How has geek/nerd bullying become so acceptable again?

In the last couple of months it has become socially acceptable to rip into the fringes of society.

You have journalist from major websites starting campaigns to bring back bullying and saying they want to smash nerds in the head.

You have baying mobs reducing brilliant scientists to tears on tv because of their choice of shirt.

A campaign to smear anyone who plays computer games with accusations of being rape threatening social inadequates.

There was even a campaign by our local police force (west midlands police) to report anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable on public transport. One of the spokespeople for the campaign said "it doesn't matter if they're breaking the law, let us know anyway". Encouraging the public to report people for looking a bit different or not having a face like brad pitt.

I can't be the only one who is very concerned by this.

a reply to: bates

Who were the journalists?

a reply to: WilsonWilson

Sam Biddle.

I'd never heard of him to be honest but apparently he's quite well known.

a reply to: bates

Wow what an idiot but I've not heard of him or his website. He'd have got sacked anywhere with a higher profile not promoted.

a reply to: bates

Is the following link what your talking about?

Business Insider

a reply to: bates

I have always been a social pariah. As such, I was often the target of bullying in my younger years. As a result of this I am a stalwart enemy of bullies everywhere no matter where I see them. I think this has a lot to do with my unyielding disdain for anything perceived as "authority" as, more often than not, most people in positions of power are typically bullies.

We live in a society where you are under huge pressure to conform and all that it takes to make bullying acceptable is for someone to make the case that your brand of "outsiderness" is somehow undesirable or hurtful to the greater good because it somehow demonstrates too much individuality or wrong thought.

a reply to: amicktd

www.cjr.org...

Some screenshots of his tweets on that.

Surely in part it's got to be jealousy. Geeks are in.

a reply to: WilsonWilson

Real geeks and nerds still get the #.

People pretending to be geeks and nerds is what's in and I think even that is dying a bit now.

As an aside to this, did anyone else know that Vin Diesel is a Dungeons and Dragons fanatic? What a loser

a reply to: bates

Yep and apparently I think Elijah Wood is or was too.

I just cant believe all that rage #gamergate induced. That girl seems to be a ho, liar and narcistic among other labels.

Lots of guys with pussies involved.
Lots of feminazis involved.
Lots of bandwagon types.

Just OMG.

And frankly, that tweet really seemed like a sarcastic joke, and everyone is crying about it.

I say bring sarcasm back! And all so so sensitive people, grow a skin.

EDIT: well maybe i should be so fast to cast stones. I did see how this "bring bullying back -message" can affect on some people who does not understand bad jokes or sarcasm, and that is BAAAAAAD.

Mike Cernovich doesn't think much of Sam Biddle.

Meh... I'm struggling to care...

a reply to: menneni

Wow you're so angry. What is it yoda said? fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate. You're post was quite hate filled.

a reply to: Mirthful Me

well that was a informative read. After reading this, well i'm not so sure anymore if that Tweet was sarcasm.

Still, the ground rules i believe are the same: if you get bitten, bite back or back off. I think we as humanity are not evolving to the point where bullying and picking doesn't exist, not for a hundred years.

Frowning upon bullying is a good start. My view might be skewed; in my youth, i have been bullied and i have bullying. And to this age i've seen numerous times how the victim becomes the bully, and the bully becomes regressive, depressive even because of his own actions upon understanding what bullying might cause.

But what i've seen, seldom does the victim a) forgive, b) move on, c) being contempt of bullying others after gaining some self value.

It's like you'd be inclined to say that bullying can set you op on path of ascension, while being bullied can throw you descending -> that is if you get my loose drift.

a reply to: WilsonWilson

That is true, i got angry when posted. The gamergate, too much sensitivity and all that jazz got under my skin. I just find everything i've consumed on #gamergate so annoying.

Like i said, too much everything onboard. For the life of me, cannot just figure out how the lives of common man got to the point it rests now.

Im a oldskool gamer, you can call me a (awesomely goodlooking) geek too, and i hate what that stupid ####storm is doing to the general view of gaming and all involved. I really hate it. Sorry for angry words

Easy targets will always get their share of negative feedback.

What target is easier than someone who is a single 'basement dweller' or any other archetype of that person who doesn't conform to societal expectations?

a reply to: WilsonWilson

And dude, my post really was not so "hate filled", or what was it that was the "hate filled" part? There really wasn't none.

Letters best explaining that post, ie. tl;dr part:

OMG.

a reply to: menneni

LOL well your descriptive language seemed quite hateful to me.

If you're talking about gamergate. (I refuse to say hashtag, because that's retarded.) Those gamergate idiots are waging a war on women, threatening rape and doxing them and threatening to kill them just because they don't like their point of view. Anyone associated with gamergate should be ashamed of themselves. misogynistic woman haters who whine about everything have no place in a modern society. I've been hurt by women too, I didn't cry about it all over the Internet! I processed it and moved on with my life. That's what grownups do.