this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2023
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No, I don't think activities performed between consenting participants are the same as activities performed against virtual non-consenting participants.
I obviously don't believe this, as I have said that there is a unexamined darkness if a person's escapism expresses itself with the desire to be the bad guy. If there is catharsis in hurting the virtual innocent, in playing the despot, then the person should examine where these reactionary tendencies come from. If I believed all people's subliminal desires were as dark and violent, then I wouldn't have suggested there was something to be done about it.
they're not real and cannot be hurt. It's a virtual punching bag. And you don't know they haven;t thought about it. I've enjoyed dark power fantasies that disagree with how I choose to actually act. It's because I have a temper and constantly holding it back is frustrating. Yes it's a good thing to do, something I would choose to do even if there were never enforced consequences for not holding back, but watching an extreme of the opposite, releases of anger can be satisfying. Way more people enact their deep fascist beliefs through neighborhood watch associations and HOAs then by playing one fascist run of an RPG. be more worried about those which have real consequences.
Perhaps you can kill cops, racists, imperialists, etc. instead of the powerless in games? Also perhaps you can work on the source of that temper, understanding your feelings, and dealing with the causes instead of venting the symptoms on 'valid targets'?
Also, I definitely worry more about those with real consequences, I've never argued differently.