It's the end of the week at last… and here in the UK we have a long weekend ahead of us for the August bank holiday. I feel like I really need it; this week has been kind of exhausting!
Now that the week is over, I feel like everything has just sort of "caught up" to me a bit and I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed. I'm really glad that I posted my "We Need To Get Better At Talking About Sex" piece, along with a detailed exploration of Love³ and I'm even more glad that both of them seemingly got people talking… but man, getting even a bit of attention on you is kind of exhausting!
I am, however, pleased to say that I've not had any sort of negative attention from this, as I was slightly fearful I might have. I remember on one previous occasion I made a comment under a Kotaku article objecting to the way they had portrayed something or other — I forget what it was now, as to be honest I've tried to blot it out of my memory — and I subsequently received a ton of very unpleasant replies and messages. I am thankful that this hasn't happened this time around, even if I did kick the hornet's nest a little by posting my Love³ in the replies to both Kotaku and Nathan Grayson's tweets sharing Grayson's obnoxious article.
No; thankfully I've had nothing but pleasant comments from those who have actually said something, and a lot of "silent support" (likes, shares, retweets) from people who evidently feel I said what needed to be said. This feels pretty good. I'm under no illusions that I'm any sort of "big-shot" at this point, I hasten to add, but I do really appreciate that some people feel that my words carry some sort of weight — and that I said things that were worth saying.
I always struggle with whether or not I should speak up on occasions like this, for a variety of reasons: whether it's even worth perpetuating the "culture war" that gaming has been embroiled in for nearly a decade now; whether my points actually have any merit to them; and, of course, whether any of it actually matters. There's always some sort of "bigger issue" that people are supposed to care about; right now it's the whole situation going on with the Amazon rainforest.
At some point, though, I tend to think you have to say "well, which of these can I actually do something positive about?" And, well, here we are. I did something positive where I could make a noticeable, tangible difference. I spoke up in support of people I saw who had been hurt. And if I made a few people feel a bit less alone in the things they like and the things they pour their time, money, effort and passion into… so much the better. The little things are important too; they're the things that keep us all sane in trying times.
Now I think I need a very long lie down! Have a lovely weekend, everyone.
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