I'm going to try one more time, since I really think that there might be a failure of understanding here. Just so there is no misunderstanding, I just want you to imagine one of us, recasting the Edwards comments and saying that people who use Forge terms or GNS are literally brain damaged, and that they behave similarly to a twelve-year old victim of sexual abuse. The damage of the Forge, like the damage inflicted on a childhood victim of sexual abuse, can never be undone*, and at best we can hope to make "functional repairs" to the people who have had the Forge inflicted upon them.
*To be clear, this is not my opinion, but that is in Edwards' quote.
I may read that and think "ugh that's a crappy take" or "wow that's poorly thought out and worded" or whatever other criticism I may have of it. But it wouldn't affect me in the sense of being insulted. I may read it and be a bit annoyed. I might even respond and share my thoughts on it.
Look at this thread. People have said some things I disagree with or that I find dismissive or rude. But I don't feel insulted by anyone. Perhaps I have a higher threshold for insult or something, but yeah, I don't generally get insulted by things I see people say on the internet.
EDITED TO ADD: Somehow left this part out.
I would still try and engage with it and see if it had a point of some sort. Take Scorcese's comments about Marvel films not too long ago. While I ultimately disagreewith Scorcese, I don't think his comments were entirely without merit. So when he made them, I remember thinking "ugh I don't know about that" and then I considered them, and the films in question and what they do, and I considered their souce material of comic books, of which I am a huge fan. I think his comments were valid, even if I disagree, and I think they sparked what was an interesting discussion about art and film.
I could not imagine someone saying that, no matter how internet awesome and edgelord-y that person thought they were being. Nor would I want to be put in the position of defending that or minimizing that- because I wouldn't.
I also differ on the value of apologies.
Yeah, I'm not defending it. It was a stupid way to make his point.
Minimize, though.... I don't know. He compared it to actual harm, and most folks seem to think that was poorly done. I think comparing what he did to something that inflicts actual harm is just as wrongheaded. I don't think that I'm minimizing it as much as other people are blowing it out of proportion.
I think an apology would have been lost and those who choose to take offense to his comments would continue to do so.
I'm against that as well; I just think that perspectives will differ as to where the issue is occurring. Which, again, likely means it might be an issue of perspective.
Sure, that's absolutely to be expected.