sigh.

Go-go WITCH HUNT! Keep driving that wedge even tighter you stupid fucks.

It just gets stupider and stupider.

I'm not trying to discredit the current movements for equality and respect, but there's a difference between behaving along social norms and actively trying to harm or oppress another person.

Living like it was the 70s in the 70s seems pretty normal. They didn't try to pretend like they were anything else. Sure it's an embarrassing part of our social history but that's not what's being recognized with this award. Or at least that wouldn't be what is being recognized if it wasn't being hunted.

If Bushnell is going to be denied recognition for starting Atari and the first video game boom then I think just about every other media award ever should be scrapped too. Virtually no classic rock star would be worthy by this metric.

Oh this is just horseshit. Without Nolan Bushnell, we wouldn't be where we are today with either hardware or software. Revisionist history just needs to stop.

This bullshit is approaching McCarthyism.

Burrito of Peace wrote on Jan 31, 2018, 11:57:
Oh this is just horseshit. Without Nolan Bushnell, we wouldn't be where we are today with either hardware or software. Revisionist history just needs to stop.

They aren't revising anything, they're asking that the 1970s be viewed through today's societal lens. It isn't remotely like McCarthyism, because it isn't the Federal government doing the judging of what is now deemed inappropriate behavior. It is pretty ridiculous, though.

What Atari did in their own offices 40+ years ago with consenting adults should have no bearing on the award Nolan is being given. If that were a criteria by which any "tech founder" award were to be judged, no company started in the last 100 years or more would ever receive a reward. Apple was a terrible place to work in the beginning and IBM was a boys' club for decades, just to mention a couple of other innovators that would be dinged for their behavior if viewed through the same lens.

You know what I find the most disconcerting (and I hate to bring it up because I loathe to start yet another political debate...so don't do it, that's not my point) is our President can be accused by what is it now? 18 different woman and have taped evidence and nothing is done yet something someone did in the 1970's is cause for concern? By that metric, just about all of us over the age of 35 are guilty of...something.

Stop this fucking rock, I wanna get off...

=-Rigs-=

Yes everyone needs to be held accountable for any and every action of theirs no matter when it occurred or how innocuous or great the trespass. And they must be punished forever for it. There should be no forgiveness!



What do you call a million SJWs at the bottom of the ocean? A good start.

Set time machine to 1970's

ENGAGE!

Oh for fucks sake.

"You can't give an award to someone who partied in the 70s!"

That sentiment makes no sense at all. It's not like the guy is a convicted pedophile or a murderer.

As I see it, he broke no laws or exceeded social norms of the period in question. Whether or not it fits into today's social expectations is irrelevant and should hold no bearing on him being awarded for a technical achievement.

ldonyo wrote on Jan 31, 2018, 13:05:
They aren't revising anything, they're asking that the 1970s be viewed through today's societal lens.

That literally is the definition of historical revisionism incidentally.

I think it's silly too. The award doesn't mean f*ck all ultimately. And if there is going to be some exhibit to Bushnell and Atari, then sure, have a section detailing the excesses of the company back then.


Edit: Oh hey look! According to the article it's Brianna Wu who is among the most vocal about this! Why am I absolutely not surprised?

Statement from Bushnell:

“I applaud the GDC for ensuring their institution reflects what is right,” Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell says via Twitter, “specifically with regards to how people should be treated in the workplace. And if that means an award is the price I have to pay personally so the whole industry may be more aware and sensitive to these issues, I applaud that, too. If my personal actions or the actions of anyone who ever worked with me offended or caused pain to anyone at our companies, then I apologize without reservation.”

Squirmer wrote on Jan 31, 2018, 17:36:
Statement from Bushnell:

“I applaud the GDC for ensuring their institution reflects what is right,” Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell says via Twitter, “specifically with regards to how people should be treated in the workplace. And if that means an award is the price I have to pay personally so the whole industry may be more aware and sensitive to these issues, I applaud that, too. If my personal actions or the actions of anyone who ever worked with me offended or caused pain to anyone at our companies, then I apologize without reservation.”

Eh, he handled it better than I ever would... *shrugs*

=-Rigs-=

So the behavior is inappropriate by today's light yet very 70s.

Has anyone come out and said they felt hurt or victimized by it? Doesn't seem that way. Given that this was somewhat the norm back then, it's certainly not unreasonable to think it may have also been victim-free and considered fun for all involved.

Squirmer wrote on Jan 31, 2018, 17:36:
Statement from Bushnell:

“I applaud the GDC for ensuring their institution reflects what is right,” Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell says via Twitter, “specifically with regards to how people should be treated in the workplace. And if that means an award is the price I have to pay personally so the whole industry may be more aware and sensitive to these issues, I applaud that, too. If my personal actions or the actions of anyone who ever worked with me offended or caused pain to anyone at our companies, then I apologize without reservation.”

Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't...

I mean, really, what do you expect him to do that wouldn't result in getting slammed around by the likes of Brianna Wu?

Rigs wrote on Jan 31, 2018, 17:59:

Squirmer wrote on Jan 31, 2018, 17:36:
Statement from Bushnell:

“I applaud the GDC for ensuring their institution reflects what is right,” Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell says via Twitter, “specifically with regards to how people should be treated in the workplace. And if that means an award is the price I have to pay personally so the whole industry may be more aware and sensitive to these issues, I applaud that, too. If my personal actions or the actions of anyone who ever worked with me offended or caused pain to anyone at our companies, then I apologize without reservation.”

Eh, he handled it better than I ever would... *shrugs*

=-Rigs-=

I feel like people shouldn't have to apologize when they haven't done anything wrong, but maybe that's just me.

And his statement, which puts the industry first and him second, is why he was a leader and a pioneer in the first place.

In the 70's? Times were different, not saying you can't be a creep or even be over the top wrong forwarding to today. But putting today's climate on something 40 years ago is all kinds of messed up to. Sexism is the only thing said there that is hitting the nerve, the other two lol. So what level of sexism? Do we have rape acquisitions towards Bushnell? If you don't have strong evidence or many coming forward you got nothing 40 years later. "He pinched my ass?", that shit was normal at one time and isn't a guaranteed thing the recipient was against."The guy made more",we still have that today. "The guy got the job", nothing for that time and not the hot topic now.