Epic Blog Enclave!!!!
Just a blog... where I talk about things on my mind... thoughts about the universe... this one I'm doing right - top posts will be the newest posts and they will have DATES (big moment in the mayraverse).
Btw I tried using the blog page thing and it didn't work out so enjoy this standard page and feel free to contact me w/any feedback <333 I love all feedback. Check out my "Nostalgia Problem" Project for my first blog project (this page is not a zine/project :) However, there may be another zine coming...
Btw I tried using the blog page thing and it didn't work out so enjoy this standard page and feel free to contact me w/any feedback <333 I love all feedback. Check out my "Nostalgia Problem" Project for my first blog project (this page is not a zine/project :) However, there may be another zine coming...
Lana Del Rey, and the Crushing Weight of Female Appearance
23/04/2024
TW: Talk of weight, dieting, food relationship, etc.
In the last two weeks, Coachella has been all over my social media feed. It’s not really my choice I feel, it’s just there. Whether this is a massive PR move fuelled by the waning popularity and relevance of the festival in the past few years is beyond the scope of this blog post. What I intend to do particularly is tackle the appearance of headliner Lana Del Rey in the festival. She is not new to the festival, and has headlined/played multiple festivals throughout her career. Some of them iconic, some of them less so… Like many other female artists, she unfortunately keeps receiving the criticism of “not having enough stage presence”; a complaint that is levied mainly towards women. This obsession with appearance in a stage performance seems to be reserved for female artists. The “go girl give us nothing” phenomenon, if you will. While stage presence is indeed an important part of a performance, the burden seems to disproportionately fall onto women’s shoulders.
This time, Lana Del Rey’s set was critically- lauded by almost every one; rightfully so. While the staging seemed gorgeous, and the energy looked infectious - her voice was actually not on par with previous performances. Lana acknowledged this and stated that she had something akin to laryngitis prior to the shows. However, people were more preoccupied with how she looked. The fact of the matter is - and I hate that I even have to say this but it is relevant to my argument - Del Rey lost weight.
This change seemed to be welcomed the most by her fans. Often explicitly or implicitly acknowledged in many comment sections. Some comments assumed that she had used Ozempic, with puzzling comments such as “SLAY OZEMPIC LANA” or derivatives of such horrific comments. Others commented “we are so back” or “she looks so fit and good now”. Implicitly suggesting that now, she looks better, and is giving a better performance because of how she looks. Also perpetuating a culture of before-and-after transformations (best elucidated by such photos on social media). Lana never stopped touring, even when her weight fluctuated, which you know, is a thing that tends to happen to people.
While this blog post feels like I’m yelling into the void, because people online will say whatever they want at the end of the day; I felt the need to share how this personally impacted me. Comments like these matter. Their breadth of influence surpasses Lana, who may not be swayed by these comments, and may instead affect her other fans (although we don’t know the impact on Lana).The bottom line is, people have no right to make comments on someone’s appearance, unless that appearance poses a direct harm to oneself or others (I’m thinking of Eugenia Cooney here). I was talking to my friend about how weight fluctuation is normal, and the fact that Hollywood makes us think that is not so is actually horrifying. Most people gain, lose, and just cycle through that (I’m not referring to the act of weight cycling which is linked to “yo-yo-ing” in diets). This obsession with perpetual thinness, is frankly harmful, and it skews our perception of what a normal body actually looks like. And more importantly; how bodies assuredly change over time.
Other than the fact that people don’t have the right to comment on someone’s weight, it’s also not their right to throw around the “Ozempic” accusation. It’s just odd, and also frankly none of our business. I have my own opinions about the craze doing more harm than good because people who actually don’t need it (Ozempic) are using it, but that is beside the point. The whole fact of the matter is, someone losing weight is not a matter of public discourse or opinion; it never should be. You know, unless that person, as I mentioned, is posing a major harm to oneself and/or others. Even then, one never really knows the full details. Weight loss/gain is personal to people, and the reasons for it is not something that is open to interpretation by others. How does that affect you as a fan? It’s someone else’s body, and that is their business only.
Needless to say, this was a bit triggering to me. I know this is a word that is overused, but I was already in a bit of a strange place, and to see that was just… damaging. I’ve been in-and-out of a bedridden state of being for a month now due to sickness, so it’s been hard man…I don’t feel the need to make this post about my history, or my relationship with food. However, it kind of is, in a way. This blog was always personal, and always had a personal diary feel. To betray that spirit would be to betray the reason why I write these pieces. I have a history of toxic food behaviour, and I will spare the details of that because I don’t think is necessary. The fact of the matter is, my body looks and will look a certain way that is particularly unchangeable for the rest of my life. It’s perhaps due to genes, or my upbringing, that "history", or whatever other factor. I have this baseline way I look that is more “midsize”, and no matter what, it will be always what my body will default to. It’s not conventionally “thin”, or necessarily adhering to Eurocentric beauty standards.
My weight fluctuates all the time. It’s a normal thing. And comments about my weight - which I do receive - are intrusive and also nonsensical. Why does the way my body look impact others’ wellbeing? I’ve grappled with the way I looked since forever. But despite this, being “healthy” to me was never about weight. I was at my lowest point when I was at my “thinnest”, and even then, for me, I was still not slim enough. That’s the irony of it all, and that’s the weight of those comments bearing down on us. Because these expectations that have been created for us are skewed, unrealistic, and disgusting. The industry behind dieting knows this. Diets are scientifically bull and shockingly detrimental to those with an eating disorder history - in terms of their capacity to encourage weight cycling and actually lead to adverse effects in the long run.
So, whatever, there is a whole culture (and industry) that profits off of women’s insecurity about their appearance and weight. So why do people contribute to it in comment sections? Why is it important for people to say things like that? Just because someone can say something, does not mean they should say something. There is a whole world of experience behind the smoke screen of what people display on the outside, and to make an offhand comment could mean more to recipients than what you think. Many women deal with/dealt with food-related issues, so is it really necessary to contribute your commentary about something that should not have to do with you at all? Just a thought. We already have enough pressure as it is as women. Why can't we appreciate a good performance for what it is; instead of commenting on what should not be commented on?
TW: Talk of weight, dieting, food relationship, etc.
In the last two weeks, Coachella has been all over my social media feed. It’s not really my choice I feel, it’s just there. Whether this is a massive PR move fuelled by the waning popularity and relevance of the festival in the past few years is beyond the scope of this blog post. What I intend to do particularly is tackle the appearance of headliner Lana Del Rey in the festival. She is not new to the festival, and has headlined/played multiple festivals throughout her career. Some of them iconic, some of them less so… Like many other female artists, she unfortunately keeps receiving the criticism of “not having enough stage presence”; a complaint that is levied mainly towards women. This obsession with appearance in a stage performance seems to be reserved for female artists. The “go girl give us nothing” phenomenon, if you will. While stage presence is indeed an important part of a performance, the burden seems to disproportionately fall onto women’s shoulders.
This time, Lana Del Rey’s set was critically- lauded by almost every one; rightfully so. While the staging seemed gorgeous, and the energy looked infectious - her voice was actually not on par with previous performances. Lana acknowledged this and stated that she had something akin to laryngitis prior to the shows. However, people were more preoccupied with how she looked. The fact of the matter is - and I hate that I even have to say this but it is relevant to my argument - Del Rey lost weight.
This change seemed to be welcomed the most by her fans. Often explicitly or implicitly acknowledged in many comment sections. Some comments assumed that she had used Ozempic, with puzzling comments such as “SLAY OZEMPIC LANA” or derivatives of such horrific comments. Others commented “we are so back” or “she looks so fit and good now”. Implicitly suggesting that now, she looks better, and is giving a better performance because of how she looks. Also perpetuating a culture of before-and-after transformations (best elucidated by such photos on social media). Lana never stopped touring, even when her weight fluctuated, which you know, is a thing that tends to happen to people.
While this blog post feels like I’m yelling into the void, because people online will say whatever they want at the end of the day; I felt the need to share how this personally impacted me. Comments like these matter. Their breadth of influence surpasses Lana, who may not be swayed by these comments, and may instead affect her other fans (although we don’t know the impact on Lana).The bottom line is, people have no right to make comments on someone’s appearance, unless that appearance poses a direct harm to oneself or others (I’m thinking of Eugenia Cooney here). I was talking to my friend about how weight fluctuation is normal, and the fact that Hollywood makes us think that is not so is actually horrifying. Most people gain, lose, and just cycle through that (I’m not referring to the act of weight cycling which is linked to “yo-yo-ing” in diets). This obsession with perpetual thinness, is frankly harmful, and it skews our perception of what a normal body actually looks like. And more importantly; how bodies assuredly change over time.
Other than the fact that people don’t have the right to comment on someone’s weight, it’s also not their right to throw around the “Ozempic” accusation. It’s just odd, and also frankly none of our business. I have my own opinions about the craze doing more harm than good because people who actually don’t need it (Ozempic) are using it, but that is beside the point. The whole fact of the matter is, someone losing weight is not a matter of public discourse or opinion; it never should be. You know, unless that person, as I mentioned, is posing a major harm to oneself and/or others. Even then, one never really knows the full details. Weight loss/gain is personal to people, and the reasons for it is not something that is open to interpretation by others. How does that affect you as a fan? It’s someone else’s body, and that is their business only.
Needless to say, this was a bit triggering to me. I know this is a word that is overused, but I was already in a bit of a strange place, and to see that was just… damaging. I’ve been in-and-out of a bedridden state of being for a month now due to sickness, so it’s been hard man…I don’t feel the need to make this post about my history, or my relationship with food. However, it kind of is, in a way. This blog was always personal, and always had a personal diary feel. To betray that spirit would be to betray the reason why I write these pieces. I have a history of toxic food behaviour, and I will spare the details of that because I don’t think is necessary. The fact of the matter is, my body looks and will look a certain way that is particularly unchangeable for the rest of my life. It’s perhaps due to genes, or my upbringing, that "history", or whatever other factor. I have this baseline way I look that is more “midsize”, and no matter what, it will be always what my body will default to. It’s not conventionally “thin”, or necessarily adhering to Eurocentric beauty standards.
My weight fluctuates all the time. It’s a normal thing. And comments about my weight - which I do receive - are intrusive and also nonsensical. Why does the way my body look impact others’ wellbeing? I’ve grappled with the way I looked since forever. But despite this, being “healthy” to me was never about weight. I was at my lowest point when I was at my “thinnest”, and even then, for me, I was still not slim enough. That’s the irony of it all, and that’s the weight of those comments bearing down on us. Because these expectations that have been created for us are skewed, unrealistic, and disgusting. The industry behind dieting knows this. Diets are scientifically bull and shockingly detrimental to those with an eating disorder history - in terms of their capacity to encourage weight cycling and actually lead to adverse effects in the long run.
So, whatever, there is a whole culture (and industry) that profits off of women’s insecurity about their appearance and weight. So why do people contribute to it in comment sections? Why is it important for people to say things like that? Just because someone can say something, does not mean they should say something. There is a whole world of experience behind the smoke screen of what people display on the outside, and to make an offhand comment could mean more to recipients than what you think. Many women deal with/dealt with food-related issues, so is it really necessary to contribute your commentary about something that should not have to do with you at all? Just a thought. We already have enough pressure as it is as women. Why can't we appreciate a good performance for what it is; instead of commenting on what should not be commented on?
Mewing, Looksmaxxing, and the Tragic Case of Celebrity by Appearance
18/04/2024
Mew.. mew.. mew? Meow. Mew? The first time I heard this word I genuinely thought it was a variation of the word “meow”. The internet is kind of weird like that. Variations of perfectly normal words exist, like “car” instead of “cat”. A deep dive on why this happens is perhaps best fit for a self-contained blog post, because it’s more about linguistics. But that is a very real science and discipline. We’re here to talk about the fantastical: pseudo-science. I vividly remember first hearing of the word “mew” in a meme of that one clip of Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner at an awards show that went viral earlier this year (image of it is attached to this post). Social media users were having a laugh at Timothée apparently “mewing” (I don’t know if he was but that was the meme). I immediately kind of understood that it was something ridiculous, but I had to search it up myself. Dig deeper. Excavate - if you will. Here are some of my findings.
The word mew is not related to cats at all.. it’s coined after John Mew, an orthotropic orthodontist (say that 10 times in a row) who discovered this phenomenon + “orthrotropics” as a whole. To say he is an interesting man is an understatement. He recently had his dental licence removed in the UK. “Mewing” is a facial technique or exercise where one pushes or rests their tongue at the roof of their mouths just behind their front teeth. Mew’s theory was that we currently have really small jaws (in comparison to before) - which is true - and that we have horrible facial posture, and many don’t have a good facial structure. His main focus was just on how our faces just don’t look very good. Do some more research about him if you want to hear about the ways in which he tested this on his children. It's just.. unsavoury in my opinion.
Similarly to the instagram posts that tell you that 2 almonds a day can cure cancer, there is not much scientific evidence that mewing really works. But the fact that it has caught on, became so popular, and then became an internet meme is kind of testament to our obsession with appearance. Kind of sad. But also kind of not our fault. We’re always being evaluated by others, and honestly we are the victims of this trend more than anything else. Well, there is a group that doesn’t really belong in this victim group. Not really.
Mewing has been adopted by the red-pill movement - you know the group of men online who hate women and blame them for all their woes. For them, it’s a way to get back at the world - or women. To them, mewing is just another addition to this idea of “looksmaxxing”; enhancing one’s appearance. According to incel movements, chiseled jawlines and “hunter eyes” (I don’t even know what this is I’ve just seen videos of people doing it but honestly I feel like you can imagine and that would be better for your mental wellbeing) is the criteria for a looksmaxxed self. It’s very much leaning into the Patrick Bateman wake-up-routine mode of life. Besides this being a miserable entry into misogyny online against women, I think it’s just horrible for everyone really.
We are faced with constant external and internal evaluation more than ever before, and to have even more pressure to look a certain way or to feel like you have to restructure your face is extremely harmful. And it’s all just based on hoo-ha bull “science”. The worst part about it is that most of it operates in that weird red-pill bubble, but I am sure that many impressionable men are being affected by these absolutely ridiculous standards. Your jawline looks fine. Your eyes look fine. There is no “best” way to look.
For me, seeing that Chalamet meme did kind of garner a chuckle. I’m not gonna lie. Its oddity is akin to seeing a word in a context where it does not belong, where mewing is kind of made fun of. It is obviously a joke, that is the whole point, and there is a point to be made on whether “mewing” can be related to red pill movements in these jokes - therefore making it a more out of touch joke - or whether it can be removed from it’s context. This is not the first time Chalamet has been accused of the act. On r/mewing (this exists) on Reddit, there are posts that compare Chalamet’s jawline now to his jawline 8 years before; discussing how mewing may have played a part in the way his jawline looks or looked. Even though, arguably that can be just puberty, and that’s definitely a scientifically proven phenomenon. Unlike mewing. However, this is not an isolated case. When one looks a bit deeper, we can see that mewing is a symptom of something very wrong on the internet. Just a strange obsession with appearance. And celebrity appearance, of course.
Honestly, I think I subconsciously mew like all the time. I just do it when I’m focussing or nervous, or even writing something. It’s the same way I tap my foot routinely when I’m trying to focus, or tilt my head when I’m listening to something. And now, I kind of feel self-conscious about that action which I REFUSE to call mewing… Because my intention is not to change my facial structure which I’m perfectly happy with - I rejected braces long ago, I am the poster child for that lol. It’s just something I do… and to make people feel self-conscious for just having a body that looks a certain way and behaves that way naturally is preposterous. Utterly absurd… you. Look. Fine.
P.S. Upon further investigation, this subconscious "mewing" is apparently very common, and according to many internet users, is just their resting face. What even is mewing.
Mew.. mew.. mew? Meow. Mew? The first time I heard this word I genuinely thought it was a variation of the word “meow”. The internet is kind of weird like that. Variations of perfectly normal words exist, like “car” instead of “cat”. A deep dive on why this happens is perhaps best fit for a self-contained blog post, because it’s more about linguistics. But that is a very real science and discipline. We’re here to talk about the fantastical: pseudo-science. I vividly remember first hearing of the word “mew” in a meme of that one clip of Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner at an awards show that went viral earlier this year (image of it is attached to this post). Social media users were having a laugh at Timothée apparently “mewing” (I don’t know if he was but that was the meme). I immediately kind of understood that it was something ridiculous, but I had to search it up myself. Dig deeper. Excavate - if you will. Here are some of my findings.
The word mew is not related to cats at all.. it’s coined after John Mew, an orthotropic orthodontist (say that 10 times in a row) who discovered this phenomenon + “orthrotropics” as a whole. To say he is an interesting man is an understatement. He recently had his dental licence removed in the UK. “Mewing” is a facial technique or exercise where one pushes or rests their tongue at the roof of their mouths just behind their front teeth. Mew’s theory was that we currently have really small jaws (in comparison to before) - which is true - and that we have horrible facial posture, and many don’t have a good facial structure. His main focus was just on how our faces just don’t look very good. Do some more research about him if you want to hear about the ways in which he tested this on his children. It's just.. unsavoury in my opinion.
Similarly to the instagram posts that tell you that 2 almonds a day can cure cancer, there is not much scientific evidence that mewing really works. But the fact that it has caught on, became so popular, and then became an internet meme is kind of testament to our obsession with appearance. Kind of sad. But also kind of not our fault. We’re always being evaluated by others, and honestly we are the victims of this trend more than anything else. Well, there is a group that doesn’t really belong in this victim group. Not really.
Mewing has been adopted by the red-pill movement - you know the group of men online who hate women and blame them for all their woes. For them, it’s a way to get back at the world - or women. To them, mewing is just another addition to this idea of “looksmaxxing”; enhancing one’s appearance. According to incel movements, chiseled jawlines and “hunter eyes” (I don’t even know what this is I’ve just seen videos of people doing it but honestly I feel like you can imagine and that would be better for your mental wellbeing) is the criteria for a looksmaxxed self. It’s very much leaning into the Patrick Bateman wake-up-routine mode of life. Besides this being a miserable entry into misogyny online against women, I think it’s just horrible for everyone really.
We are faced with constant external and internal evaluation more than ever before, and to have even more pressure to look a certain way or to feel like you have to restructure your face is extremely harmful. And it’s all just based on hoo-ha bull “science”. The worst part about it is that most of it operates in that weird red-pill bubble, but I am sure that many impressionable men are being affected by these absolutely ridiculous standards. Your jawline looks fine. Your eyes look fine. There is no “best” way to look.
For me, seeing that Chalamet meme did kind of garner a chuckle. I’m not gonna lie. Its oddity is akin to seeing a word in a context where it does not belong, where mewing is kind of made fun of. It is obviously a joke, that is the whole point, and there is a point to be made on whether “mewing” can be related to red pill movements in these jokes - therefore making it a more out of touch joke - or whether it can be removed from it’s context. This is not the first time Chalamet has been accused of the act. On r/mewing (this exists) on Reddit, there are posts that compare Chalamet’s jawline now to his jawline 8 years before; discussing how mewing may have played a part in the way his jawline looks or looked. Even though, arguably that can be just puberty, and that’s definitely a scientifically proven phenomenon. Unlike mewing. However, this is not an isolated case. When one looks a bit deeper, we can see that mewing is a symptom of something very wrong on the internet. Just a strange obsession with appearance. And celebrity appearance, of course.
Honestly, I think I subconsciously mew like all the time. I just do it when I’m focussing or nervous, or even writing something. It’s the same way I tap my foot routinely when I’m trying to focus, or tilt my head when I’m listening to something. And now, I kind of feel self-conscious about that action which I REFUSE to call mewing… Because my intention is not to change my facial structure which I’m perfectly happy with - I rejected braces long ago, I am the poster child for that lol. It’s just something I do… and to make people feel self-conscious for just having a body that looks a certain way and behaves that way naturally is preposterous. Utterly absurd… you. Look. Fine.
P.S. Upon further investigation, this subconscious "mewing" is apparently very common, and according to many internet users, is just their resting face. What even is mewing.
Crunch Culture Makes Me Wanna Spill My Guts Out....
07/04/2024
Many people were shocked at the news this week that Deck Nine - the developers behind Life is Strange: Behind The Storm, Life is Strange 2, and Life is Strange 3: True Colours - had been accused of fostering an unhealthy and toxic workplace environment. The flabbergasting way in which this was discovered was through the discovery of spontaneously placed Nazi-like symbols and references in an unnamed future "Life is Strange" project by developers in the studio... For fans, it was kind of a head-scratching moment considering "Life is Strange" is not really a series readily associated with alt-right/white supremacist ideologies. It's quite the opposite actually.
For people that are aware of the game industry's not-so-illustrious workplace culture, this is just another day at the park (said park is dangerous and it's late at night). Deck Nine has so far been accused (anonymously) of crunch culture - with one employee reportedly working on "True Colours" 70/80 hours in one week, and other employees noting that the oversight of Square Enix in Before The Storm and Life is Strange etc. was especially horrific due to unreasonable deadlines and "bully" behaviour from Square Enix London. The park seems to be have a London branch too. And it's reportedly making Deck Nine have an uncomfortable park too. Amongst that, there's also the alleged casual meagre pay/lack of promotion, and a toxic workplace environment for women.. You know, game industry-type-moments. This IGN exposè goes into more details.
Every time one of these stories come out, it's never really a shock. It's almost like "how is this still happening" throw-up-in-your-mouth emoji. It's never like - really taken seriously. It keeps happening too, over and over... with beloved games (and hated games too, everybody is represented in this culture x). Naughty Dog (devs behind "The Last of Us", "Uncharted"), CD Projekt Red (Cyberpunk), and Rockstar (behind indie - joking - titles such as GTA and Red Dead Redemption) have also been accused of crunch. Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog) has vowed to remove that reputation, especially with a recent PR documentary-type moment recently released about the making of "The Last of Us 2" that addresses it. But like anything, I'll see it when it happens . CD Project Red is a warning sign for me not to trust until I see it MYSELF. All we know now is, the normalisation of this type of culture is harmful for developers who often end up with career-ending burnouts, and if we were to really think like a capitalist money-making boss, it's not really helping the final product either (sad that product quality is more important than worker satisfaction).
There's always the defence that employees engage in crunch culture on their own volition. And it is true, passion is a thing that exists, perfectionism, and wanting a good end product is something any passionate individual wants when they work on a project. But workplace culture is something you're socialised into, and it sets a precedent. The type of precedent that in this case encourages worker exploitation. Food for thought.
The worst part is unions aren't really a viable option, and most employees isn't going to jeopardise their job by suing or going to the press. So the change needs to be catalysed by game developers, and hopefully fairer regulations for overtime work in tech!! Let's see if that happens.
Many people were shocked at the news this week that Deck Nine - the developers behind Life is Strange: Behind The Storm, Life is Strange 2, and Life is Strange 3: True Colours - had been accused of fostering an unhealthy and toxic workplace environment. The flabbergasting way in which this was discovered was through the discovery of spontaneously placed Nazi-like symbols and references in an unnamed future "Life is Strange" project by developers in the studio... For fans, it was kind of a head-scratching moment considering "Life is Strange" is not really a series readily associated with alt-right/white supremacist ideologies. It's quite the opposite actually.
For people that are aware of the game industry's not-so-illustrious workplace culture, this is just another day at the park (said park is dangerous and it's late at night). Deck Nine has so far been accused (anonymously) of crunch culture - with one employee reportedly working on "True Colours" 70/80 hours in one week, and other employees noting that the oversight of Square Enix in Before The Storm and Life is Strange etc. was especially horrific due to unreasonable deadlines and "bully" behaviour from Square Enix London. The park seems to be have a London branch too. And it's reportedly making Deck Nine have an uncomfortable park too. Amongst that, there's also the alleged casual meagre pay/lack of promotion, and a toxic workplace environment for women.. You know, game industry-type-moments. This IGN exposè goes into more details.
Every time one of these stories come out, it's never really a shock. It's almost like "how is this still happening" throw-up-in-your-mouth emoji. It's never like - really taken seriously. It keeps happening too, over and over... with beloved games (and hated games too, everybody is represented in this culture x). Naughty Dog (devs behind "The Last of Us", "Uncharted"), CD Projekt Red (Cyberpunk), and Rockstar (behind indie - joking - titles such as GTA and Red Dead Redemption) have also been accused of crunch. Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog) has vowed to remove that reputation, especially with a recent PR documentary-type moment recently released about the making of "The Last of Us 2" that addresses it. But like anything, I'll see it when it happens . CD Project Red is a warning sign for me not to trust until I see it MYSELF. All we know now is, the normalisation of this type of culture is harmful for developers who often end up with career-ending burnouts, and if we were to really think like a capitalist money-making boss, it's not really helping the final product either (sad that product quality is more important than worker satisfaction).
There's always the defence that employees engage in crunch culture on their own volition. And it is true, passion is a thing that exists, perfectionism, and wanting a good end product is something any passionate individual wants when they work on a project. But workplace culture is something you're socialised into, and it sets a precedent. The type of precedent that in this case encourages worker exploitation. Food for thought.
The worst part is unions aren't really a viable option, and most employees isn't going to jeopardise their job by suing or going to the press. So the change needs to be catalysed by game developers, and hopefully fairer regulations for overtime work in tech!! Let's see if that happens.