If I understand your post correctly, you're basically calling the researcher names for exploring the presence of sexism within on-line games. What is wrong with asking these sorts of questions? And what is wrong with documenting her reactions to the sexism in the game? The thrust of your post seems to be: "It's only a game, so sexism is irrelevant" and "Don't ask questions." You don't seem like a terribly bright spark yourself.

Sexism is a valid concern wherever it is experienced. "Juvenile" behavior is very different from actions and words that are hurtful and harmful to those that experience them. She seems to me to simply be exploring something that isn't often talked about.

Hi Curious,

I've been thinking about your response for a while now - I wasn't expecting to offend anyone with this post except possibly the author of the report. But after re-reading my post a few times, I think the problem is that it pre-supposes experience of MMORPGs. If you have played any of them you'll know there are ALWAYS a small minority of players who delight in offending anyone they can. These players are usually teenage boys.

My objection was to the author's surprise at this very common phenomenon. She was conducting a serious scientific investigation but calling for volunteers from a pool of subjects that includes a large number of teenage boys, a proportion of whom enjoy offending anyone they can. Not unexpectedly she received many obnoxious responses, but she expresses scholarly surprise and then uses these responses to justify the study.

In short I am questioning the methodology of the study, not its aims. I hope this clarifies things.

Tim

Hi Also_curious,

My short essay above is also relevant to your comment, but it would have probably been easier to just say "There are plenty of idiots playing MMORPGs, don't be surprised by the huge amount of casual sexism, racism and homophobia. I've seen plenty of it on every single MMORPG I've played (and that's quite a few)."

Awesome stuff! Thanks for all the information.