Matt Walsh, Sweet Baby, Geeks and Gamers, etc

As quickly as it seemingly started, the conflict between Geeks and Gamers and Daily Wire seems to have come to a close. Matt Walsh and Jeremy of GnG have spoken and set aside differences (for now) in order to more appropriately cover the Sweet Baby Inc debacle. But what caused the two sides to attack one another over the past few days?

In understanding how the two sides came to verbal blows, we must first recognize that while Daily Wire has generally played nicely with pop culture pundits in the YouTube space, Matt Walsh has previously weighed in unfavorably regarding games, gaming and gamers. This has been well-established. It's to such a degree that I seriously doubt that Mr. Walsh would ever argue against the statement. It was within that context that folks like Jeremy of GnG, Jeremy of The Quartering, Gary of Nerdrotic, etc, all spoke out against Walsh when he attempted to weigh in on the situation inside gaming.

Although I'm sure that there would have been territorial concerns had someone like Ben Shapiro stepped into the conversation as an authority figure, I don't think there would have been any real pushback. The reason is that there is no pre-generated animosity between any other Daily Wire personalities and those who enjoy video games. That's not to say that Matt Walsh is forbidden to speak about the topic, but rather, Walsh clearly has some image repair to do when it comes to weighing in on a topic that he has strongly disparaged in the past.

Yesterday, Jeremy and Matt Walsh declared that they had spoken personally and resolved their differences. I think that's a very good movement for the more important issues at hand: specifically that there is an entire consultation ecosystem around gaming whose job is to propagandize kids. But I also believe this is a great sign that different, pro-truth outlets attempting to cover similar topics from very different world views can put aside differences for greater principled stands. That's very good since infighting often lets the real wrongdoers off the hook.

This is a major win for Geeks and Gamers and it may be the start of Mr. Walsh understanding his need to rethink interactive entertainment and the stigmas he has assigned to it. Whereas his "What Is a Woman?" documentary was vital conversation for society, there are bumps in the road before he does a "What Is a Game?" doc. That's not due to gatekeeping but rather due to fundamental misunderstandings of gaming, the gaming industry, and those who participate in gaming. It would be difficult for a vegan to well-judge a steakhouse after all.

As for me, I'm glad this conflict has seemingly ended. I have contacts and friends at both Geeks and Gamers and Daily Wire. Now let's all get back to telling the truth about Sweet Baby, gaming and the gaming industry!

Your pal,
Pro