I hope this is welcome here. I'd just like to write a little bit about how my opinions are changing, and how this thread helped me get to that point. If you'd be so kind, hear me out to the end because parts of this may sound bit misogynistic or privileged. I'm working on it, and I promise every word is written in good faith.
When I first read this thread, I tried to go in with an open mind. The somewhat aggressive tone of the OP hurt it's credibility for me at the time, but I tried to look past that and see what was really being said. Even at the time, I could see that it's an issue that seems plainly obvious to the author and they're kind of tired of hashing the same argument out over and over again. I get the desire to want to skip past the foundational arguments to get to where you might start to see progress or new ground for yourself, but if you are trying to reach people like myself, who are genuinely interested in introspection and change (and honestly blinded by habit and privilege), you may want to try to exercise more patience. But I digress.
My original thoughts were somewhere along the lines of "I get these people don't like this kind of thing, and I wish more options were available for them- but where's the harm in cheap fun?" I didn't really want to engage with the idea that sexualized media affects the way people treat real-life women. Honestly it sounded really silly to me. "I like anime boobs, but I always treat actual women with respect." - I thought to myself. I mean, the sexualized images people complain about aren't real people. Why do fictional characters need to be treated with the same respect as real women?
However, it became apparent to me, over time, that seeing this thread constantly on the front page was beginning to make me feel uncomfortable. When I passed over it during my browsing, I'd often choose that moment to leave the site and go read something else. This behavior bothered me. Why did this thread make me uncomfortable?
I've found my answer, and it came from an unlikely source. Terry Crews casually mentioned his struggles with porn addiction during a video on motivation and self-discipline, and it got me to thinking- Is porn really that harmful? I googled it. And the science, oh boy, the science. I had never seen any research that linked video game sexualization to real-life behavior towards women but there is TONS of such research done on porn. And the cold truth of the matter is that it does affect many men in the way they treat women in the real world, up to and including rape and sexual assault. It's horrifying and unsettling and it makes me sick.
So what does this have to do with video games? Well, fucking everything, actually. I guess I'm preaching to the choir at this point in a place like this, but this is a relatively new revelation for me. Visual media, specifically that which provokes a dopamine reaction, works like a double-whammy on the brain. It begins to re-wire neural pathways to seek more pleasure, and more importantly, it normalizes the behavior seen on-screen. In young minds especially, this is a huge societal problem. I'm simplifying the issue here, but it basically programs men to see women as a source of pleasure first, and most media these days put women in a degrading or at least submissive position. It's the same psychological effect provoked by porn.
I'm still uncomfortable with this thought, but I'm coming to realize that I've been poisoning my brain with harmful nonsense since I was a teenager. It may have affected every encounter I've ever had with women on a subconscious level. I'm the asshole here. I might argue that there are many people affected more strongly and negatively by this kind of thing, but their brains are not my responsibility. My brain, however, is.
If you've kept up with me this long, I have a couple more things to say. First of all, thanks. I needed to get that off my chest. Secondly, are there any tips or resources you can recommend for de-programming the kind of harm consuming this media may have done to me? I probably can't change society, but I can change myself.
Thanks for your time.
TL;DR: Privileged idiot begins to see your point.