We have known that Roe Vs Wade was set to be overturned for a while now. I don’t mean ‘known’ as in felt it coming in the air, or suspected, or feared. I mean ‘known’. The opinion was leaked a few months ago, and America’s leadership on the left elected to do nothing, wait for confirmation, and then continue to do nothing. Nothing besides fundraising, at least. What I want to talk about today though is one particular aspect of the reaction to the decision - 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Sony’s s🧸tatements, and how⛄ spineless and insulting they are to everyone involved.
While Democratic leadership has not used the time between the leak and the confirmation to do anything whatsoever, Sony has. Sony initially tried the classic gaming corporation tactic of ‘staying out of it’, with Jim Ryan, who will never experience one iota of consequences from Roe Vs Wade being overturned, even demanding employees respect all opini🔯o⭕ns on the topic.🐭 There&r🍎squo;s very fine people on both sides, so shut up and dribble.
After a sharp lesson that not taking a side is in fact siding with the oppressors, Sony donated a face-saving $50,000 (Sony’s gaming revenue in 2021: $18.2 billion) to abortion charities. When the decision was confirmed by the Supreme Court, Sony was ready for it with some empty words. I saw, soon after the news, that Insomniac (owned by Sony) had tweeted ‘reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy are basic human rights’, and was pleasantly surprised. It was just words, sure, but it was a si🌠gn of support that defied Sony’s earlier decision to ban studios from making any sta▨tements on reproductive rights. Then Naughty Dog released the same statement. Then Sa🐲n🍌ta Monica. Soon every Sony affiliated studio had the same carefully worded statement.
Sony is a huge fan of focus groups, using them to engineer every minute detail of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The Last of Us Part 2 until it was tailor made to give people exactly what they said they wanted. This soulless statement, which offers support without criticism, support without action, and support without substance, feels lik💫e it went through the same process.
I know there were people at individual studios, and likely at Sony HQ, who had to fight to even get this response. I’m also aware that some influential figures have put their money where there empty words are - Neil Druckmann donated $10,000 to NARA𝓡L, one of tꦍhe biggest pro-choice charities in the US. But my critique is not aimed at them. It’s aimed at the spineless executives who forced people to sit through endless meetings tinkering with the wording so as not to offend Joel pfps who want Sony to “stick to games”, a group who can never be appeased in any case, making the whole task pointless.
While those who have made donations have backed their stance up, and individual studios who will cover travel costs for ou💙t-of-state abortions are at least doing something, Sony could be doing far more than mandating a company approved statement. If Sony had the bravery of its newest acquisition Bungie, it could apply real pressure. Instead, it’s mak✤ing just enough noise to appease Twitter Liberals happy to clap like seals that the corporation with a one-month-only rainbow logo said it feels sad about the same thing they feel sad about. All while doing nothing of substance in the halls of power where a company as big as Sony can influence things. Sony alone could not overturn or defy SCOTUS of course, but we need pressure applied to those who can change things, not regurgitated sympathy for those who can’t.
The reaction to Roe Vs Wade across the internet has been flooded with sympathy, buzzwords, and the trite demand to vote. Your rights are always on the ballot and even when you win, that won’t stop you from losing. I understand that some people feel powerless but not everything needs your hot take on things. Troy Baker’s glib comment that he doesn’t care for this se🍸ason of The Handmaid’s Tale reeks of privilege and the Liberal tendency to play politics-as-entertainment.
The Left, who have followed The Right and now find themselves in The Centre, can think of no solution but to vote (for who, when the Dems already control both chambers and the White House?) and to say their heaꦏrt goes out to all those affected. This cause does not need your heart to go out to it. Hearts do nothing. We need your money and your fists. We need people to protest and politicians to act: real solutions include extending the Court, ending the filibuster, codifying abortion and similar legislation, and using federal land for abortion clinics. Politicians have shown they will need to be pushed into action. For reasons known only to themselves on an issue that (despite loud dissent) has majority support, theyℱ need to be pushed. Sony has more might than all of us. It has chosen to deliver the softest nudge and then return to its daily business. That it is able to do so while reaping praise is sickening.