Monday, February 2, 2015

Aftermath of a Pissing Contest

I made a blog post yesterday to review CSM9s term. The goal was to draw public attention to a plight that has been with the CSM since the beginning of the CSM. I was not the first, but the second member of CSM9 to make mention of CCPs consistent misuse of the body, though I was by far less diplomatic in the way I told the story. It's my style, I don't pull punches, and I say what I mean. I'm often blunt, and this can hurt feelings.

For the first few hours after release of yesterday's blog, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Comments were left on the blog, and I got many lovely messages from past CSM members thanking me for putting it out there. I got thumbs up from fellow bloggers and other Eve Media types for dropping an honest telling of the issues facing the CSM outside of the rosy light the term has been typically painted in. Many of these people were not surprised by what they read because, as I mentioned before, I wasn't the first to say these things this term.

Then CCP Leeloo read what I had to say. I must have struck a nerve, because her public response on twitter wasn't to refute anything that was said, but rather an attempt to marginalize my opinion with a statement that was misleading at best, and patently false at worst. My response to her attack is something (as Rixx Javix predicted) I am now looking back on with no small degree of regret, because in an effort to defend myself, I took focus away from the message I was originally trying to convey and allowed this to become about me.

The slew of personal attacks that followed in the wake of the twitter and reddit drama yesterday were to be expected. I've been a public figure on the internet too long now to let some trolling and faceless people on the internet flinging bad words get to me, but I must apologize to all of you because my response was indeed not the high road I should have taken.

I am truly sorry for that.

I will however, take vindication that while my character was assaulted almost non stop, not a single person stood up to say that anything I had claimed in the post that started all this was false. Many people agreed with it, a bunch of folks engaged in personal attacks, and the rest were just silent. The array of responses should be telling in itself.

When it comes down to it, my hope with that blog is that CCP takes a hard look at how they utilize the CSM, because the CSM doesn't have the capability to wedge their way in themselves no matter how nice OR forcefully they express themselves. There is no rule that any CCP employee aside from the CSM coordinator has to talk to the CSM, and nor should there be. What there should be is a desire to talk with and include the CSM more, because the many minds will only make the whole stronger.

For myself, I will continue to represent lowsec and the highsec gankers and scammers as I have for the remainder of the term (in private when possible, and in the forum of public opinion when necessary). I don't think there is anything left on the table this term anyway right now of importance for either of those crowds, so this will likely be my last CSM9 posting.

Once the term is up, I'll go back to my old role as a member of Eve's media community with a greater understanding of the CSM than I had back in April. DJ Big Country is not a man I have many agreements with, but he made a great point to me today about how much CSM and media duties can conflict and create drama when mixed together. In the media we're used to being able to have any discussion on any topic quite freely, to interview and talk to anyone, and we're not held up with concerns for the NDA or who's feelings we might brush providing we're doing our jobs properly.

There was a time when I was lauded for my approach to the issues facing Eve, and I'm looking forward to getting back to those roots once I shake off the bitter I've collected over the last 9 months.

7 comments:

  1. The best thing about all this is that you've managed to post three times in two days. That's more than the past three months.

    As someone who had you as #1 on their ballot last year (based solely on your blog, since I'm not about to alarm-clock for 5am on a Saturday to listen to your radio show... that does not get recorded and podcast), I have appreciated and agreed with your viewpoint on the stances you have taken. It started with your view of Ripard Teg, and I'm pleased to see it continue today.

    I look forward to more blog posts from you once the shackles of the NDA are removed and the bitterness the past year's experience has brought softened.

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    Replies
    1. Damn I miss me some weekly Jester's Trek

      Regards, a Freelancer

      Delete
  2. '''let's try this again. I accidently logged out when I went to post.

    CCP Leeloo didn't take anything but the low road via Twitter on your original post. I was actually amused because that isn't something typical of a CCP employee. At least not on their official CCP handle. I'd be interested in her apology as she owes one, in my opinion.

    As for the Twitter.Reddit attacks? I find it very hypocritical when someone in PL bashes on anyone for thinking they may be more of the design/influence process as a CSM. Grath of PL, Jeffreaider, and a shit load of PL are always throwing their weight around with fits, suggestions, etc... at Rise and Fozzie in public arenas such as Twitter and the Eve-O forums. Imagine what happens in behind the scenes scenarios. It's not Fozzie may not be PL biased or anything, right? #sarcasm

    You're upstanding to apologize. I don't think you needed to but you sure are upstaging Leeloo. I feel she was the wrong one in this whole thing.

    And fuck the haters. They're blinded by their own hypocrisy.

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  3. There isn't much sense saying anything when the internet trolls are swarming someone like they were on you yesterday, it'll just get lost in the noise and they may turn on anyone who doesn't follow the herd.

    While I might not be impressed with the way you handled the situation, I understand the blunt bit, I'm that way too. You certainly don't anyone an apology over what you said in the first post.

    The person I see as being in the wrong in all this is CCP Leeloo. That twitter comment of her's was immature and extremely unprofessional. Like Harrigan says n the comment above, if anyone owes anyone an apology it's Leeloo.

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  4. At some point in life, you have to throw your hands up and say, I am done. I believe its that time .. the CSM is obviously not for you

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  5. http://www.themittani.com/features/transparency-and-funkybacon

    Would you like to respond to this please:

    On June 6th, Funky published a blog post that would mark the beginning of a long downward trajectory both for himself and for the whole of CSM 9.

    Layoffs had again hit CCP and, on the same day that the layoffs were announced, The Guardian published a brutal exposé on the demise of the World of Darkness MMO that had been under development. It was a one-two punch that floored the already demoralized company. The rest of the CSM had of course heard about the layoffs and read The Guardian's piece. We'd also gently poked CCP for comment and, in reply, we were all told that we'd have a meeting the next day to go over everything in depth. The importance of this is difficult to overstate: a staggering company was taking time out of their crisis mode to talk to us directly and give us feedback. They had lost co-workers, they had lost dear friends, entire families were affected, but they were taking time to sit down with us even so. The entirety of the CSM expressed public sympathy and prudently waited for our meeting the next morning.

    The whole CSM, that is, except Funky.
    He knew full well that there was a meeting to discuss the implications and he pushed his blog out the door the night before anyway.

    Regards, a Freelancer

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for answering:

      "The CSM is a Reality show"

      source:
      http://eve-radio.com/modules/mod_rewind/player.php?recidx=55889&station=er


      DJ: FunkyBacon, recorded: 00:00 - 07 Feb 2015

      http://www.legacyofacapsuleer.com/mp3/LOAC_ep_17.mp3

      Posted on: February 4, 2015, by: Tyrant Scorn

      Even though it is a dick move towards those that lost their jobs at the time, the Reality is that CCPgames upper echelon management is 100% responsible for fucking up, yet again, and walking away with it in their hubris.

      source: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/05/world-of-darkness-the-inside-story-mmo-ccp-white-wolf

      Regards, a Freelancer

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