Thursday, November 1, 2007

...You Actually CARE What Wizard Does?

I think Mad Thinker Scott has analyzed the issue pretty well already, so I don't think I have much to add on the whole "Wizard is for Men" deal.

I'm just surprised anyone cared that much.

Frankly, I'd be willing to bet that a large percentage of the people commenting never read so much as a single issue of the thing before they added the "for Men" label; that'd explain the shock and outrage now over stuff that's been going on since well before they made it "official". Putting it on the cover just made it more visible and blatant, and now everyone's all "whaaaa but how dare they", and like I said in the comments for last post, it's cycling through responses to responses to responses (yes, much like this post).

I'm also a bit mystified by the tone of some comments on the situation, as if Wizard was somehow obliged to be sex-neutral and this is a huge betrayal of... something, I dunno what.

Personally, I found the argument over "if you don't have a vagina you should step back" to be a lot more interesting and relevant. (But everyone else seemed to be discussing that one just fine, again, nothing much for me to add.)

4 comments:

Ami Angelwings said...

So Democrats should not care about what Republicans do. Black ppl should just shrug if racists burn another cross. Who cares? You dun like them!

I know I'm using extreme examples, I'm just saying. It's fair for ppl to be activist and involved in things that they are passionate about, even if you aren't passionate about them.

By your logic, you actually CARE that people CARE what Wizard does?

"Who's the more foolish, the fool, or the fool or who follows him" - Obi-Wan :D

I'm just saying, judge not yet ye be judged right? XD If it's stupid for ppl to care about Wizard it's even dumber for those ppl critical of ppl who care to care about them.

Anon, A Mouse said...

But when you toss in "judge not lest ye be judged", you shoot your own argument in the kneecap, since the whole "what is Wizard up to" thing STARTS with a judgement: that is, Wizard saying it is "for men" is, in some way, bad. If everyone truly believed that "judge not" stuff, half of WFA's links would disappear overnight.

But really, I don't see how it's somehow more or less objectionable for Wizard to go ahead and and say it's "for men" and have cheesecake pics or boob comparisons than it is for them to do pretty much the same kind of stuff but NOT say "for men" on the cover.

My point is, a lot of this particular issue seems to be fed more by a big reaction to two new words on the cover than anything Wizard was doing previous to the addition of those two words, and if nobody cared that much about it before, why do they care now? Unless it's more controversy for controversy's sake...

James Meeley said...

If everyone truly believed that "judge not" stuff, half of WFA's links would disappear overnight.

I can't tell if you are making this out to be a bad thing or a good thing. I certainly would find it to be the latter, but that's just me. ;)

My point is, a lot of this particular issue seems to be fed more by a big reaction to two new words on the cover than anything Wizard was doing previous to the addition of those two words, and if nobody cared that much about it before, why do they care now? Unless it's more controversy for controversy's sake...

You forget the one other option: Some people just love to whine and this was something new to do that over, even though the action they whine about really has no negative impact on any of those complaining.

Don't sweat it, though, because I'm sure they'll find something new to rail on NEXT week. ;)

Anon, A Mouse said...

"I can't tell if you are making this out to be a bad thing or a good thing."

Neither. It just is.

Nearly any opinion expressed in opposition to something is a judgment of some sort, to a varying degree. Ami thinks it's bad for Wizard to say "for men" on the cover, that's a judgment against Wizard. You think it'd be good if a chunk of WFA was quieter, that's a judgment against WFA.

For my own part, while I can see where Wizard declaring itself "for men" may be annoying to many feminists, I really don't think it's an issue worth the LEVEL of outcry I've seen in some commentary here and there, considering Wizard's performance for months/years leading up to this event.

And that is MY judgment, such as it is.