Blizzard bans Hearthstone player, casters for HK Support

This is an interesting Twitter thread, of which just a few highlights are below…

I think what @stusser is getting at is that the problem is systemic, not a matter of evil corporate execs as people (though they may or may not be swine, in any given case). Modern capitalism’s ethos privileges the owners of capital over all else, and this ethos has shaped the laws and practices of American and much of the world’s policies. It’s not a matter of giving corporations or execs a free pass, but rather a way of pointing out that if we want real change we have to change or modify the system (regulation, etc.) rather than just rant at the Simon Legree’s of the world.

Though ranting is sometimes cathartic, and often justified.

Speculators said the same things in 2017 and lost a lot of money on it. No, that is the one thing they do right (not perfectly for political reasons, but it doesn’t matter. oh, and corruption, but I’ve yet to find a country without it), while buying up property and industry off of everyone who thinks they don’t. Including key infrastructure like power companies.
If a country/group wants to cut the cord, it also has to ignore such failing economic thought.

I’ve heard arguments from about every angle that, really China’s progress could fall apart very quickly, so no worries guys!, but I wonder how much of it is just wishful thinking. Time will tell.

Would that be before or after the financial collapse of Japan, the US and the non-EU UK? I can’t keep up anymore.

For those who claimed Epic was also similar to Blizzard re China:

Pretty awesome of them to witness such a huge PR blunder in real time and decide to avoid repeating it.

If by “avoid it” you mean “profit from it”, yeah. A lot of people/companies are doing that right now.

This is welcome news, I look forward to EGS standing by it when tested.

I personally am less concerned about what their motivation in their secret heart of hearts is. I want them to do the right thing, which I am happy to see them doing! Hopefully it will inspire others to follow. I don’t think it is unfair to ascribe this to them responding to the agitation of their customers, which means we are succeeding. Keep up the pressure! We can win this! :)

“Now is my way clear, now is the meaning plain:
Temptation shall not come in this kind again.
The last temptation is the greatest treason:
To do the right deed for the wrong reason.” – T. S. Eliot

Good to hear.

Note Epic is privately owned, which allows them much more latitude. Also their CEO isn’t Bobby K.

Unimpressed. Doing the right thing is making the real world better for real people. I say again, I do not care about their motivations.

Here for this.

Ah, Dave Chappelle. The guy the anti-activists are quoting when trying to shut down the “cancel culture” Anti-Blizzard talk.

Dude, I wouldn’t read into it that far. I don’t agree with anything Chapelle has to say about so-called “Cancel Culture”, which is just whinespeak for “why can’t I call people slurs culture.”

I’m not reading anything into it, just noticed the meme maker made an odd choice for the bottom half. No malice intended.

oh, none taken! :)

A bit late to the conversation, but I wanted to push back against @stusser’s comment about maximizing shareholder value.

Times are changing again, and since August, many companies are starting to move away from Milton Friedman’s mantra. At least, when they are on the record.