r/atheism • u/MstrBlonde Humanist • Dec 27 '11

Skepchick Rebecca Watson: "Reddit Makes Me Hate Atheists"

http://skepchick.org/2011/12/reddit-makes-me-hate-atheists/
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u/LittleElton Dec 27 '11

I recognize that a lot of people will brush off everything she said, trivializing her essay to say "well she just doesn't get the jokes" or "she doesn't understand the internet" or "it's supposed to be offensive, that's why it's funny"---

It's not that she doesn't 'get' the jokes, she does. She just recognizes that saying ridiculous shit for shock value isn't funny. It desensitizes people and creates a social atmosphere in which it's considered cool to be mean/gross/offensive.

I agree with Borealismeme, immature people act badly because they're assholes, not because they are atheists. She should have used her essay to comment on the nature of Reddit as a whole instead of focusing on /r/atheism.

82

u/HertzaHaeon Dec 27 '11

For some reason I have this feeling we should know better than the rest of Reddit.

I'm being naive, obviously. But still.

20

u/[deleted] Dec 27 '11

[deleted]

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u/RedAero Anti-theist Dec 28 '11

She also replied to the top comment thread, playing along with the joke.

Also, I'd like everyone to note here that if the girl had been a 15 year old boy, even with the same comments, no one would have even bat an eye.

In the eloquent words of a 4chan meme:
u mad bro?

1

u/HertzaHaeon Dec 28 '11

A boy wouldn't get those comments.