This post is about the current arguements taking place in the post called “Nexus Mods Fine With Bigots Leaving Over Removed Starfield ‘Pronoun’ Mod”
If the primary objective here is to engage in constructive dialogue, then name-calling and overgeneralization serve no purpose and only fuel the fire. The issue at hand has been conflated to be about political affiliations like Republican vs. Democrat, when that’s not the core point of discussion at all. We’re here to debate the merits and drawbacks of mod removal, not to stereotype one another based on our political leanings or otherwise.
The aim of this post is to encourage a constructive and respectful discussion around mod removals in gaming communities. Name-calling, political labeling, and overgeneralization serve only to fuel divisiveness and distract from the main issue. Rather than resorting to stereotypes or making sweeping statements about each other’s viewpoints, let’s aim to engage in a balanced and open dialogue that acknowledges the complexities of the subject matter. We all have strong feelings about this topic, but constructive conversations require that we steer clear of actions that deepen divisions.
Personally, I think it’s absurd to remove a mod that harms nobody. As a nonbinary person, I was ecstatic to see “they/them” as a pronoun choice, but I understand that having to choose pronouns can be triggering for some people, just as much as not having the option can be triggering for others. Why not let people play the game the way they want? Isn’t that the appeal of a Bethesda game, after all?
I’m pretty sure Nexus Mods admins have the ability to lock comments on a mod - why not just do that for controversial mods like this one? People who want it could still use it, just without the hatred and vitriol that might otherwise be in the comments.
From what people who had seen the mod page were saying when this all started blowing up, was that it was removed not for what the mod did, but for what the author of the mod put in the mod description page (basically full of racist, sexist, homo and transphobic bullshit), which was a violation of their rules. Plenty of other mods that remove the pronouns option still exist on Nexus, but without the bigotry clearly laid down in their descriptions.
Ah, I didn’t realize. That is definitely good justification for removing the mod.
If it’s indeed the case that the mod was removed due to the author’s statements in the mod description, then the removal is justifiable based on those grounds. This would then be less about the content of the mod itself and more about adherence to platform guidelines. It also highlights the importance of understanding the complete context behind moderation decisions, rather than focusing solely on the mod’s functionality.
I completely agree with your perspective. The essence of a Bethesda game, and many other sandbox-style games, is the freedom to tailor the experience to one’s own preferences. Removing a mod that is essentially harmless takes away from that freedom and raises questions about the influence of ideological stances in the moderation process.
As you suggested, locking the comments could serve as a reasonable compromise. It would allow those who wish to use the mod to do so, while mitigating the potential for inflammatory discussions. This way, the community retains its diversity of choice without being subjected to a single viewpoint.