Of course, being treated as a novelty who shouldn't be able to compete with a "serious player" (a man) isn't the whole story. I mean, to even get to the point of being marked as inferior for one's gender requires a belief on the part of men playing that one is, indeed, a woman. Only once that has occurred (which, from my discussions with female gamer friends, is rare enough) can the process of systematic harassment and derision begin.
The narrator's ridicule of Mark's defeat follows from this. He was defeated by a woman, so he becomes lesser. Of course, he is required to develop a counter-narrative (a story) to ensure that his credibility is maintained -- he was AFK (away from keyboard), it wasn't a fair fight, and so on. Perhaps too, he needs this narrative to maintain the integrity of his own internalized belief that he is superior (at least in this realm) to women.
(In case you haven't, check the large version of the picture. The young man depicted (Mark) has this look of utmost dejection and resignation as a result of his virtual decapitation (by a woman!) -- it's really quite something.)
UPDATE: Sorry, should have mentioned this in the original post. The ad is for a game called Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures.
Gah. Where is this ad from/what is it advertising, please?
ReplyDeleteFixed the original post to show that it's an ad for Age of Conan. I suppose I could take another screencap, but the last one was just the game's logo and I didn't want to give them free advertising in that respect.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, of course it's for Conan, it's as close to Gorean culture as mainstream gaming will get.
ReplyDelete