Things to think about before you call someone "Bad"

[Gallus]

Calling someone bad at a videogame is an assessment of their skill at that game.

Not gonna keep arguing about this because it's pointless. But even if I were to agree with you (which I don't) and accept that calling someone bad in a videogame is an honest assessment of skill, the next question would be, is that really your intention? Are you really trying to properly assess someone and help them because they are underperforming when you call them bad? Because calling someone bad doesn't seem very friendly or helpful to my eyes. Looks more to me like something you'd say to someone after wiping to a boss in an attempt to blame them and wash yourself from any responsibility you may have had in that wipe.

[Dualgunner]

Not gonna keep arguing about this because it's pointless. But even if I were to agree with you (which I don't) and accept that calling someone bad in a videogame is an honest assessment of skill

Let's put aside the fact that the goalposts shifted from "assessment of skill" to "honest assessment of skill." Well, put it aside, but still have it pointed out.

the next question would be, is that really your intention?

I can't speak for others. I remain silent in groups that I assess as being unskilled at the game. I'd rather just get the dungeon over with and be out of there. However, you also can't speak for others, or assign intent behind a neutral assessment of skill. There is also a difference between calling someone's performance bad, and calling them "a bad," the latter being a pejorative that assumes the player has no ability to improve, which is not something I believe in whatsoever.

Are you really trying to properly assess someone and help them because they are underperforming when you call them bad? Because calling someone bad doesn't seem very friendly or helpful to my eyes.

Assessment has no relation to aiding somebody. One can assess somebody and leave it at that. Assessment is a wholly neutral term.

Looks more to me like something you'd say to someone after wiping to a boss in an attempt to blame them and wash yourself from any responsibility you may have had in that wipe.

Anyone can make an assessment. Even people who are bad at making assessments.

[Gallus]

Assessment has no relation to aiding somebody. One can assess somebody and leave it at that. Assessment is a wholly neutral term.

You are not right about this. You can't universally apply this definition to every single context. In my job for example, if I were to assess my students just by giving them a mark and leave it at that, I'd be fired from every occupational training centre. One of the main purposes behind formative assessment is improvement. Evaluation and learning are always correlated.

[Dualgunner]

You are not right about this. You can't universally apply this definition to every single context. In my job for example, if I were to assess my students just by giving them a mark and leaving it at that, I'd be fired from every occupational training centre. One of the main purposes behind formative assessment is improvement.

Yet the Scholastic Assessment Test does nothing more than give a mark. A teacher's job is to assess and use that assessment to help their students improve, however the first part of that--the assessment--is wholly neutral.

If I had said "'You're bad at this game' is a formative assessment", you'd be right, but I did not. The modifier you made there is there for a reason, as it points out a very specific style of assessment that is focused on improvement.

[Gallus]

The modifier you made there is there for a reason, as it points out a very specific style of assessment that is focused on improvement.

Which is the one that comes closer to the situation that is being discussed here. Because aren't we supposed to believe that people calling others bad (or "politely" telling them that their performance is bad) are only trying to offer "friendly" advice? Isn't that the sort of assessment one would do in order to help others improve?
If that's really the case, I don't believe writing the word "bad" in a chat helps much when it comes to receiving positive reactions from the other side.

[MoroMurasaki]

Which is the one that comes closer to the situation that is being discussed here. Because aren't we supposed to believe that people calling others bad (or "politely" telling them that their performance is bad) are only trying to offer "friendly" advice? Isn't that the sort of assessment one would do in order to help others improve?
If that's really the case, I don't believe writing the word "bad" in a chat helps much when it comes to receiving positive reactions from the other side.

Is this a discussion about seeing a bad player and saying in party chat "Hey Moro you're bad at RDM" or is it about seeing a bad player and saying to yourself or others (but not the underperformer) that there is a bad player in your group?

I feel like almost no one does the former while I myself do the later on a regular basis and I know a ton of other people who do as well.

I don't think just saying "Hey you, you suck" is constructive in any way and in almost every situation I would say it's inappropriate. There are certainly exceptions to the rule but they're mostly centered around the idea of trying to communicate already and having someone fail to respond or improve.

I just think this is an important distinction to make because I feel like different people are arguing from different perspectives.