community did not respond with aggression to such a character, one might wonder if they'd all been secretly neutered. But at what point does a reaction become an overreaction? Is it possible to judge where gameplay stops and bullying begins? When is someone making themselves out to be a victim, and when are we simply victim blaming?
JustJanet recently wrote a long post about the topic, in which she made some interesting observations. Most noteworthy was her discussion on the definition of role-playing: "The act of taking on a character or persona different than one's own to possibly act out aspects of a role-playing game, personal entertainment, or even sexual fetish play. It requires all actors to be aware of and accepting of the behavior. Otherwise, it is trolling not role-playing."
A fair point. In real life, if I walked out my door, sailed to a neighbouring PI and covered the entire house in tissues and dog poop, my argument that it was "role play" wouldn't hold much water. If the recipient doesn't agree to the game we're playing it is not role play. In Torn, both parties agree that virtual violence and the torment of our avatars is par for the course. What nobody signs up for is the personal abuse of their actual self.
Of course, nobody is permitted to go through life never being offended by the words of another. Forum disagreements will often spiral out of hand, insults will be slung, and a few attacks or bounties might be used to restore justice. Even when such an act goes on for a few weeks, we can say this has been done in good nature, since Torn itself relies on the idea of conflict and resolution.
But that last part is key - resolution. If a horde of people pile on and commit themselves to making someone's Torn life an enduring misery, there is no resolution. The balance of power is uneven. It is no longer one person disagreeing with another until someone gives in, it is a one-sided assault where the victim's energy is guaranteed to run out long before that of their collective opponents.
In a virtual mass brawl, this can be quite fun. If such an attack takes place upon someone's persona, the effects can be devastating.
The effects of bullying
What effect does bullying have? Since we are all shielded from real, physical dangers, is there really anything to worry about? Or, as Sharpmid[ so eloquently put it: "How the **** is cyber bullying real? Just walk away from the screen bro hahahah, Like close your eyes bro hahahahh"
Sharpmid's comment may not be particularly eloquent, but it does sum up some people's attitude towards bullying in Torn. It's only a game, so it doesn't matter. Yet this ignores how seriously people take Torn City. You don't put years of your life into something without being invested. People relish their achievements here, they form relationships here, and when these things are affected by bullying, this can be just as distressing as if it happened in real life.
One anonymous victim explained to me how their bully had been pretending to be their friend for a long time, only to suddenly turn around and use their words against them. This isn't part of the game; it is a deliberate act by someone whose aim is to cause emotional torment. Not only does this kind of behaviour offer a serious blow to someone's level of confidence, it also creates feelings of insecurity and results in people withdrawing from making real contact with others. This hurts them, but it also hurts us all, as we will no longer be able to connect with the beautiful personalities they (may) have.
The effects on Torn go much further. I've spoken with one Torn resident who decided to tell me their story. It is a story which witnesses the empowering effect such interactions can have but also speaks of the dark side too. "When I joined Torn, I was a victim of bullying in real life", they told me. Long story short: they were the victim of a bullying campaign. Every day was a hell, which involved not only going to class and studying but also a constant state of heightened awareness. Were "they" around? If they were, which escape routes were open. The story kind of made me think of a guerrilla fighter in enemy terrain - it may sound exciting, but it's no way to live.
Every day this feeling caused a huge amount of stress: "It came to the point where I just couldn't take it anymore. I spent hours hidden in my room, thinking of the most efficient way to end my life. I was no attention seeker, I justed wanted to die. I considered every possibility and judged it on likeliness-to-succeed, expedition of the process, and trouble it would cause for others". They explained how some methods seemed to be quick and sure, but didn't pass the test: "For instance, jumping in front of a train seemed like a good idea, but I didn't want the train driver to experience a trauma".
In the end, they decided upon a method which seemed perfect. But at the last possible moment, when all had been arranged, they backed out: "It turned out I am too chicken to kill myself. So now that I know that about myself, I don't have to think about it anymore".
Torn to the Rescue
It was around that time when the person in question was introduced to Torn: "Moving to Torn City was one of the best things I've ever done. Nobody knew me around here. Nobody knew about my past. It was a clean slate for me!"
My source became active on the forums. While they were shy at first, the responses were such that they started to voice their opinion more elaborately: "And before I knew it, I had actually made friends!" They became part of a faction, where they received a position of responsibility: "I didn't believe it at first. There were people here who trusted me, who took me seriously. Some of them were 20 years older than I am, and still, they seemed to respect me."
My source told me a lot more about faction life. But as I promised anonymity to the people I spoke to, much of this cannot be shared in this article. What's more interesting is the effect being welcomed into a group had on this person: "Being respected in Torn City gave me a confidence boost. It helped me to switch to another school. I became pretty good at putting myself out there. And nowadays, I have a managerial job. Just like in Torn, people respect me and they take me serious. I don't think I would have been able to do this without my faction experience."
The Dark Side of Torn
My source experienced the positive effects of online interaction, but many others are not so fortunate. Just as I write this, the abuse is continuing in Global Chat, where a certain Mortal Caring Stuffed-animal retorted with: "Too bad you're a Cuckburn".
While this is just one example, pulled out of context, remarks like these are symptomatic of the general conduct in Torn City. Just have a look in any of the forums, and count the number of negative comments. Compare that with the positives. Being nasty about something gives people a sense of achievement as if they've spotted something others have not. Being complimentary is often seen as a weakness, yet the real weakness lies within those who are not confident enough to express their true feelings.
This results in a toxic situation. Modern psychology teaches us that we need three positive experiences to compensate one negative. In Torn, this 3:1-ratio sounds somewhat Utopic. So, does it matter? I asked my source for their opinion:
"Yes. It matters. As a former bullying victim, I know it matters. Back when I was bullied, at least I had a safe place to go to. And quite frankly, the forums weren't as horrifying as they are now. Yes, there were insults thrown around, but usually, these insults were game related. People didn't get personal the way they do now."
"The thing is... if you are bullied, you usually have a pretty low self-esteem as a result. So a remark which is made with a smile can hit the victim like a nuclear blast. It may shatter the last remnants of their self-esteem. I really fear for the psychological consequences of some of the things I see happening around here. I fear it may edge some people closer to suicide. It may not be the cause, but it might just be that one final drop..."
And as for the remark SharpMid made? "That guy has absolutely no clue what the *** he's talking about".
Moderation to moderate?
Can it really be this bad? The forums are moderated, aren't they?
There are some doubts about this. JustJanet expressed her concern that: "it isn't reasonable to expect staff to navigate through this quagmire and get it right 100% of the time. It's not possible."
Personally, I have mixed feelings about this statement. Of course, blaming staff for the misconduct of bullies is ridiculous. Likewise, it is unfair to say it is the fault of the victims. In the end, only the bully is responsible for their horrible behaviour. On the other hand, it is up to staff to hold bullies accountable.
If staff aren't stepping in, who is? In the end, only staff can take down repeat offenders or powerful players in Torn.
Of course, this requires a player report, an option of which victims are not always aware. But what happens next? Some of my sources state that they filed a report, after which their bully bullied them with the confidential content contained within. Whether this leak was intentional or accidental is irrelevant to the victim, although it should affect the repercussions for the individual involved.
My source also filed a player report at one point: "The player reports I filed were ignored. Basically, I think the staffer involved cannot imagine what it is like to be bullied, so they don't take things serious enough at times." It's no surprise that my source has little faith in the player report process.
Such stories undermine the faith people have in the ability and willingness of staff to deal with abuse and harassment. These incidents, therefore, warrant a full investigation, for both the protection of players and the preservation of staff reputations. Remember, staff are humans too, and are capable of making mistakes and behaving improperly just like anyone else. Even so, mass witch hunts benefit nobody, least of all players. There does need to be a reliable system of accountability for those with power, but those without must also be reasonable in their expectations.
Rules too loose?
Some people say the new forum rules leave too much room for bullying. Overall, the rules provide enough legal basis to act against bullying when real life information is involved. However, after recent scandals, staff appear to be afraid to take action. This is understandable, since the rules do not allow for actions against the in-game form of bullying. MarlonBrando fell victim to this when a group of individuals decided to hit him where it hurt: in his karma; as did all those new players who were famously bountied out of the game by a select group of people.
On the other hand, deciding when certain behaviour is bullying is a pretty daunting task. Just the other day, I witnessed a conversation in a chat-group where someone expressed a number of death threats. When I made a remark about this, the victim told me not to worry about it: "This is just him telling me how much he loves me". So how can we tell whether we're dealing with tough love, or real threats? How can we be sure the karma-war wasn't staged? It isn't easy being staff. It isn't easy to tell if someone is overreacting. It isn't easy to determine whether someone is on the cusp of doing something tragically permanent to remedy the situation.
Principle based rules
The rules do not cover every possible act which everyone would consider bullying. Such a feat would be impossible since what constitutes overly harsh behaviour is determined by the individuals involved. But when you sign up for Torn you commit to the adherence of certain rules, rules which are generally, but not ubiquitously, agreed upon by the community.
Does the recent spate of bullying claims mean the rules need to be tightened? Perhaps not. ChedBurn recently rewrote the rules because, in his view, the old rules were often too inflexible. The new rules are meant to be more flexibile in the actions taken against the purpetrators. I consider this a good call, except for the fact that the new rules fail to consider ingame bullying. I blame myself for that, as I was in the Committee when these rules were discussed. And, mea culpa, I too did not think of this at the time.
Rules aren't everything though. Whereas the authorities could, and perhaps should allow themselves the power to reprimand repeated bullies, responsibility also lies with the community at large. You are not children. You know when you've taken something too far, but while some of you have the self-control and awareness to stop, others keep going for their own sick amusement.
Enjoying yourself at the expense of another does not make you a monster. We all laugh when people fall over, when someone gets pranked or when our sworn nemesis' posts are downvoted to oblivion. What is important is that we question our actions in responding to and initiating repeated instances of humiliation upon the same person, even if they are just "part of the game". Where is the power balance? What happens if I keep doing this? Why am I doing this? What am I trying to achieve? What am I making up for that I don't get elsewhere?
To conclude: bullying is undoubtedly bad behaviour. At best, it hurts feelings. At worst, bullying ruins days, weeks and lives. And while it may all be a game to the bully, their actions have real-life consequences. It's easy to forget there's someone behind that avatar; a lonely kid who's looking to escape, a tired-out store clerk trying to unwind, a woman who wants to say what she thinks without someone grabbing her ass and telling her to cheer up.
With this in mind, I call upon the authorities and staff to act against in-game bullying. I call upon them to create and enforce rules which make Torn a place where conflict is encouraged, but torment is not tolerated. I call upon victims to file more reports until staff take them seriously. I call upon friends of victims to support your fellow players if you sense they're showing signs of despair.
And I call upon all, especially the bullies, to not behave like a complete and utter length of diseased colon just because you can. The truly strong don't abuse their power, they use it with caution. If you catch yourself bullying someone, just ask yourself the following question: Is there a better way I can win?
Yet, despite the humanity of us all, some of us are still singled out and grouped upon. Claims have been made against both staff and players in the past 24 hours alone, with all of this coming hot on the heels of the Pink Power 204 controversy. But in Torn City, where bountying and repeated hospitalisations are considered the norm, where players can lose a year's earnings in a single second, what exactly constitutes an act of bullying?
One of the examples which will make it into the Torn history books is the case of MarlonBrando. On the occasion in question, Marlon had all of his karma stripped by an entire faction. The victim accused the faction of being a bunch of bullies. The faction involved said it is "just part of the game". But is it?
Nobody can deny that MarlonBrando makes himself a target through his constant self-promotion and long-winded polls. If the community did not respond with aggression to such a character, one might wonder if they'd all been secretly neutered. But at what point does a reaction become an overreaction? Is it possible to judge where gameplay stops and bullying begins? When is someone making themselves out to be a victim, and when are we simply victim blaming?
JustJanet recently wrote a long post about the topic, in which she made some interesting observations. Most noteworthy was her discussion on the definition of role-playing: "The act of taking on a character or persona different than one's own to possibly act out aspects of a role-playing game, personal entertainment, or even sexual fetish play. It requires all actors to be aware of and accepting of the behavior. Otherwise, it is trolling not role-playing."
A fair point. In real life, if I walked out my door, sailed to a neighbouring PI and covered the entire house in tissues and dog poop, my argument that it was "role play" wouldn't hold much water. If the recipient doesn't agree to the game we're playing it is not role play. In Torn, both parties agree that virtual violence and the torment of our avatars is par for the course. What nobody signs up for is the personal abuse of their actual self.
Of course, nobody is permitted to go through life never being offended by the words of another. Forum disagreements will often spiral out of hand, insults will be slung, and a few attacks or bounties might be used to restore justice. Even when such an act goes on for a few weeks, we can say this has been done in good nature, since Torn itself relies on the idea of conflict and resolution.
But that last part is key - resolution. If a horde of people pile on and commit themselves to making someone's Torn life an enduring misery, there is no resolution. The balance of power is uneven. It is no longer one person disagreeing with another until someone gives in, it is a one-sided assault where the victim's energy is guaranteed to run out long before that of their collective opponents.
In a virtual mass brawl, this can be quite fun. If such an attack takes place upon someone's persona, the effects can be devastating.
The effects of bullying
What effect does bullying have? Since we are all shielded from real, physical dangers, is there really anything to worry about? Or, as Sharpmid[ so eloquently put it: "How the **** is cyber bullying real? Just walk away from the screen bro hahahah, Like close your eyes bro hahahahh"
Sharpmid's comment may not be particularly eloquent, but it does sum up some people's attitude towards bullying in Torn. It's only a game, so it doesn't matter. Yet this ignores how seriously people take Torn City. You don't put years of your life into something without being invested. People relish their achievements here, they form relationships here, and when these things are affected by bullying, this can be just as distressing as if it happened in real life.
One anonymous victim explained to me how their bully had been pretending to be their friend for a long time, only to suddenly turn around and use their words against them. This isn't part of the game; it is a deliberate act by someone whose aim is to cause emotional torment. Not only does this kind of behaviour offer a serious blow to someone's level of confidence, it also creates feelings of insecurity and results in people withdrawing from making real contact with others. This hurts them, but it also hurts us all, as we will no longer be able to connect with the beautiful personalities they (may) have.
The effects on Torn go much further. I've spoken with one Torn resident who decided to tell me their story. It is a story which witnesses the empowering effect such interactions can have but also speaks of the dark side too. "When I joined Torn, I was a victim of bullying in real life", they told me. Long story short: they were the victim of a bullying campaign. Every day was a hell, which involved not only going to class and studying but also a constant state of heightened awareness. Were "they" around? If they were, which escape routes were open. The story kind of made me think of a guerrilla fighter in enemy terrain - it may sound exciting, but it's no way to live.
Every day this feeling caused a huge amount of stress: "It came to the point where I just couldn't take it anymore. I spent hours hidden in my room, thinking of the most efficient way to end my life. I was no attention seeker, I justed wanted to die. I considered every possibility and judged it on likeliness-to-succeed, expedition of the process, and trouble it would cause for others". They explained how some methods seemed to be quick and sure, but didn't pass the test: "For instance, jumping in front of a train seemed like a good idea, but I didn't want the train driver to experience a trauma".
In the end, they decided upon a method which seemed perfect. But at the last possible moment, when all had been arranged, they backed out: "It turned out I am too chicken to kill myself. So now that I know that about myself, I don't have to think about it anymore".
Torn to the Rescue
It was around that time when the person in question was introduced to Torn: "Moving to Torn City was one of the best things I've ever done. Nobody knew me around here. Nobody knew about my past. It was a clean slate for me!"
My source became active on the forums. While they were shy at first, the responses were such that they started to voice their opinion more elaborately: "And before I knew it, I had actually made friends!" They became part of a faction, where they received a position of responsibility: "I didn't believe it at first. There were people here who trusted me, who took me seriously. Some of them were 20 years older than I am, and still, they seemed to respect me."
My source told me a lot more about faction life. But as I promised anonymity to the people I spoke to, much of this cannot be shared in this article. What's more interesting is the effect being welcomed into a group had on this person: "Being respected in Torn City gave me a confidence boost. It helped me to switch to another school. I became pretty good at putting myself out there. And nowadays, I have a managerial job. Just like in Torn, people respect me and they take me serious. I don't think I would have been able to do this without my faction experience."
The Dark Side of Torn
My source experienced the positive effects of online interaction, but many others are not so fortunate. Just as I write this, the abuse is continuing in Global Chat, where a certain Mortal Caring Stuffed-animal retorted with: "Too bad you're a Cuckburn".
While this is just one example, pulled out of context, remarks like these are symptomatic of the general conduct in Torn City. Just have a look in any of the forums, and count the number of negative comments. Compare that with the positives. Being nasty about something gives people a sense of achievement as if they've spotted something others have not. Being complimentary is often seen as a weakness, yet the real weakness lies within those who are not confident enough to express their true feelings.
This results in a toxic situation. Modern psychology teaches us that we need three positive experiences to compensate one negative. In Torn, this 3:1-ratio sounds somewhat Utopic. So, does it matter? I asked my source for their opinion:
"Yes. It matters. As a former bullying victim, I know it matters. Back when I was bullied, at least I had a safe place to go to. And quite frankly, the forums weren't as horrifying as they are now. Yes, there were insults thrown around, but usually, these insults were game related. People didn't get personal the way they do now."
"The thing is... if you are bullied, you usually have a pretty low self-esteem as a result. So a remark which is made with a smile can hit the victim like a nuclear blast. It may shatter the last remnants of their self-esteem. I really fear for the psychological consequences of some of the things I see happening around here. I fear it may edge some people closer to suicide. It may not be the cause, but it might just be that one final drop..."
And as for the remark SharpMid made? "That guy has absolutely no clue what the *** he's talking about".
Moderation to moderate?
Can it really be this bad? The forums are moderated, aren't they?
There are some doubts about this. JustJanet expressed her concern that: "it isn't reasonable to expect staff to navigate through this quagmire and get it right 100% of the time. It's not possible."
Personally, I have mixed feelings about this statement. Of course, blaming staff for the misconduct of bullies is ridiculous. Likewise, it is unfair to say it is the fault of the victims. In the end, only the bully is responsible for their horrible behaviour. On the other hand, it is up to staff to hold bullies accountable.
If staff aren't stepping in, who is? In the end, only staff can take down repeat offenders or powerful players in Torn.
Of course, this requires a player report, an option of which victims are not always aware. But what happens next? Some of my sources state that they filed a report, after which their bully bullied them with the confidential content contained within. Whether this leak was intentional or accidental is irrelevant to the victim, although it should affect the repercussions for the individual involved.
My source also filed a player report at one point: "The player reports I filed were ignored. Basically, I think the staffer involved cannot imagine what it is like to be bullied, so they don't take things serious enough at times." It's no surprise that my source has little faith in the player report process.
Such stories undermine the faith people have in the ability and willingness of staff to deal with abuse and harassment. These incidents, therefore, warrant a full investigation, for both the protection of players and the preservation of staff reputations. Remember, staff are humans too, and are capable of making mistakes and behaving improperly just like anyone else. Even so, mass witch hunts benefit nobody, least of all players. There does need to be a reliable system of accountability for those with power, but those without must also be reasonable in their expectations.
Rules too loose?
Some people say the new forum rules leave too much room for bullying. Overall, the rules provide enough legal basis to act against bullying when real life information is involved. However, after recent scandals, staff appear to be afraid to take action. This is understandable, since the rules do not allow for actions against the in-game form of bullying. MarlonBrando fell victim to this when a group of individuals decided to hit him where it hurt: in his karma; as did all those new players who were famously bountied out of the game by a select group of people.
On the other hand, deciding when certain behaviour is bullying is a pretty daunting task. Just the other day, I witnessed a conversation in a chat-group where someone expressed a number of death threats. When I made a remark about this, the victim told me not to worry about it: "This is just him telling me how much he loves me". So how can we tell whether we're dealing with tough love, or real threats? How can we be sure the karma-war wasn't staged? It isn't easy being staff. It isn't easy to tell if someone is overreacting. It isn't easy to determine whether someone is on the cusp of doing something tragically permanent to remedy the situation.
Principle based rules
The rules do not cover every possible act which everyone would consider bullying. Such a feat would be impossible since what constitutes overly harsh behaviour is determined by the individuals involved. But when you sign up for Torn you commit to the adherence of certain rules, rules which are generally, but not ubiquitously, agreed upon by the community.
Does the recent spate of bullying claims mean the rules need to be tightened? Perhaps not. ChedBurn recently rewrote the rules because, in his view, the old rules were often too inflexible. The new rules are meant to be more flexibile in the actions taken against the purpetrators. I consider this a good call, except for the fact that the new rules fail to consider ingame bullying. I blame myself for that, as I was in the Committee when these rules were discussed. And, mea culpa, I too did not think of this at the time.
Rules aren't everything though. Whereas the authorities could, and perhaps should allow themselves the power to reprimand repeated bullies, responsibility also lies with the community at large. You are not children. You know when you've taken something too far, but while some of you have the self-control and awareness to stop, others keep going for their own sick amusement.
Enjoying yourself at the expense of another does not make you a monster. We all laugh when people fall over, when someone gets pranked or when our sworn nemesis' posts are downvoted to oblivion. What is important is that we question our actions in responding to and initiating repeated instances of humiliation upon the same person, even if they are just "part of the game". Where is the power balance? What happens if I keep doing this? Why am I doing this? What am I trying to achieve? What am I making up for that I don't get elsewhere?
To conclude: bullying is undoubtedly bad behaviour. At best, it hurts feelings. At worst, bullying ruins days, weeks and lives. And while it may all be a game to the bully, their actions have real-life consequences. It's easy to forget there's someone behind that avatar; a lonely kid who's looking to escape, a tired-out store clerk trying to unwind, a woman who wants to say what she thinks without someone grabbing her ass and telling her to cheer up.
With this in mind, I call upon the authorities and staff to act against in-game bullying. I call upon them to create and enforce rules which make Torn a place where conflict is encouraged, but torment is not tolerated. I call upon victims to file more reports until staff take them seriously. I call upon friends of victims to support your fellow players if you sense they're showing signs of despair.
And I call upon all, especially the bullies, to not behave like a complete and utter length of diseased colon just because you can. The truly strong don't abuse their power, they use it with caution. If you catch yourself bullying someone, just ask yourself the following question: Is there a better way I can win?
Original article
Comments
Post a Comment