Intro: The mark of great writer isn’t that they make up a world, critique a game, or investigate the truth, but that there is a piece of them is within the world they are writing about. They become a chameleon that adapts to any and every situation. Journalism is just as creative as writing a novel, a poem or dare I say it even crafting a song. The layers in which we tell a story (even one that’s not ours) are dynamic, fearful, elegant and exciting. As game journalists, developers and purposeful people, creation is the nascence of our being therefore in order to live, we must create. When it comes to writing game reviews being the bad guy was always the main course, “Oh, you write something I disagree with, therefore you must not “get it”. Back when I started I barely even got anyone giving me the time of day, and somehow numbers and credentials that have been worked for, now back up the words I've always been saying. Sometimes all it takes is posting one tweet about how much you love your hated profession for some people to rally with blinders on, and pitch forks up. All we want as creatives is to be vocal and do what we do best in an industry filled with masks instead of humans.
Accountability in Journalism: As a journalist, accountability is needed, its uncomfortable, and tis necessary. being on all platforms is a part of the job that creates business for us as creatives, its what gets out name out there so people can read our well created words. Some platforms, such as Twitter is the needed evil filled with promising notions, click bait headlines and enough toxicity to nauseate you into a slumber. Once in while you will find gems, and people who actually want to create meaningful interactions and have conversations that bring depth to a person’s very being. When interacting with an audience as a journalist or anyone in the industry, it’s hard to find those gems, those people who want the best for you even if they may not agree with you. While social media has made our jobs in the gaming industry easier, it has created almost this inescapable transaction where you will have everything you could have only ever dreamed of, the price being a pit in your stomach every time the notifications on your phone go off. The feeling at times can only be described as: heart dropping, gut wrenching, emotional pain that is caused by other humans who lack the emotional empathy and knowledge to think outside themselves. A lot of times the people who do the attacking dont think that maybe the person they should be mad at is the one who won't take accountability for the wrong they done or contributed too. This brings a very tangible harm to gaming journalism and the like of it. because of the one the many are not believed. We’ve come to this very place where we are no longer trusted and thought to be these money hungry monsters that just want clickbait fame.
The Strength in Accountability. When it comes to working in this industry full time, making connections and bridges is crucial to the growth and success of the persons involved. But what happens when someone new comes in, hell it doesn’t even have to be someone new. There is an already present problem that needs to be tackled head on instead of covering it up with a band-aid in hopes it will go away. let empathy be a part of our agenda instead.
Accountability starts with the person who has done wrong. The burden of the one, shouldn’t be passed down to the many so that now every consumer thinks that everyone in the industry is to blame. Words have a heavy weight, and as trite as is it working together is the only way to build bridges and create understanding.
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