Sonic Offline
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- Posted: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 18:51:01 +0000
The new NPC is pretty cool, except for the name. Even if you go with the non-porn name, it stands for "perverse sexual desire." Gaia, I know you're not bound to your own rules, but, come on. Seriously?
I'm aware it's a user's name. I'm commenting on Gaia's double standard on this.
This is the same concept as a close friend calling you a cocksucker, then a company you frequent, an example being Polo Ralph Lauren, calling you an employee a cocksucker. Not only is it not appropriate for the company to do this, but it likely goes against the company's own policy, while it's still generally ok and accepted for your friend to do this, just not inside of said company's store, because that causes a scene.
(Just now realized I had a typo in my analogy, on June 20th. Edited for clarification.)
-[edit]-
Omg things to put here now!
After I made a post talking to another user in the thread about the word "negro", I was requested to add this part in:
I'm aware it's a user's name. I'm commenting on Gaia's double standard on this.
This is the same concept as a close friend calling you a cocksucker, then a company you frequent, an example being Polo Ralph Lauren, calling you an employee a cocksucker. Not only is it not appropriate for the company to do this, but it likely goes against the company's own policy, while it's still generally ok and accepted for your friend to do this, just not inside of said company's store, because that causes a scene.
(Just now realized I had a typo in my analogy, on June 20th. Edited for clarification.)
-[edit]-
Omg things to put here now!
Rgoodermote over IMs
I have been observing this thread from afar for some time now and taking into careful consideration all sides of this discussion and have come to a single conclusion, one side is missing the point.
It is not a matter of disliking the user, as a former user and former Volunteer Staff Member (Site Moderator, 3-4 years) I thought I could give a perspective to the side arguing in favour of the usage of "Hentai" as the name of a shopkeeper (NPC).
One of the big things we learn very early on is that you represent Gaia, you are the best the community has to offer. This doesn't just extend to our behaviour on the site. It also extends to our usernames as well (among other things). If a user were to become a Staff Member with the name "Hentai" they would be denied, if not denied their name would be force changed. This is because Hentai in the West doesn't mean "pervert" (interestingly, even in Japan it doesn't mean that. It means "any type of perverse or bizarre sexual desire or act." although it can be used to describe a pervert.), it means anything related to Japanese pornographic Manga or Anime. As noted by Wikipedia, "English adopts and uses hentai as a genre of pornography by the commercial sale and marketing of explicit works under this label.". Although, interestingly, even the original Japanese usage would result in a force name because of the sexual nature of the word. What you don't quite understand is that as a representative you can't have a name that could invoke such strong overtones. As a user this is acceptable and is perfectly fine, but as a rep you have to show the userbase (and the world at large) a mature and responsible adult. This includes making sure your name isn't "Pervert" or "Japanese Porn". You may find that for a user it is ok and yes, it is. That really isn't the problem at all. The problem here is that they made a shopkeeper after a user whose name is otherwise unacceptable to officially represent Gaia. A username that would never pass muster and be welcomed into any official position. It may not seem like a lot to you, but shopkeepers are reps of the site. They are a part of what sells the site and interests people in joining it.
I understand that the shopkeeper is named after a user and I understand that the user got this fair and square. I also understand that the user hasn't been made into an official NPC, just a shopkeeper and is for a limited 30 day period. This however doesn't mean that Gaia couldn't have chosen some one else with a name that fits within the established guidelines set forth for site reps. I know that Gaia doesn't have a very great reputation right now (I can attest to this personally as I will actively talk people out of using the site now) but they do have to have some dignity and attempt to put on a façade of "class" despite their recent trend in behaviour.
Now one last thing, you may argue about the meaning of the word. Go right ahead, that's fine. I don't care, because either usage is in some way sexual. It doesn't matter how you spin it, when it comes to official business, the name of the shopkeeper is unacceptable. I'm happy for the user who won, I have no reason to be otherwise. I am no longer really part of the site and could care less. Congrats, you won and that is pretty slick! However, Gaia, I know you've changed far tamer names in the past. You should have passed over to a different user or come up with a compromise. The name isn't acceptable for a shopkeeper.
It is not a matter of disliking the user, as a former user and former Volunteer Staff Member (Site Moderator, 3-4 years) I thought I could give a perspective to the side arguing in favour of the usage of "Hentai" as the name of a shopkeeper (NPC).
One of the big things we learn very early on is that you represent Gaia, you are the best the community has to offer. This doesn't just extend to our behaviour on the site. It also extends to our usernames as well (among other things). If a user were to become a Staff Member with the name "Hentai" they would be denied, if not denied their name would be force changed. This is because Hentai in the West doesn't mean "pervert" (interestingly, even in Japan it doesn't mean that. It means "any type of perverse or bizarre sexual desire or act." although it can be used to describe a pervert.), it means anything related to Japanese pornographic Manga or Anime. As noted by Wikipedia, "English adopts and uses hentai as a genre of pornography by the commercial sale and marketing of explicit works under this label.". Although, interestingly, even the original Japanese usage would result in a force name because of the sexual nature of the word. What you don't quite understand is that as a representative you can't have a name that could invoke such strong overtones. As a user this is acceptable and is perfectly fine, but as a rep you have to show the userbase (and the world at large) a mature and responsible adult. This includes making sure your name isn't "Pervert" or "Japanese Porn". You may find that for a user it is ok and yes, it is. That really isn't the problem at all. The problem here is that they made a shopkeeper after a user whose name is otherwise unacceptable to officially represent Gaia. A username that would never pass muster and be welcomed into any official position. It may not seem like a lot to you, but shopkeepers are reps of the site. They are a part of what sells the site and interests people in joining it.
I understand that the shopkeeper is named after a user and I understand that the user got this fair and square. I also understand that the user hasn't been made into an official NPC, just a shopkeeper and is for a limited 30 day period. This however doesn't mean that Gaia couldn't have chosen some one else with a name that fits within the established guidelines set forth for site reps. I know that Gaia doesn't have a very great reputation right now (I can attest to this personally as I will actively talk people out of using the site now) but they do have to have some dignity and attempt to put on a façade of "class" despite their recent trend in behaviour.
Now one last thing, you may argue about the meaning of the word. Go right ahead, that's fine. I don't care, because either usage is in some way sexual. It doesn't matter how you spin it, when it comes to official business, the name of the shopkeeper is unacceptable. I'm happy for the user who won, I have no reason to be otherwise. I am no longer really part of the site and could care less. Congrats, you won and that is pretty slick! However, Gaia, I know you've changed far tamer names in the past. You should have passed over to a different user or come up with a compromise. The name isn't acceptable for a shopkeeper.
After I made a post talking to another user in the thread about the word "negro", I was requested to add this part in:
Rgoodermote over IMs
P.S. Any one wishing to be part of Staff (Volunteer or otherwise) who uses "Negro" in their name would be denied on the spot. Despite it's meaning of "Black" in Spanish it carries a severe tone of racism in American culture. Gaia is a US based website and thus would find this word unacceptable. There are absolutely no exceptions to this rule, racism is far worse than sex.
