feat: add opinion piece about current events

cspell.json

@@ -16,10 +16,12 @@
         "`[^`\n]+`" // Ignores inline code blocks
     ],
     "words": [
+        "corpo",
         "Cthulu's",
         "debaucherous",
         "Faer",
         "Fenrir",
+        "Fortnite",
         "Gitea",
         "LGBTQ",
         "Lich",

posts/ai-bigots-and-media.md

@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+---
+title: "AI, Bigots, and Consuming Media"
+date: "2025-12-22"
+summary: "Naomi's opinions on the latest discourse."
+---
+
+This is very much an opinion piece. However, just for safety, I would like to remind everyone that:
+
+**THE OPINIONS, ARGUMENTS, AND STANCES IN THIS ARTICLE ARE SOLELY THOSE OF NAOMI CARRIGAN, AND DO NOT REFLECT THE OPINIONS OF NHCARRIGAN, ITS CONSUMERS OR CLIENTS, ITS EMPLOYEES OR REPRESENTATIVES, OR ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTY. THIS ARTICLE IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL AND OPINION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL, MEDICAL, OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. READERS SHOULD CONDUCT THEIR OWN RESEARCH AND CONSULT APPROPRIATE PROFESSIONALS BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON THIS CONTENT. THE AUTHOR AND NHCARRIGAN ASSUME NO LIABILITY FOR ACTIONS TAKEN BASED ON THE INFORMATION PRESENTED HEREIN.
+
+Now that the boring legalese is out of the way, let's dive in. I've been seeing a lot of discourse around things like the fact that E33 used AI in the development process, or that Fortnite has Harry Potter skins, and so on.
+
+Rather than working with tiny tweets, I thought I'd just dump my thoughts into a shareable post. Easier to clarify that way. SO HERE WE GO!
+
+## AI
+
+Look, I get it. Generative AI is yucky. AI art is soulless. All of it was trained on unethically sourced data (re: intellectual property theft). I understand the hate for it, I really do.
+
+I **don't** necessarily understand the hate for every single person that uses it. Like, yeah, game dev studios using AI art in production games is awful and we should absolutely hate them for that.
+
+But, like, the girl in her garage using AI to help her visualise her character? The immigrant using AI to help polish his written English? The solo game developer using AI to flesh out a questline?
+
+I'm not convinced these people deserve the same level of vitriol. Like, I get it - there are so many ethical concerns with using generative AI. But let's focus on the corpos that are actually creating a negative impact? Rather than the indie creators who are just trying to do their thing.
+
+The caveat being that if you actually SHIP a product with AI assets, yeah that's super duper gross. If you're using AI to replace actual humans in the creative pipeline when you can **afford to pay those humans**, you're evil. Corpos do a lot of this, and corpos suck.
+
+But the random individuals who are just trying to survive? Don't hate on them. Chances are, they're just trying to find their way to escape from our oppressive capitalist oligarchy.
+
+Please know that I am not trying to diminish the impact of generative AI. There's massive environmental damage, the folks who label the data for the model to "train" with are often underpaid and overworked... 
+
+And there is a HUGE difference between a hobbyist game dev working a minimum wage retail job, who *cannot* afford to hire a creative partner, and a triple-A studio that *won't* afford an artist because they'd rather spend their funds on executive salaries.
+
+Also like... Sitting in your basement using AI to improve your workflow and creativity is one thing. Sitting in your basement and tweeting a bunch of "AI art" saying "Look at what I made!" is different. Private use, in my opinion, is far less problematic than public distribution.
+
+When we fight each other, it takes away from our fight against *them*. Don't lose sight of that.
+
+## Bigots
+
+For those who have joined our [Discord community](https://chat.nhcarrigan.com), you likely saw the application to join the community. And there's a pretty up front question on there: "How do you feel about the LGBTQ+ community?"
+
+It's a low-effort way to weed out trolls. Hateful bigots often cannot resist such a temptation to use a slur.
+
+But we also get responses like "Negative", or "I don't support it". And my team were asking me why I still approve those applications.
+
+Here's the deal. Part of *really* curating a safe space doesn't just mean keeping the really bad people out, but also identifying the "middle of the road" people that could be much more.
+
+Like, I have the patience and understanding for folks who are misinformed. Folks who do not hold malice in their hearts, but have only heard the opinions of hateful bigots and thus know nothing else.
+
+These are people that *could* be supporters. Or even potential members of the LGBT+ community that haven't been given the space to truly explore their identity and such.
+
+Folks who are actively and outwardly hateful, or who enter the community and begin attacking members, are dealt with the swiftest of retributions. But folks who slip up, or folks who just don't know better? I'll take the time to help them become informed.
+
+Many times, they end up as staunch supporters and regular members of my communities. And less commonly, they end up becoming hateful and are immediately banned.
+
+But it is important to me to at least give folks a *chance* to be good.
+
+Please note, however, that I do not put the burden of educating these folks on *anyone* but myself. My staff are not expected to educate them. My members are not expected to educate them. My community has carte blanche to disavow someone who decides to be hateful instead of receptive.
+
+And protect your boundaries! The things I am willing to tolerate when helping someone grow are very different from the things you are willing to tolerate. And that's okay!
+
+Your safety and well-being are paramount. Do not help others find the light at the risk of falling into darkness yourself.
+
+## Consuming Media
+
+Okay, look, the "hot button" issue right now is that Fortnite added Harry Potter skins. Which, yeah, I get it.
+
+Not only is J.K. Rowling very active and vocally against LGBTQ+ rights, but the actual universe she's created is full of racist undertones and other huge red flags.
+
+Despite being a very formative aspect of my childhood, I have long since given up on consuming Harry Potter media. I have no desire to engage with that world or give her any money.
+
+That Hogwarts Legacy game? It is everything I had ever dreamed of when I was a wee tot. Still haven't played it. Never will - won't even pirate it! Because seeing that world in the light I do now has ruined it for me.
+
+Fortnite? I only played it a couple of times as part of a community event for a former client. Wasn't really my jam, but I can totally see why folks love it. They added Harry Potter skins, which is yucky.
+
+But like... I don't see the point in demonising the folks who still want to consume this media. I will not, and I will forever remain vocal about why.
+
+Again, though, this is part of that whole "us vs. us means no us vs. them" deal. I will gladly educate folks who consume this media on why they should not.
+
+The world sucks. I'm not going to pick a fight with someone who chooses Fortnite as their small shred of joy in a soul-crushing life.
+
+We must also remember that there are going to be members of a marginalised community who find comfort, instead of pain, in problematic media.
+
+And folks consuming the media may not know! Or they may not have known originally, and know now, but are swayed by the power of nostalgia.
+
+Don't forget, too, that there's a difference between consuming new media (e.g. Hogwarts Legacy) long after the creator has been outed as problematic, and consuming old media that you've owned for years.
+
+Educate, don't attack. Call out the issue, not the person. Boycotts are powerful! Spread the word! But don't drag folks through the mud when they aren't *really* the problem here.
+
+## Bigger Fights
+
+There are much bigger fights to be had. Focus your attention on those, not on the people that *could* be fighting alongside you.
+
+Focus on the policymakers, on the public figures, on the executives and corpo drones. Focus on the people who are actively oppressing you.
+
+Save your energy for that which matters.