Comment by bigstrat2003

Comment by bigstrat2003 7 days ago

> There were no women or black people on the internet back then, because if you didn't pretend to be white and male, there was a constant stream of abuse.

This is not true. Basically everyone I know (including me) didn't pretend to be white or male. We didn't bring up our identities at all. Nobody gave a shit.

I'm not pretending that every single person had a sunshine and roses experience. Assholes exist in every time and place, and some people are unfortunate enough to run into them. But I'm sick of people claiming that the Internet of yesteryear was such a cesspool that if you were anything except a white dude you had a bad time. That was never the case.

tekla 6 days ago

Seriously. Nobody gave a fuck, you got insulted if you brought up your identity, because only a narcissist would bother to bring that up on the internet of all places.

"Tits or GTFO" existed because anyone who bothered to claim they were a woman or whatever must want unearned attention so pics or fuck off.

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Arainach 6 days ago

You disagree that "if you didn't pretend to be white and male, there was a constant stream of abuse" and your counterargument is....that anyone who claimed to be a woman would be subjected to sexual harassment?
It's a bold strategy, Cotton, let's see how it plays out.

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- tekla 6 days ago
  
  Clearly you were never on the early internet. No one actually expected pics. It was a "fuck off you goddamn narcissistic DUMBASS"
  
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  Arainach 6 days ago
  
  You don't have to expect pics for someone asking for pictures of your tits to be harassment.
  If I yell at a random woman "show me your tits" I do not expect her to do it, but I'm harassing her.
  And no, I'm not missing the joke. I first was online in 1998. I saw this stuff in games and forums. It wasn't funny then either.
  It's also not narcissistic to talk about things that are important to you or your characteristics. It can provide context and it can help people understand and make connections. Your argument is similar to other people who say "why does (Group) have to throw it in my face" regarding things such as holding hands in public - which isn't throwing anything in your face any more than what those people perceive as "normal" is being thrown on everyone around them involuntarily.
  
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  zer8k 6 days ago
  
  > And no, I'm not missing the joke. I first was online in 1998. I saw this stuff in games and forums. It wasn't funny then either.
  Do you know what also wasn't funny? The invasion of people wanting to make everything about them. No one gave a fuck about who you were until you made it about who you were. That was the point. If you're willing to reduce yourself to being X you will be mocked for being X. It was a great way to insure people stayed behind their usernames and it worked well until the "normies" showed up. I seriously doubt your actual claimed history on the internet.
  > It's also not narcissistic to talk about things that are important to you or your characteristics.
  It is when you weren't asked, were never going to be asked, and attempted to use your characteristics to gain undeserved attention. "Tits or gtfo" was simply one iteration of several that mocked people for using any number of other characteristics to get undeserved respect. I remember several memes especially around gymbros and veterans that also were used to mock people into staying anonymous. Trolling these people was the immune system of forums, IRC, and games and it worked wonderfully.
  > It can provide context and it can help people understand and make connections
  This statement alone makes me doubt you ever actually spent time on the old internet. In 1998 I never had problems making solid connections, some still existing today, without knowing what particular physical characteristics my friend had. In some sense it's the purest form of connection - one that was never swayed by what normally might turn you away or towards someone.
  
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