Comment to Post: Representation and Implicit Bias
A common issue for bloggers — I assume at least, it certainly is for me and I know Bhagpuss has it too — is when comments blur the line between being a comment and perhaps being better off as a post of their own.
Sometimes its hard to tell which will be which until after you done.
In a bit of a ‘Why not both?’ moment — particularly with Blaugust on the way and the need (I’m putting on myself) to post every day for it — I’ve decided that from time to time, I might just straight up take a comment and wrap a bit of a post around it, like I’m doing now.
This particular one is part of the discussion on the Blizzard lawsuit in a way, as many posts at the moment are. Reflecting on my own contribution yesterday — it was a little raw. Since then, I’ve seen many, many, much better written posts on the subject (which I’ll also share with you below). And some of these have helped refine my own feelings on the matter.
Before getting to the comment, I found this reddit post today — the stickied comment at the top of which is collating the voices of the various people in, or previously in, Blizzard.
By far, those are the voices that matter most right now. If you’ve only seen the lawsuit document and perhaps have been a little on the fence, take a look at the more personal accounts of those who were in the thick of it.
That said, onto the comment…
Original Comment: Left on Gnomecore, in response to Activision Blizzard Lawsuit: My Opinion
Specifically, the section on representation and quotas.
Just a quick (well, that’s the intent at least…) note on the representation point. Because I entirely agree that all else being equal, merit should be all that matters. We shouldn’t need to entertain the idea of quotas.
But the huge ‘if’ in there is around the ‘all else being equal’. It just isn’t. What finally tipped my views over from ‘Quotas are bullshit’ to something more accepting of them was a course on implicit bias and the impacts they can have on all sorts of things. Implicit bias is a fascinating subject, but the cliff notes version is that they’re unconsciously held beliefs. These beliefs can run contrary to the values lived by, even. They’re a product of upbringing, life experience, that kind of thing.
One example being most people these days probably believe it is equally acceptable for a mother OR a father to be a stay at home parent. But when this assumption is tested, the bias leans toward a rapid assumption of the mother fulfilling this role.
Quotas aren’t really so much about the here and now. The aim is to normalise seeing people of minorities in those roles, to change the underlying implicit biases the world teaches us to have — so that going forward? In the longer term? The quotas are no longer required.
Other Voices on the Blizzard Lawsuit
- Collection of Blizzard Staff (Past and Present)
- Stargrace – My Invisible Line
- Bhagpuss – Your Cover’s Blown
- Ace Asunder – WoW, I guess it’s buh-bye Blizzard!
- Mr Peril – The Blight of “Bro Culture” and “Boys Club” Mentality
- Gnomecore – Activision Blizzard Lawsuit: My Opinion
- Telwyn – Blizzard, culture and protesting through absence
- Wilhelm – Friday Bullet Points
- Hannah – Weekend Wrap-Up
- Belghast – Please Believe Women
- Syp – Blizzard, I am dissapoint
- Shintar – Shitshow at Blizzard
- Nogamara – Blizzard and this train wreck
