Jonathan Blow threatens to boycott conferences that "disinvite speaker[s] due to "cancel culture"-style pressure" [UPDATE: He's a COVID truther too]

[piratepwnsninja]

I met Jonathan Blow at my first GDC in the late 2000s. Braid was in the indie showcase area. I played it, and wanted to compliment him on the mechanics. I approached him and said, "Hey man, just wanted to say I really enjoyed what I played. It's really good." and without missing a beat, not a hint of playfulness or sarcasm in his voice, he goes, "Yeah, I know."

 

[lusca_bueno]

"Be they left, right or something else entirely". Seriously, if there is any culture I'd cancel it's this "I'm unbiased" talk in which ignorant people like to play intelligent. If you don't have a positioning about shit, maybe act like it and be a vegetable, but know your place.

 

[Verchod]

He's wasting his time. The people he's talking about will be too outraged to understand, thereby proving his point.

 

[Alexhex]

Holy shit he's arguing people can be sexist or racist as long as they are good at something.

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Yeah like on top of just being horrendously inhumane, it's just flat out wrong. When those at the top of an industry do all they can to press out marginalized people, they're stifling orderers of magnitude more talent compared to "canceling" one particular dumbass

 

[Polyh3dron]

So, he's cancelling the cancellers!

A bold strategy, Cotton!

 

[jeelybeans]

These losers dont believe in personal responsibility...that their words have consequences for them.

 

[Nikus]

We need more people like him!

That is, fuckheads auto-canceling themselves. It makes it easier for everyone.

 

[Ctrl Alt Del]

I mean, from what he says I'd be surprised if he wasn't already disinvited himself.

 

[Khanimus]

Blow tries to cancel cancel culture by cancelling conferences that further cancel the cancelled.

Weird how this dumbass who repeatedly shows himself to be a dumbass keeps saying dumbass things.

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

I met Jonathan Blow at my first GDC in the late 2000s. Braid was in the indie showcase area. I played it, and wanted to compliment him on the mechanics. I approached him and said, "Hey man, just wanted to say I really enjoyed what I played. It's really good." and without missing a beat, not a hint of playfulness or sarcasm in his voice, he goes, "Yeah, I know."

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This is literally the most believable thing I have ever read on the internet.

It sucks, because I absolutely fucking love Braid. Like, at this point probably my favorite game of last gen. I was so excited at the Braid HD announcement. But, then he has to pop back up to remind me he is an ass.

 

[Garmonbozia]

Goddamn, Blow is such an annoying asshole.

 

[Lobster Roll]

For several years now I've felt this dude is an asshole. Nothing about this surprises me.

 

[Zips]

Nobody will miss you or your pseudo-intellectualism malarkey at literally any conference, Blow. What a pathetically weak "threat" that is.

Also, stop showing your ass to the Internet, dude. We get it. You suck. Go back into your hole of obscurity.

 

[OnionPowder]

The Indie King of Conferences has spoken:

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This is so well said. I've been thinking if he got as angry at the marginalized voices that were silenced or want to be silenced by the people he's defending having a stage then we'd be in a better place.

What about all the voices already silenced, or that don't get to put their perspective out there. We already know what this racist asshole thinks, he doesn't have the same ground as everyone else. Debating every single idea as valid just validates and empowers evil and shitty ideas. People like Blow excuse hatred at the possibility of their own empowerment through other means, so selfish they don't care about things that don't affect themselves. Racist coworker? Nazi Engineer? Well they have good ideas so let's not discount them all because he believes in a fascist state built on ethnic power. He's nice to me that is so his liberty should be protected at all cost, but the safety and well being of the people being oppressed don't. They should learn to be accepting so I can continue to prosper undisturbed.

Everybody always so worried about the fascists, why can't we have growth at their expense, if they put themselves as the enemy of it?

 

[Shy]

I met Jonathan Blow at my first GDC in the late 2000s. Braid was in the indie showcase area. I played it, and wanted to compliment him on the mechanics. I approached him and said, "Hey man, just wanted to say I really enjoyed what I played. It's really good." and without missing a beat, not a hint of playfulness or sarcasm in his voice, he goes, "Yeah, I know."

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My word. That man is an insufferable cunt.

 

[Verelios]

Yeah, okay, bye Felicia.

 

[Kenzodielocke]

You make good games, but I have no trouble canceling playing/buying your games in the future, you proper shit.

 

[Eeyore]

Ask everyone who hasn't been canceled after poor decisions.

I've made a slew of shitty decisions. But each has been a lesson and I've grown from them. I have a hunch you're in the exact same boat, given that we all make mistakes.

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The important thing you're missing when it comes to mistakes is having the self-awareness to realize you're making one and exhibiting effort to change. Guess who is not able to do this? Jonathan Blow.

 

[Lobster Roll]

Just noticed that Jonathan Blow is blocking several people on Twitter now.

Rules for thee, but not for me.

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[VariantX]

I don't understand is this fool cancelling himself??

 

[Jakten]

Jonathan Blow doesn't have anything interesting to say anyways. His games are boring and derivative and about as interesting as playing the puzzles in the back of a newspaper.

Other than that, when he talks about games all his criticisms are purposely obtuse, shallow and whiney. If it isn't something made by him all he does is pisses (only not in a jar this time!) and whinge. He talks about games the same way I did when I was 8 years old.

Sucks though because if he isn't going to conferences anymore then where is he going to find parks to do Tai Chi in and show other Indies how much deeper and smarter he is than them?

 

[SunBroDave]

I don't understand is this fool cancelling himself??

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Jon Blow's latest stroke of genius:
"You can't cancel me if I've already cancelled myself."

 

[IMCaprica]

Jon Blow's latest stroke of genius:
"You can't cancel me if I've already cancelled myself."

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From conventions that he wasn't ever going to go to in the first place.

 

[foxuzamaki]

Blow is far from the only indie dev that made it to think himself so important

 

[wombleac]

 

[The Living Tribunal]

Ah yes, the Notch strategy.

 

[nded]

He sounds like he'd be a drag at conventions anyway.

 

[Fredrik]

I met Jonathan Blow at my first GDC in the late 2000s. Braid was in the indie showcase area. I played it, and wanted to compliment him on the mechanics. I approached him and said, "Hey man, just wanted to say I really enjoyed what I played. It's really good." and without missing a beat, not a hint of playfulness or sarcasm in his voice, he goes, "Yeah, I know."

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I mean, was he wrong? It was a fantastic game, still is. He obviously has no social skills but his brain make all of us look stupid.

 

[yc62k]

I mean, was he wrong? It was a fantastic game, still is. He obviously has no social skills but his brain make all of us look stupid.

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No one is arguing that he's wrong, it's just an insanely conceited thing to say, and very abrasive and rude to say that to someone who took the time out to go and compliment your game.

 

[Vareon]

I mean, was he wrong? It was a fantastic game, still is. He obviously has no social skills but his brain make all of us look stupid.

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He's not, but we need more good people than we need a Problematic Genius Video Game Designer.

 

[HebrewHammer]

The important thing you're missing when it comes to mistakes is having the self-awareness to realize you're making one and exhibiting effort to change. Guess who is not able to do this? Jonathan Blow.

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What did Jonathan Blow do?

 

[Eeyore]

What did Jonathan Blow do?

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His points about women in STEM, as someone who works in the field myself, are misogynistic at best. That's if we avoid the topic of this thread.

 

[Kurtofan]

fuck johnatan blow imo

 

[Famassu]

What did Jonathan Blow do?

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So you're just gonna skip all the posts in this thread calling your shit out and providing examples?

 

[Shy]

Jon Blow's latest stroke of genius:
"You can't cancel me if I've already cancelled myself."

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Eddie Murphy.gif

 

[Alucrid]

I mean, was he wrong? It was a fantastic game, still is. He obviously has no social skills but his brain make all of us look stupid.

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too bad his smart brain wasn't powerful enough to stop him from making these tweets

 

[Lobster Roll]

I mean, was he wrong? It was a fantastic game, still is. He obviously has no social skills but his brain make all of us look stupid.

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Let's pump the brakes on "his brain makes all of us look stupid". He's extremely talented at game development, but he's stupid enough to take an anti-cancel culture stance publicly on Twitter. You can be intelligent in some ways of thinking, and a complete moron in others.

 

[Fredrik]

No one is arguing that he's wrong, it's just an insanely conceited thing to say, and very abrasive and rude to say that to someone who took the time out to go and compliment your game.

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Yeah he's clearly full of himself and as I said, he has no social skills, same as that guy who made Fez, and Sweeny, and Notch. I guess some people wasn't meant to socialize with the rest of us, should just stay in the back and keep coding awesome things and only open their mouth to sip some coffee so they can code some more :p
The only clever guy I actually enjoy listening to is Carmack. He comes off as a polite genius.

 

[Daouzin]

Welllll I'll definitely never give him my money ever again, that's for sure.

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Same, I was interested in the Braid Remaster, but I don't care about it that much. I can live without it. He's a loony.

 

[Strike]

That's a thing.

 

[JohnnySomething]

What did Jonathan Blow do?

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Mmmyeah this kind of thing is where my credulity that someone is arguing in good faith ends

To be the most charitable possible, this poster may not realize that asking for proof/evidence at this point in the conversation is the most basic crypto-fascist rhetorical tactic

No proof or evidence will be sufficient and it's intended to exhaust those who take it at face value

 

[Vic20]

He is one of the few people who managed to disappear up their own asshole.
Good riddance.

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he was always there.

 

[FormatCompatible]

I support this.

Cancel culture continues to prevent opportunities for people to grow.

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You wanna grow? Go do it in a private space, without going on public rants that have the sole purpose of hurting people that aren't able to have same opportunities as you like Blow has done in the past.

 

[Adulfzen]

Yeah he's clearly full of himself and as I said, he has no social skills, same as that guy who made Fez, and Sweeny, and Notch. I guess some people wasn't meant to socialize with the rest of us, should just stay in the back and keep coding awesome things and only open their mouth to sip some coffee so they can code some more :p
The only clever guy I actually enjoy listening to is Carmack. He comes off as a polite genius.

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Oh don't worry Carmack says plenty of dumb shit himself
Read the whole thread for a "fun" read

 

[KoopaTheCasual]

What did Jonathan Blow do?

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So you're going to make a post supporting a problematic person, without even looking into why he's in trouble AND refusing to look at the responses from me and other people showing you he's a piece of shit?

Now that's what I call bad faith posting.

 

[BubblegumNemesis]

And he won't be missed. Blow is a huge asshole.

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QFT

Nuff said.

 

[abellwillring]

Dude is blocking people in the comments who disagree with him.

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Lol, he blocked me for my reply. I feel kind of honored.

A shame I bought Braid and The Witness..won't be buying his third game.

 

[spineduke]

You can be intelligent in some ways of thinking, and a complete moron in others.

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After seeing Blow repeatedly embarrass himself with his rhetoric I'm more than ever convinced of this. Zero social skills and an embarrassingly limited world view, we're better off without Blows social commentary. Stay buried.

 

[Deleted member 46948]

Yeah, sure.

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Amazing refutal, dude.

 

[Death Penalty]

Wow, that stuff about women in programming and preserving the feelings of bigots with valuable skills is rough as hell. Good riddance man, please convince some of your friends to cancel themselves, too.