Cracked's Pedophile column

Our thoughts about the famous Cracked.com.

Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby thatindianguy » Sun Feb 08, 2015 5:28 pm

A.K.A We really need to stop suggesting stuff for these columns.

So Cracked took a really bold move by putting up a column basically saying that most pedophiles are not child molesters but rather people with a disorder who don't want to hurt anyone. It includes interviews with a researcher and a therapist specialising in the subject as well as at least three pedophiles.

You know I take umbrage to a lot of Cracked's social issues articles but stuff like this is why I respect them. Although none of this was news, I've seen at least three pedophile A.M.As on reddit.

Also it appears that they've now shut down the comments, even though all the top ones were supportive. What i don't get is then why leave them up in the first place? http://www.cracked.com/article_20981_5-ways-were-making-pedophilia-worse.html
  • 23

thatindianguy
TCS Regular
TCS Regular
 
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:18 pm
Show rep

5 Ways We're Making Pedophilia Worse

Postby EstebanColberto » Sun Feb 08, 2015 5:37 pm

I've been trying to view comments for about 20 minutes now. Nothing's happening. I think it's safe to say Cracked is probably in the process of turning off the comments just like they did with female on male rape article. Before I cut the ribbon, I just want to say I wish Cracked would desist in closing down the comments section on controversial articles. I understand that people like to spew vitriol in the comment section, but I'm ok with that. I expect that. While I may not be proud of the fact, sometimes it's me spewing the vitriol and I'm sorry if I ever offended anyone.

With that said, let the commenting begin. *cuts ribbon*
  • 11

User avatar
EstebanColberto
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1142
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:33 pm
Show rep

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby Deathclaw_Puncher » Sun Feb 08, 2015 5:38 pm

Top comments don't matter to Wong, it's all the same as youtube comments to him. Besides, if it's a top comment, it might contain *gasp* CRITICISM, which Wong seems to be rather afraid of. It's basically just a stupid territory complex PWoTers have. It's like the Jets and the Sharks, but with dick jokes.
  • 25

Image
User avatar
Deathclaw_Puncher
Knight Writer
Knight Writer
 
Posts: 12452
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:42 pm
Location: Fair Oaks, CA
Show rep
Title: Queen of the Furrets

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby EstebanColberto » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:02 pm

Having just joined this site, though I've known about it for about a year, I just have to say "Wow" at how quick my post was merged with thatindianguy's post. That takes some vigilance.

*throws a salmon to Eric* Shut up! I know it was you.

Anyway, before the comments section was closed, I posted,

"You know what's funny about pedophiles not wanting to admit it due to the public backlash? I wanted to suggest this article in the comments section of the last article Cracked did on pedophilia, but I didn't post that comment cause I was afraid of the justice of the almighty downvote. I'm not even a pedophile, but I'm one of the rare people that feels empathy for pedophiles cause I didn't need an article or a 20/20 special to tell me pedophilia is a mental illness. Telling me that pedophilia is a mental illness is a, "Well, duh!" moment for me. Also, Maddox covered this same issue in his podcast recently, and since it coincided with Cracked articles covering the subject, I've been thinking about it more."
  • 14

User avatar
EstebanColberto
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1142
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:33 pm
Show rep

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby ToixStory » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:05 pm

I logged in for the first time in two years to come here and talk about the article. Because, really, what annoys me the most is that two columns that I think are some of Cracked's best, this one and the male rape one, both had the comments closed. And, to me, that's just weak. I understand that Cracked is taking a controversial stance, but if you're going to take a stance, then stand up for it. I agree with their stances and I would happily defend them, but it makes it difficult when Cracked isn't willing to allow open and free discussion.

Then again, as others have said, David Wong views comments (and criticism) as lower than dirt, almost parasitic on the site, so we're unlikely to see a change anytime soon. I guess all I can say is that I'm disappointed, as someone who supports free speech even when it means people disagree with me.
  • 17

I make maps and map accessories.
User avatar
ToixStory
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
 
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:03 pm
Location: Arlington, TX
Show rep

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby Tesseracts » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:19 pm

I had a top comment on this article, saying something like "this is the ballsiest Cracked article yet." And that's true. They wrote an article advocating more leniency for pedophiles, and they didn't even write it under "Cracked Staff."

I thought this article was good and make great points. HOWEVER, at the end of the article, they sort of blamed comment sections on the internet for improper treatment of pedophiles.
Just to be clear: the goal isn't to make the world safe for child molesters, but to make the world safe for pedophiles to seek treatment to prevent themselves from becoming child molesters. But when the comments under any article about pedophilia tend to look like this ...

... that world isn't coming any time soon.

What the hell, Cracked? To be fair, the comments in the article they linked to are truly awful. But placing the blame for prejudice on internet comments seems like a little bit of a stretch.
  • 18

User avatar
Tesseracts
Big Brother
Big Brother
 
Posts: 9653
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 5:31 am
Show rep
Title: Social Media Expert

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby ToixStory » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:32 pm

Tesseracts wrote:What the hell, Cracked? To be fair, the comments in the article they linked to are truly awful. But placing the blame for prejudice on internet comments seems like a little bit of a stretch.

I mean, I can understand why they'd be apprehensive, but it makes me upset that on Cracked, one of the few places on the internet where a good amount of the comments wouldn't be terrible, they shut it down. I myself have had many of my more bigoted opinions (growing up in super conservative Baptist Texas will do that to you) changed by comments on places like Cracked and Something Awful, so it makes me sad to think that it's possible people that could have had their viewpoints changed never will have the chance.
  • 13

I make maps and map accessories.
User avatar
ToixStory
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
 
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:03 pm
Location: Arlington, TX
Show rep

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby Cobra-D » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:32 pm

Well, the best thing best thing about pedophiles is they slow down in school zones. Some might accuse me of stealing that from the comment section, for which I reply what comment section.
  • 25

The truth is like poetry, everyone fucking hates poetry.
User avatar
Cobra-D
TCS Camper
TCS Camper
 
Posts: 856
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 5:46 pm
Show rep
Title: The Witty Flirt

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby thatindianguy » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:39 pm

I can confirm that Cobra-D stole that from DoglovinJim.

Also in the comments section I crafted the most brilliant poetry known to man. So beautiful that you would be moved to tears and be unable to forget it for all your days, so much that you'd lie about it existing just so it did not dominate your every thought.

Prove me wrong.
  • 11

thatindianguy
TCS Regular
TCS Regular
 
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:18 pm
Show rep

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby Tesseracts » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:43 pm

In the comments section I doxxed all of the authors and threatened to waterboard all the gays. Preferably on meetblackandwhitesinglesandwaterboardgays dot tv. Prove me wrong. ...Am I doing this right?
  • 14

User avatar
Tesseracts
Big Brother
Big Brother
 
Posts: 9653
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 5:31 am
Show rep
Title: Social Media Expert

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby Edgar Cabrera » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:44 pm

I have to admit that since the article about male rape came out, I haven't visited Cracked, not as an act of spitefulness for closing the comments, but simply because recently a lot of things in RL left me with little time to check anything on Internet besides maybe this forum. So when I saw this post, I immediately bolted to the end of the article to see if they were going to take the same measure, and while there wasn't a "we closed the comments because of you" line at the end, the comments were gone and there was what Tess posted above me.

Now, I've seen pretty much the exact same comments on Cracked, and Tess even shared some of them here, but if they're going to do it, why not just being direct about it? Why use Huffington Post as an example when they've made countless articles (the "B.S. news" quick fixes) arguing the only difference between them and Fox News seems to be that they go for the opposite political spectrum, and the people who read it include, well, the kind of people that make comments like those above? Why not just take a screenshot of one of those Cracked articles that they cited as a reason for closing the comments of the male rape article in the first place: the sex slavery one, or the one made by Zoe Quinn (since there was awful stuff in those and it was stated in PWoT that they outright deleted some of the offensive comments in them)?

No, I don't get it either, my Indian friend.

That being said, and as the thread about the comment section being closed stated, if they want to do it, Cracked is within their right to do it. I guess all I can say is that it's gonna be an annoyance from now onwards.
  • 8

Last edited by Edgar Cabrera on Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
James Bond: "Red wine with fish. Well, that should have told me something."
Red Grant: "You may know the right wines, but you're the one on your knees. How does it feel, old man?"
From Russia with Love

"This woman is an idiot without a basic grasp of the English language, and the guy is an abusive creepy weirdo."
– JamesT's review of Fifty Shades of Grey.
User avatar
Edgar Cabrera
Blobber
Blobber
 
Posts: 3085
Joined: Tue May 07, 2013 4:23 pm
Location: Asunción, Paraguay
Show rep
Title: A Masked Brightener

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby Deathclaw_Puncher » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:46 pm

Tesseracts wrote:What the hell, Cracked? To be fair, the comments in the article they linked to are truly awful. But placing the blame for prejudice on internet comments seems like a little bit of a stretch.

Don't you know, all the world's wars were started by random users on the internet having the nerve to give their two cents on a random internet site? Don't you know Hitler created the upvote? It's true. That's why Wong has taken it upon himself to create the Holy PWoT Order of the Circlejerk! Defending the internet from trolls, people with opinions, people with criticism, and the evil forces of Demand Media. All led by the evil trickster Jack O'Brien, who promised them fame and fortune if they merged websites, only to present them with comments, when all they wanted was to make money for just being PWoT and doing PWoT things in a circlejerk culture! Bananas! *ghostly noises*
  • 14

Image
User avatar
Deathclaw_Puncher
Knight Writer
Knight Writer
 
Posts: 12452
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:42 pm
Location: Fair Oaks, CA
Show rep
Title: Queen of the Furrets

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby NotCIAAgent » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:49 pm

And that's, ladies and gentlemen, is how much Cracked loves and trust us, their audience.

Which is... not a lot.

In case you didn't get what I was trying to say.
  • 14

Image
User avatar
NotCIAAgent
Knight Writer
Knight Writer
 
Posts: 2914
Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2013 3:33 am
Location: 90's, Canada Wilderness
Show rep
Title: Shitposter Extraordinaire

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby thatindianguy » Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:56 pm

That's it though, they don't think of US as their audience. From what I've seen on PWOT they measure success by clicks so as long as a huge number of people don't write in to complain they'll consider anyone who does a pissed off minority.

And while that isn't technically implausible.... yeah it's still a little dumb.
  • 15

thatindianguy
TCS Regular
TCS Regular
 
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:18 pm
Show rep

Re: Cracked's Pedophile column

Postby subotai » Sun Feb 08, 2015 7:00 pm

Maybe the whole article is Wong trying to make the world more accepting of his true fetish?
He must be that angry over something
Would have got away with it too, if it wasn't for those damn sexy kids!
  • 7

Take the plastic bag challenge to cure stupidity.
User avatar
subotai
Jedi Knight
Jedi Knight
 
Posts: 193
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 1:51 am
Show rep

Next

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests