“Who cares about actual victims? They’re just the vocal minority, right? One can almost hear him proclaim while applying a fresh coat of irony for good measure. Yes, nothing says “I’m in touch with the gaming community” more than mocking anyone who dared to become a victim of a factually impossible thing to control.”
VICE News Founding Senior Editor Mike Diver's Gamergate Denial 9/22/15
In a shocking turn of events that has the internet buzzing like a malfunctioning router in a college dorm, VICE contributor Mike Diver has publicly expressed his enthusiasm for the probable cancellation of his career after he plunged headfirst into the quagmire of Internet discourse. In a recent article, Diver opined that Gamergate isn't “really a thing anymore,” completely missing the memo on why post-2014 wasn’t exactly a victory lap for progressives, citing instead the existence of “those four people still using the hashtag.”
How magnanimous of him to address such a legitimate threat to the fabric of society! Thank you, Mike, for your unyielding vigilance against four rogue Internet warriors wielding hashtags like the world’s most ineffective swords. Diver’s bold assertion is, of course, supported by his impeccable research—or at least his ability to scroll past any social media feed that doesn’t immediately serve his confirmation bias. After all, why delve into the evidence showcasing online harassment and abuse when it's much easier to dismiss it as a relic of our not-so-distant past?
Surely, those four sad souls clinging to their keyboards are the only individuals who still care about Anita Sarkeesian's contributions to gaming culture. Clearly, nonchalance is the flavor of the decade, or at least that’s the dish Diver has chosen to serve up with a side of rhetorical elbow grease. As he keenly points out, using a photo of Sarkeesian—who has, tragically, become synonymous with Gamergate as a symbol of online harassment—will undoubtedly ignite the ire of these four individuals. In a twist of irony that even the most seasoned satire writers would struggle to concoct, Diver seems blissfully unaware that this very dismissal of abuse may mark his ticket to cancellation.
Perhaps VICE could start a retrospective series titled “Great Missed Opportunities in Journalism,” featuring none other than Diver himself, who captures the essence of tone-deaf commentary better than anyone since—oh, who could forget—the times when people argued that climate change would blow over? In yet another faux pas of the modern writer, Diver glides through the Twitter-sphere like a refrigerator running a marathon, noting that he’s practically giddy at the thought of silencing those whining about social justice in gaming.
“Who cares about actual victims? They’re just the vocal minority, right?” one can almost hear him proclaim while applying a fresh coat of irony for good measure. Yes, nothing says “I’m in touch with the gaming community” more than mocking anyone who dares to become a victim of a factually impossible thing to control. Diver’s cavalier attitude begs the question: what does it take to enter the elite club of “tone-deaf journalists who just don't get it?” Is there a secret handshake involved? A quiz on the intricacies of gaming culture and its intersection with social dynamics that only a fortunate few appear to pass? Or maybe it’s just a complete lack of self-awareness that serves as the golden ticket.
Mike’s exceptional knack for misunderstanding the gravitas of Gamergate and choosing banal dismissal over reasoned discourse illuminates a broader trend within gaming journalism by men who literally can't see thousands of pieces of evidence right in front of them at a few taps of the keyboard. They struggle to write fairly about something that destroyed the lives of so many, including myself. What better way to ensure your impending career cancellation than by trivializing the experiences of marginalized individuals?
As we all hold our breath, waiting to see if Diver’s inbox fills up with congratulatory messages from the Twitterati for his brave and entirely unnecessary comments (or perhaps a digital equivalent of the world's loudest cricket chirping), one thing becomes remarkably clear: the only “cancellation” happening here is the one Diver unwittingly orchestrated as he signed his own pink slip with glibness and ignorance.
So, here's to you, Mike Diver! As you paddle upstream through the currents of your opinions, we salute you with a hearty toast. May your career cancellation come swiftly, an epitome of how sometimes the audience simply won’t stand for the misguided intonations of a so-called "Founding Senior Editor." After all, Gamergate may not be a “thing” for you, but for many, it became a painful reminder that progress isn’t without its battles and sacrifices from those often least deserving.
