In 'The Internet of Us', Michael Lynch asks the reader to imagine they were living in a world inside an enormous library that holds a nearly infinite number of books, ranging from incomprehensible babble, to informative explanations of everything from politics to physics to relationships. The trouble is, there's no way to know which books are accurate or partly accurate and which books are nonsense or entirely made-up. Everyone living inside the library would be in a state of information glut. Sound familiar?
He imagines various groups forming, some using reference books as maps to the truths and falsehoods, while other groups insist that no THESE reference books over HERE are the key to understanding the truths of other books, and perhaps some groups insisting there is no way to know which books contain objective truth or that there is no such thing. The various group's disagreements over which books are accurate and which are falsehoods can't be solved. The groups only succeed in becoming more separate and tribalized. "the more practical-minded of the inhabitants," Lynch suggests, "may begin to listen to those who point out that the only real way to settle the issue is to burn the other tribe's books." There are many examples from history of groups who thought that if only they could get rid of the OTHER groups that don't think like they do, then the world would be a happier, simpler place.
But since comic book fans all belong to the same group, there should be nothing to worry about, right? Well, humans seem remarkably good at creating sub-groups and splinter groups and the Internet has made many of the differences between these sub groups more visible. Lynch believes that, “By giving us more information, the Internet not only gives us more things to disagree about, it allows us to more easily select and choose those sources that validate our existing opinions. And that, in turn, can cause our disagreements to spiral even deeper.” Especially when our voices begin to affect what comics can be purchased or how our favorite characters act and dress.
When Marvel made the largely unpopular move to write stories about Captain America secretly being a Nazi, people LITERALY burned the book (the initial story reveal was done in a free comic). But I believe this was mostly done as a cathartic move or to make a statement about their displeasure of this story, not as a means to remove other people's ability to read to book (as was the actual Nazi party's intentions when burning books). However, there have been attempts establish a blacklist and encourage the boycotting of certain creators based on their group association. Blacklisting authors as a way to remove future books from being created is similar to the burning of books published in the past to remove their availability. Twitter user YellowFlashGuy posted a blacklist of creators called the 'Comicsgate Blacklist Bestiary' which instructed people to, "Do not buy any comics from these people. The only way to fix this industry is to get the cancer out." His argument being that these individual creators existence and ability to produce and sell comics is dangerous to the existence of the entire comic book industry. This feels a bit like McCarthyism, in part because the list's author never provides proper evidence for why these names are on the list. There are some hints to why people have been added to this list. The list's author posted a youtube video of the list titled, "ComicsGate Blacklist: These SJW don't want your money, so don't give it to them!" The titles suggests that the creators on the list belong to an 'out group' that the author does not like, specifically 'SJW's. In the youtube video, the author gives little further explanation or evidence for why these creators should be blacklisted. In fact, he only gives a reason for one name on the list, a creator which he claims responded rudely to user on Twitter when that user questioned the creator if his book was worth purchasing.
In response to someone's question on Twitter YellowFlashGuys also claims that, "These people are trash, and have caused real damage to people's careers and personal lives." Though again, no evidence is provided to support this claim. The original twitter account is now gone, but this article has collected the initial post and a few various responses to it.
Choosing not to purchase books from a creator whose previous work you didn't enjoy or whose actions you don't want to support seems reasonable. However, this list offers no explanation or support for WHY they should be boycotted other than that they are, in the author's opinion, 'trash' who have damaged people's personal lives and are 'SJW's. If no reasons or explanation is given, why would anyone trust this call to action? As Lynch says, "If I want you to trust me, I will find it useful to give you some publicly appreciable evidence for thinking of me as credible." Perhaps those who already know and follow YellowFlashGuy already trust his expertise in this area. But the presence of the #comicsgate hashtag indicates he is appealing to a larger audience, anyone who may identify with this group, and at the same time indicating his own belonging in the group and thus trustworthiness.
The lack of a shared reason for why each person on the list should be blacklisted and removed from the comics industry and reliance on the list maker's 'authority' is troubling. Lynch believes that, "A key challenge to living in the Internet of Us is not letting our super-easy access to so much information lull us into being passive receptacles for other people’s opinions.” There were several people who expressed gratitude and support for this list, and several who volunteered further people and even entire organizations that should be avoided, without sharing any reasons, as if it should just be assumed they are correct. There were some who disagreed with the concept of a boycott based on other's opinions however. Though no one questioned the reasoning behind any of the specific names, content to take the YellowFlashGuys word that they were from the 'other side'.
Lynch explains that, "Kant says, when I give you reasons I treat you as someone who is free to make up your own mind. I treat you with dignity. I treat you as a grownup," and that, "We owe one another reasons that appeal to our shared humanity -- that others have the potential to recognize as reasons just because they are human." By providing no reasons for the names on the blacklist, and by encouraging a complete disengagement of any of the creators on the list, YellowFlashGuy is pushing for further isolation between his supporters / those who identify with the #comicsgate movement, and those who he as labeled as 'SJW's and blacklisted. The danger in this isolation and tribalism is that, "We live in a Library of Babel, isolated in our separate rooms, poring over information culled from sources that reinforce our prejudices and never challenge our basic assumptions," Lynch warns, "Before you know it, the library has burned to the ground."
Interestingly, in the youtube video the blacklist's creator says that he believes, "We can either get them out, or we can bankrupt the companies. Because at this point, I'm starting to go with the Phoenix rising from the ashes, whereas we need to just let things roll. Eventually, the companies will burn down and some capitalist will come in, take them through bankruptcy and get rid of the toxic people. They don't seem to understand that's how capitalism works. So eventually they will be gone and we can have our industry back, or we can all destroy it. Either way, in the long run, we'll get our characters back, and we'll get these crazy far leftists out of the game." YellowFlashGuy seems to be aware of the possibility that if the various fan groups, creators, and publishers cannot engage in rational discussion or address the various issues certain fan groups may have, the "library", or comic industry, may indeed burn down. But YellowFlashGuy sees this as a positive outcome, claiming that a new owner will appear, remove all the creators on his blacklist (as clearly they are the only problem with the industry) and rebuild the 'library' exactly as YellowFlashGuy, and his group, want to see it. This seems like a risky and dangerous assumption, especially considering there is no evidence or reasons given to support this claim.
He imagines various groups forming, some using reference books as maps to the truths and falsehoods, while other groups insist that no THESE reference books over HERE are the key to understanding the truths of other books, and perhaps some groups insisting there is no way to know which books contain objective truth or that there is no such thing. The various group's disagreements over which books are accurate and which are falsehoods can't be solved. The groups only succeed in becoming more separate and tribalized. "the more practical-minded of the inhabitants," Lynch suggests, "may begin to listen to those who point out that the only real way to settle the issue is to burn the other tribe's books." There are many examples from history of groups who thought that if only they could get rid of the OTHER groups that don't think like they do, then the world would be a happier, simpler place.
But since comic book fans all belong to the same group, there should be nothing to worry about, right? Well, humans seem remarkably good at creating sub-groups and splinter groups and the Internet has made many of the differences between these sub groups more visible. Lynch believes that, “By giving us more information, the Internet not only gives us more things to disagree about, it allows us to more easily select and choose those sources that validate our existing opinions. And that, in turn, can cause our disagreements to spiral even deeper.” Especially when our voices begin to affect what comics can be purchased or how our favorite characters act and dress.
When Marvel made the largely unpopular move to write stories about Captain America secretly being a Nazi, people LITERALY burned the book (the initial story reveal was done in a free comic). But I believe this was mostly done as a cathartic move or to make a statement about their displeasure of this story, not as a means to remove other people's ability to read to book (as was the actual Nazi party's intentions when burning books). However, there have been attempts establish a blacklist and encourage the boycotting of certain creators based on their group association. Blacklisting authors as a way to remove future books from being created is similar to the burning of books published in the past to remove their availability. Twitter user YellowFlashGuy posted a blacklist of creators called the 'Comicsgate Blacklist Bestiary' which instructed people to, "Do not buy any comics from these people. The only way to fix this industry is to get the cancer out." His argument being that these individual creators existence and ability to produce and sell comics is dangerous to the existence of the entire comic book industry. This feels a bit like McCarthyism, in part because the list's author never provides proper evidence for why these names are on the list. There are some hints to why people have been added to this list. The list's author posted a youtube video of the list titled, "ComicsGate Blacklist: These SJW don't want your money, so don't give it to them!" The titles suggests that the creators on the list belong to an 'out group' that the author does not like, specifically 'SJW's. In the youtube video, the author gives little further explanation or evidence for why these creators should be blacklisted. In fact, he only gives a reason for one name on the list, a creator which he claims responded rudely to user on Twitter when that user questioned the creator if his book was worth purchasing.
In response to someone's question on Twitter YellowFlashGuys also claims that, "These people are trash, and have caused real damage to people's careers and personal lives." Though again, no evidence is provided to support this claim. The original twitter account is now gone, but this article has collected the initial post and a few various responses to it.
Choosing not to purchase books from a creator whose previous work you didn't enjoy or whose actions you don't want to support seems reasonable. However, this list offers no explanation or support for WHY they should be boycotted other than that they are, in the author's opinion, 'trash' who have damaged people's personal lives and are 'SJW's. If no reasons or explanation is given, why would anyone trust this call to action? As Lynch says, "If I want you to trust me, I will find it useful to give you some publicly appreciable evidence for thinking of me as credible." Perhaps those who already know and follow YellowFlashGuy already trust his expertise in this area. But the presence of the #comicsgate hashtag indicates he is appealing to a larger audience, anyone who may identify with this group, and at the same time indicating his own belonging in the group and thus trustworthiness.
The lack of a shared reason for why each person on the list should be blacklisted and removed from the comics industry and reliance on the list maker's 'authority' is troubling. Lynch believes that, "A key challenge to living in the Internet of Us is not letting our super-easy access to so much information lull us into being passive receptacles for other people’s opinions.” There were several people who expressed gratitude and support for this list, and several who volunteered further people and even entire organizations that should be avoided, without sharing any reasons, as if it should just be assumed they are correct. There were some who disagreed with the concept of a boycott based on other's opinions however. Though no one questioned the reasoning behind any of the specific names, content to take the YellowFlashGuys word that they were from the 'other side'.
Lynch explains that, "Kant says, when I give you reasons I treat you as someone who is free to make up your own mind. I treat you with dignity. I treat you as a grownup," and that, "We owe one another reasons that appeal to our shared humanity -- that others have the potential to recognize as reasons just because they are human." By providing no reasons for the names on the blacklist, and by encouraging a complete disengagement of any of the creators on the list, YellowFlashGuy is pushing for further isolation between his supporters / those who identify with the #comicsgate movement, and those who he as labeled as 'SJW's and blacklisted. The danger in this isolation and tribalism is that, "We live in a Library of Babel, isolated in our separate rooms, poring over information culled from sources that reinforce our prejudices and never challenge our basic assumptions," Lynch warns, "Before you know it, the library has burned to the ground."
Interestingly, in the youtube video the blacklist's creator says that he believes, "We can either get them out, or we can bankrupt the companies. Because at this point, I'm starting to go with the Phoenix rising from the ashes, whereas we need to just let things roll. Eventually, the companies will burn down and some capitalist will come in, take them through bankruptcy and get rid of the toxic people. They don't seem to understand that's how capitalism works. So eventually they will be gone and we can have our industry back, or we can all destroy it. Either way, in the long run, we'll get our characters back, and we'll get these crazy far leftists out of the game." YellowFlashGuy seems to be aware of the possibility that if the various fan groups, creators, and publishers cannot engage in rational discussion or address the various issues certain fan groups may have, the "library", or comic industry, may indeed burn down. But YellowFlashGuy sees this as a positive outcome, claiming that a new owner will appear, remove all the creators on his blacklist (as clearly they are the only problem with the industry) and rebuild the 'library' exactly as YellowFlashGuy, and his group, want to see it. This seems like a risky and dangerous assumption, especially considering there is no evidence or reasons given to support this claim.
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