Responsibility of the speaker vs the listener

[droqen]

I don't like labels, but maybe I mostly don't like labels because they have been used by people in ways that I don't trust. As the listener, the recipient, I don't like labels; I don't trust them. e.g. I had a relationship to the label 'games,' but in a way that label was co-opted by people whose interests didn't align with my own in order to benefit themselves and others - e.g. the argument exists that including walking simulators in games is of a benefit to people creating walking simulators because it legitimizes them.

I don't begrudge these independent agents doing with labels what is good for them and not for me, but it's something I'm thinking about. I no longer believe the speaker has a responsibility to do right by me, or at least that I have no default expectation that people are acting in my interests. So I have to look out for myself.

By extension, I tthink I took on the attitude that as a speaker (a creator of things), I had no responsibility to the listener (the player or otherwise-appreciator of the things I create). But that's not great! I like to take responsibility and do my best work, and although in general I think the attitude of being responsible-for-myself as a listener is something that has mostly served me well I would like to place more value on

-- good speakers (creators) (people) who i trust

-- trusting listeners (i.e. who trust speakers/creators to do right by them)