Extensive World of Warcraft play desensitizes humans

by Blake Snow { Nov 3rd 2006 at 5:25PM }

A World of Warcraft gamer using his dead brother's account posted an obituary for his deceased sibling on some WoW forum back in July. The post goes into great length to assure community members how much the late "Nano" enjoyed playing the MMO while praising his hunting skills and giving props to those who played with him while he was still alive. Nine minutes later, the sad, insensitive, telling, and hilarious reply followed:

"Did he drop any good loot?"

[via Digg]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Taedirk @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:29PM

Faulty assumption. You assume WoW forum posters weren't desensitized beforehand. Or, y'know, were human to begin with.

Shogan @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:33PM

Wow, people really suck.

frodo @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:34PM

Hilarious. The guy spent a ridiculous amount of time on WoW, he probably would have LOVED that response. I know I would have. If I were dead.

NeoSparticus @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:36PM

Not everyone thinks death is so serious that you can't have a good laugh about it. Get over yourself.

Ignatius @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:36PM

I thought the guy's character died or something and they just decided to make a huge deal about it. (kinda like Diablo II's hardcore character thing) Oh well, that was pretty funny, and the dude who died probably would have laughed his ass off about it too, especially if he were a WoW fan.

Mullinator @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:36PM

I agree with frodo here. As insensitive as it is I know I would have found it hilarious if it was me who died.

Jinkin @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:36PM

I bet his WoW account would do well on eBay.

Fandel @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:40PM

And we wonder why gamers have such a horrible reputation among the mainstream public.

Someone should kill that guy's character in WOW. Then when he's dead; drop a single bronze coin on his dead body, while saying "Here's your loot...asshole".

Lixie @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:41PM

That man is a hero.

Not the dead guy, the poster.

Eih'Beir @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:43PM

If you have something that requires any degree of sensitivity, you don't post it on the WoW forums.

If you're gonna post it there, you may as well post it in Barrens general chat while you're at it. You'll get roughly the same reaction.

Remember folks, the kiddies always feel tougher when they're staring at a monitor.

Todd @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:47PM

Wow, how heartless. I'm sure that level 1 character was created for the sole purpose of that ugly post. Heaven forbid someone would use their real character.

thunderleg @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:49PM

It's funny.

The dead guy probably would have thought it was funny.

If I died, I would have thought it was funny, even though I never played WoW for more than a few months.

Have a laugh and get over yourselves, guys.

Thryon @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:50PM

Ah Diablo hardcore....

I remember well while playing one night with my L25 barb, I was caught in the ice caves in the third act, when my connection to my IPS lagged out. I could only watch as spiders attacked my character over and over again. This was the same character that I played for about a week, trying to drum up courage to confront Duriell. By the time I regained control, my barb was but a ghost of himself. I still remember his screen of death, as his lifeless body slumped to the floor.....then silence. It was then I was surprised to see all who where on the server at the time, utter a single word "RIP".

taedan @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:51PM

This is just wrong. I hope Jack Thompson doesn't see this and starts a new campaign about how games change your perception of reality....

Zo� K. @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:53PM

The responses to this Joystiq post say it all: most gamers don't have a fucking clue.

It's not until you've lost someone as close as your own fucking brother that you'll know quite how fucking insensitive this shit really is. Yeah, maybe Nano would find it humorous, if he were still around. He's not. His brother is. And the reply was made to his brother.

Are you going to tell his brother, "It's a joke! Get over it, Sally"?

Great example of the kind of desensitization that was spoken of in the headline. And Blake, if you found it "hilarious," you're no different. Maybe I'm stuck up... or maybe I just have more sense than that.

Double J @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:55PM

If I died and someone out there couldn't think of a heartless, borderline malicious joke to tell about my death, I have failed as a person. Hell, I'd settle for "Boom! Headshot!" I takes what I can gets.

snarfoogle @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:58PM

If I were Nano I would have LOLed from beyond the grave.q

Matt @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:59PM

What I find funny is how that was posted on the Official World of Warcraft forums... I wonder if it received a "blue" response. ;)

Sam @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:03PM

Very funny! Get a sense of humor.

frodo @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:06PM

@ ZoeK

Yeah, if that was said to the kid's brother in person that would be insensitive. But he posted on the freaking WOW forums, what does he expect? If he was looking for sympathy or even a serious response, he was looking in the wrong place. The internet is not the place to look for sympathy for your grieving process. That's just silly. And I HIGHLY doubt anyone who made the jokes in the forum post would say the same thing in person. The internet is like being drunk, it removes inhibitions. Social mores come back into play when you meet face to face.

Get over it, Zoe.

Stu @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:08PM

The problem here is that we are directly linking WoW or the fact that the poster is a gamer to the fact that he made such a terrible comment.

He could easily be a totally messed up person and found a perfect oppurtunity to say something awful.

One thing stands true; You cannot post anything with any kind of emotional seriousness on a forum. Not because it degrades the human mind but because behind a monitor, where no one can find them or see who is saying it, everybody is fucking invincible.

NeoSparticus @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:08PM

My grandfather just died...Ive lost others in my family that I was close to...it was a good joke. You should take a hint and take EVERYTHING in life less seriously (including death). I promise you'll be a happier person because of it.

unimental @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:08PM

I feel dirty for laughing, but I'll admit to it.

Frosty22 @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:11PM

Thank you for that post, Zoe. We all respond to death differently. And we need to remember that. We need to be respectful of how others deal with death and be careful with our words. The responses here are a clear indication of gamers' lack of awareness of other people.

John Lucas @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:12PM

Zöe K., this is a reflection of what this society has become at large. The knotheaded callous commentary you see here from some gamers is just a microcosm of a much bigger ecosystem of the "to hell with you" mentality.

If I woulda saw that the first thing I would have done was to reach out to the brother & send my condolences even if I never knew the person.

I've never played WOW or even gotten into the MMO scene but care & concern about your fellow man doesn't stop at your computer screen.
Trust Zöe K., some gamers remember what it's like to be a human being.

John Lucas

Frosty22 @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:13PM

Frodo:

Why can't people expect the same level of humanity online?

Jehoshephat @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:16PM

Listen Zoe, the brother made the original post to gather attention for himself. Just think about it for a second. His brother probably played WoW just as much, and living in the shadow of the great Nano must have been tough on him. Now he's in the spotlight, playing under his brother's account. Sort of morbid thing to do, taking over your brother's e-life. If you think about it from a utilitarian standpoint, the amount of happiness caused by the second post in terms of petty amusement greatly outweighs any harm done to the brother. So yeah, I guess you are stuck up. Sorry

Zo� K. @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:17PM

@frodo

It being posted in forums on the internet is no excuse for assholes like Moroldonfarm, or yourself, making light of such a serious and devastating tragedy like this guy's brother dying.

He was posting, out of courtesy, for those who had played the game with his brother. He did so as a favor to anyone who had asked or mentioned his brother in the past, and he gets shit on for it. He shouldn't have because he should have expected immature, asinine, and heartless responses in return?

Tell me, if you were to walk down a dark, city alley in Philadelphia, and someone knifed you in the back, would that make it okay? Because you should have expected it?

No, you know what it is? You want to be able to laugh at the "joke" without feeling like a heartless prick, so you make excuses and reasons for why it's okay. And why I, or anyone else who sees this for what it is (Nano's brother included), needs to "get over it."

I'll talk to you again once you've lost someone THAT close to you, dear. Maybe you'll be wiser come that time.

Me @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:18PM

Yeah, I have to say that those WoW people got something wrong with them. What kind of reply is that anyways "did he drop any good loot ?" That guy obviously didnt have any sense at all.

Gavin @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:22PM

Jackassery on the interwebs?!?!?

STOP THE PRESSES!!!!

Mr. Khan @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:23PM

This is just a tradition in the desensitive way WOW people deal with death (not saying its a bad thing, just saying)

Remember when one clan was having a funeral for a member who died (real world), and their rival clan came and raided the funeral, slaughtering the mourners?
It was all over the 'net, for a time

Actually, the incident i mentioned was kind of funny, can anyone find a link to the video? (It would probably help if i could remember the clans' names, but i can't)

SpottedNigel @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:30PM

It's funny.
It just is. If you did NOT find that funny, PLEASE remove that stick from your rear.
Personally, I would have posted an image of a 1up mushroom, you know, for support.

Thad @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:30PM

...See, the amazing thing about this post -- and all the comments I've read -- is everyone seems to tacitly agree that the most reasonable default response to hearing somebody's dead on the Internet is to believe it without question.

My default assumption is that it's a hoax. Yeah, I'm cynical. But I'm usually right.

a guy @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:40PM

funny. if nano thinks its not, then im sorry. rip nano

Scottr @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:46PM

That's hilarious.

Psaakyrn @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:58PM

In case anyone haven't figured out, humour is one of the methods humans use to cope with loss. I don't see anything wrong with it. Now, there's a fine line being humour which praises the person (good loot generally means high level enemy), or humour which insults the person (like talking about sellign his account).

Thryon @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:59PM

I have to agree with Thad. My first thought was that this was a hoax. When I played Asheron's Call so long ago, people pulled a similar hoax. People do strange things for attention.

I do not play WoW, but a lot of my friends do, and most of them all have clan sites. Why did the brother not post this message on the clan site for Nano? That way, the clan members would have taken him seriously and not made such a comment. Would this brother also go down Main Street in his town and proclaim out loud the same message, and not expect some insensitive prick to yell something? Then why do it online?

Sean @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:03PM

I laughed. Then my morality was questioned by some otaku. Then I LOL'd. I'm not trying to be the internet badass, it was just something amusing. You can call me a heartless asshole, but I won't have any qualms over it. There are some things I find are bad taste, but a smartass 6-word forum post about a possibly fake MMORPG player's death isn't one of them. It still doesn't deserve the coverage.

MSH-Hitman @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:05PM

Yeah the guy was a dick, but it goes to show the poster that he must not have been much of a internet user. With forums being public with thousands upon thousands (In WoW's case, millions) of users, this kind of thing always happens.

And the title shouldn't be "Wow desensitizes humans", it should be "Internet desensitizes humans".

Brian Sexton @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:06PM

If I were the deceased, I somehow learned of such a post from the grave, and I had the ability to roll over in said grave, I would do so . . . laughing!

Christopher @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:10PM

I'm sorry but those of you saying this is unacceptable even in WoW's forums are completely ignorant. The WoW forums are the exact opposite of a kind, caring, and sensitive place. The kind and caring WoW players do not frequent the forums, they simply go socialize with their friends and family when they dont play the game. The cold, cruel, and socially inept are the more dominate populous in the WoW forums, I'd say.

Also, people play games to escape reality. This guy tried to bring reality into a games forums and got what was expected. You don't want people trying to suck you back to reality when your watching a great, funny movie do you?

snatch @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:18PM

The Internet. Serious business.

Spekkio @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:22PM

1. I hate to say it, but I found it funny.
2. The screenshot clearly indicates that the person who replied was a level 1 human priest. First of all, level 1 = likely troll. Second, humans are Alliance, and Alliance are scum. Horde forever.
3. Penny Arcade said it best: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19

WedgeTalon @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:25PM

I don't think that this has anything to do with WoW. I've seen that same sort of "screw you" attitude in so many of today's youth. They just don't seem to care about their fellow man these days.

funker @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:26PM

Bwahaha here is the link of the article/video/forum posting of the group called "serenity now' that slaughtered the in game funeral of a character who's owner apparently died in real life.

I call BS hoax on this. If someone was really going to have an 'in game' memorial/funeral for someone why would they announce it on a public forum? That is just asking for trouble....in fact if you read the forum the organizers are begging griefers not to show up. It's also hiliarous to see some of the comments so people left such as "I only got 19 honor points for killing her(the lady who died in real life).

Don't get me wrong, I realize dying is a very sensitive matter...but any reasonably intelligent adult should know what's going to happen if you try to be serious/senstive in an online universe that is overburdend with immature 12 year olds....

News article
http://www.sploid.com/news/2006/04/slaughter_at_th.php

Forums
http://forums.illidrama.com/showthread.php?t=1826

Video
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7667194685876573666&q=World+of+warcraft

Zo� K. @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:31PM

No, I obviously don't find it amusing. I do find you amusing, though, Sean. I, like Thad, are usually quite the skeptic when it comes to matters like this online. Could be fake, could be a hoax, could be a cry for attention... but you don't really know, now do you? So I try and keep that in mind.

I find people digging around for excuses, left and right, as to why this is acceptable: it's on the internet, people are assholes, the deceased would probably find it funny, YOU'D find it funny if you were him, I must have a stick in my ass, the guy's probably not even real, et cetera.

Make as many excuses for it as you want. You found the shit funny, and you take a little offense to the truth being pushed in your face. That truth being that this (in spite of all the "what if" scenarios) is not a laughing matter for this guy's brother. And you're laughing. It's to be expected that you wouldn't want to be reminded of how much of a prick you are, but that's not going to stop me from reminding you.

Oh, and I don't know that I'd call myself an otaku. I don't watch near enough animé for that dubious title.

Zo� K. @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:38PM

"I, like Thad, are usually quite the skeptic..."

That should be 'am', not 'are'... dumbass Zoë. :/

Steve @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:41PM

You all (some exceptions) sicken me. I consider myself to sometimes be a cold-hearted person, but I know where to draw the line. This is just wrong. The guy is saying goodbye to his brother's friends on his behalf, it's not about attention.
I don't care how many people are asses on the WoW (and all other) forums. That doesn't make it acceptable. Even if no WoW player is surprised at that response, it is a giant leap over the line between tolerable stupidity to just plain assh*le. The mere fact that something is a certain way doesn't justify it being so, and that seems to be what many of the posters here are implying. For the love of God, listen to yourselves.

I hope every one of the people posting here that this is funny and/or acceptable loses the closest family member they have. Better yet, I hope they themselves die. Do the world a favor and remove your boundless stupidity from the gene pool.