There’s been a long pause in these observations. I’ve been dealing with some issues in some online communities I’m part of. When the Corona Virus came very little changed for me. Aspects of my life were different, but I was still #essential and still going to work. This, perhaps, gave me a false sense of normalcy.
While some aspects of my work and life were different, nothing really felt different. I would have to say the biggest difference I’ve felt and seen is in the online communities. Everyone became a bit of a shut in and their only connection with other people came through the internet. I know I mentioned in an earlier post how certain moods seemed to appear, grow, and spread.
Things are starting to return to normal. However, in America, there are protests and riots. This might all be conjecture, but I feel like everything is only so bad because of the time people have had to spend shut in their homes and self quarantined.
Humans, by their nature, are social creatures. We like to have a community and a sense of belonging within it. The dynamics and roles of this community shifted while we were out of contact. We’ve been confined to our homes and local cities. With the restrictions easing and people beginning to move again I would hazard it’s almost like someone with an addiction. The first high of being able to move is going to be great and now we’re seeing the angst people were holding onto.
Everyone copes with the stressors of their lives differently. Sometimes we find these methods on our own and sometimes with guidance from others. Sometimes, instead, we fall into bad habits. Then there are some people who never fully learn how to deal with stress. I think this is what we’re seeing now, in part, with the protests and riots. It’s hard being in one space all the time unless that’s something you are used to. Not to mention if you have roommates or family you’re staying with and suddenly all of you are stuck together.
Maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, I don’t know. I think it plays a part though. People don’t naturally exist in a state of anger or agitation. They need a reason to be that way – whether they manifest it or the environment creates it. I believe, in part, the violence and destruction we see in these protests stems from the emotions and energy pent up during quarantine. That’s not something I’d be able to find out though. I don’t have many contacts with people involved in either.
Coming back around to online communities… While I may not know everyone involved in them very well, it seems that certain people have soured. Certain types of communities bring out the worst in people and people will feed on as well as enhance these personalities in others.
For example, several years back Guild Wars 2 had a great PvP community. Then GW2 decided they wanted to be part of esports. There were tournaments and leagues and it became highly competitive. The community prior to this had been extremely helpful. A few people were toxic – had a bad attitude and vicious towards others – but many other players would keep them in line or balance them out. Slowly, even those players disappeared. Either they quit or they became toxic themselves. The community that had existed disappeared, but only in this facet of the game. In other areas the community remained as nice and helpful as it had always been.
In my experience, games with high elements of competitive play or player vs player (PvP) tend to be the worst. They bring out the worst in people and you either become like them, remain the same, or leave. These communities tend to have a higher volume of people who are toxic, exhibit aggressive or antagonistic behavior, and bullying. These are hard to deal with, even in normal circumstances. In circumstances like these where a higher than normal number of people are becoming engaged in these communities there are greater opportunities for these personalities to feed each other.
I guess we’ll see how things unfold in the next few months as well as in the following years.
Creative Corners 