Hate on the internet, let's talk about if for a second...

First off, I'm gonna make this post public, because I want anyone who comes to my page to be able to see it no matter what.

I was inspired to write something about this by a content creator I've followed for a very long time who did a rant today about the subject. Also, because I've been a victim of it myself as a developer.

I've been accused of including X in my game and not including Y or Y and not Z. Someone went as far as to call me a racist because Jose speaks in broken English, or homophobic because Lydia calls MC gay (even though she has gay friends and it's clear as day she's joking). For the record, one of my best friends happens to be a lesbian.

I've been review bombed in places where it's obvious the only reason the person did it was for attention, because it was also obvious they didn't spend a second playing my game. Then, I see those reviews get liked 20 times more than any of the positive ones, and it's not just me, it happens to every dev I know. So, I have to ask myself why?

For instance let's take AAA games, and I'm not going to get specific. But, if there's content in it you don't like then you have the choice not to consume it. I'm not saying you as people on this page. I'm saying you as anyone.

It saddens me because it's a small but very loud minority, and I've had to leave communities because of them.

So, again I have to ask why? What is it about negativity and hate that drives some people to it like fly's to shit? Trolling is one thing and often entertaining, but I saw a chat make a streamer cry once, because they were streaming a game that was deemed taboo by a certain subset of people.

Here's my take, it's very easy to hide behind an avatar and rip someone to pieces. It's much harder to do that to their face. So, I think it's why we see this stuff more and more nowadays. Because, people have that anonymity. That mask they can hide behind.

All of you who play One Day at a Time know it's about love, friendship and trying to become a better person while overcoming demons. The sort of behavior I described above is just so contrary to what I try to put into the world myself.

I'm absolutely not accusing anyone here, but if you are someone who uses the internet as a shield to spread hate and negativity. I'd like to ask you to look into your soul and question exactly why you feel the need to do that.

I'm not saying no one should have an opinion. Hell I have opinions about almost everything. But, when people weaponize them to make other people miserable. I'd have to ask what's lacking in that person to make them do that in the first place?

As I've said, it's so contrary to who I am and what I try to do. It's just really hard for me to understand. Call me whatever you'd like, but if people took half of the energy they spend spreading hate to spread love. The world and cyberspace in particular, would be a much better place.

I'm not sure how much of that even made sense, but it's my feelings poured out into an essay about something I feel needs to get a lot more attention. I mean, people even make a shit ton of money spreading hate on the internet, so why do people buy it?

Anyway, maybe what I just wrote is what I was meant to do more than anything in the poll below this post, other than working on the game.

I just want all of you to know. I don't care what gender you identify with, I don't care what race or creed you are and I sure as hell don't care what your kinks are. Unless of course your kink is getting off on hurting other people (and I'm not talking about sub/dom). I'd just ask again, if you get your kicks off of making others feel bad. Consider taking a long look in the mirror and asking yourself why you do it.

If you're still reading this, I just want you to know the vast majority of you I've interacted with are NOT this way. I'm simply speaking to the ones who may be.

As always hope you are all doing well, and I'm gonna add this time that if you're not. You can always PM me and I'd be happy to talk with you and try to help. As you know with the game, the life of a recovering addict is one of selfless service, and I try to live that as much as I possibly can. It's yet another reason it hurts me so badly to see all this hate in the realm in which I create and try to bring joy.

I'll leave you with this. From my own personal experience it takes a lot more to love than to hate, but it's infinitely more rewarding in the long run.

Cheers!

Zoey