Concerning Character

Sydney Albert
sa407611@ohio.edu

Though some have considered our sense of ethics "unprovable", many philosophers have still tried to argue that everyone has a moral sense of some kind.

The subject of ethics and morals has always been a tricky one to discuss due to the inherently subjective nature of the topic. Each of us holds our own particular set of values; in early life, these values are heavily influenced by our parents and the society and culture we have been brought up in. As we grow older, however, we experience more, think more independently, and ultimately this can have effects on our personal beliefs, and lead us to either reaffirm or diverge from the norms of our society.

Differences in our ethical and moral codes can cause conflict, ranging from small disagreements to outright violence depending on the people and the situation. Our beliefs and values are a core part of us, and it can be hard not to take criticism or questioning of such personal parts of our characters to heart. In an age where general media, including journalism, is reliant on a much more interactive audience, it is more likely that there will be direct criticism - and even conflicts - involving those in these fields.

Social media has made it easier than ever for our audiences to contact us directly. Some of the feedback can be positive. Sometimes they offer constructive criticism, or bring up questions that can lead to intelligent debate. However, if you've spent any decent amount of time on the internet, you know that it is also very common for people to offer no true feedback at all. There will be those who are not interested in any kind of discussion or in offering critique.

Maybe you broached a subject they have strong, negative feelings for. Maybe the way you covered a story or topic angered them. Maybe they just don't like your face. Whatever the catalyst may be, if you are putting your name and work out for the public to view, you may have to deal with internet hate.

To deal with most internet hate, you simply need a thick skin. You need to know when certain comments are people simply being mean or hurtful because they can and that they are not necessarily reacting to anything you have said or done. However, a time may come when some of your work really stirs the hornet's nest.

Website header for www.feministfrequency.com

Anita Sarkeesian is a media critic and the creator of a video webseries called Feminist Frequency. The series explores the representations of women in pop culture narratives and works to deconstruct the tropes and stereotypes that are viewed as problematic and harmful. Recently, her series Tropes vs. Women in Video Games has earned her a startling amount of attention, and not the good kind. Though several in the video game industry support her analysis, even the creators of games she has included in her critiques, she has received so much hate that she has been driven out of her own home.

This negative attention is nothing new, either. Back in 2012, she published screenshots of some of the negative comments she received on her video for "daring to criticize the sexism in video games." YouTube comments are known to be a cesspool of bad spelling, bad grammar, and hateful vitriol, supposedly due to the anonymity the site gives its users, but even on her twitter you can see screenshots of recent hate messages sent from people's personal twitter accounts.

The whole debacle is an example of how moral conflicts can escalate, especially with the easy, direct accessibility the internet brings. Anita Sarkeesian publicly questioned the morals and ethical choices of a group and an industry, and despite a good deal of support, she has been left fearing for not only her own safety, but that of her family. For investigative journalists who can print stories that some would rather stay unpublished, it may be easy to relate.

Despite it all, however, Sarkeesian has stood by her work. She has not apologized, she has not pandered to those sending threats. As journalists (and future journalists), we have to face the same choice when a story we write receives unpopular attention: to stand by our piece, or to apologize and edit. There is no concrete answer to this choice. If you are covering an event and you are told you have gotten your facts wrong, then obviously you choose the latter. But what if the piece in question is one heavily based on your own opinion - a review, or an editorial? That is where our personal judgement, as well as our personal set of ethics and morals, come into play. We must develop and know our own values enough to be able to potentially handle this kind of pressure and have the strength of character both to admit to any mistakes or stand up for what we produce.