So an asshole YouTuber made a video slamming a game reviewer and now she's being harassed. (It's a day that ends in Y, I guess.) And men in the industry are voicing their support of her, saying what a great critic she is, and that's good. I'm sure she appreciates it.

But.

It carries the underlying message that everything happening shouldn't be because YouTube dude was wrong in his thesis. And no, it shouldn't be happening because videos like his shouldn't work. The reaction to "she got it wroooooong/didn't play the gaaaaame" should be a shrug.

Or "well I guess I'll go read a different review, then" or any number of other responses. But instead, it inspires hate and harassment. Which said YouTuber knows, because this is the formula now. Give gamers someone to hate, something to be angry at, someone to blame. It works.

Bonus points if it's a woman, of course, but it doesn't have to be. (But for real, if it's an attractive woman, you really enter the next level of monetization for your tirade.)

Now, I'm not suggesting for a moment that people shouldn't say "uh, this critic is great, actually."

Speaking from experience, it does help to have colleagues stick up for you when you're being mobbed.

But it's not enough. What else can anyone do? Call out the toxicity in their communities, sure, but that just sends the assholes to a place that's happy to have them.

And someplace always will be, because people are happy to turn other people's anger into paydays. Because it's so, so easy.

I don't have an answer. I'm just very tired.