I've noticed a few interesting observations regarding the software and anti-cheat discussion I've been asking about lately.
Obviously the way I couched the questions was loaded: When I asked for opinions on anti-cheat software directly, the response was overwhelmingly negative. With a couple of exceptions, no one expressed trust for those pieces of software. However, when I asked about who's playing VRChat, very few people had any concerns about the security and vulnerability aspects of EAC - Instead, their minds went directly to the termination of mod support.
Overall, not terribly surprising. If I ask people who are playing VRChat if they tolerate EAC, the question is self-selecting for people who generally don't have an issue with it (otherwise they wouldn't be playing it still!). Similarly, when I ask about anti-cheat software in explicit terms of security, it catches the attention of those who already have those opinions firmly in mind (Those who don't mind it generally don't think about it).
So it wasn't necessarily the most unweighted way to investigate the issue. But it did effectively give me a good window into the situation from a perspective I wasn't initially seeing.
Generally speaking, it seems like the prevailing attitude is that software like EAC is basically ever-present, a reality of our life. Impossible to avoid in one stripe or another. I could make an argument that limiting one's attack surface is essential, but what I can't deny is that there's no fully categorizing that attack surface these days. Even the hardware we use is lousy with intentional and unintentional security vulnerabilities. So the argument becomes: What are you sacrificing, and what are you gaining?
By denying myself the ability to play VRChat, how much safer am I? By keeping myself out of the game, what do I lose out on?
There's no easy answer on this, I fear. It's a messy, smeary, nebulous cloud of inconsistent data and blurry conclusions. Everyone has a different tolerance. Everyone has a different risk situation. Everyone has different social (even virtually social) needs. So I have to say I'm no closer to anything resembling an answer for my own personal conundrum.
But I can't shake the feeling that this goes deeper than that. This goes beyond VRChat and EAC and computer security for me. Because when I look directly at this issue: It's a microcosm of so many other situations in my life. So many other decisions. The source of so many regrets.
Deny myself some happiness, for the perception of increased safety. For the idea of stability. It's practically become my personality at this point. I won't take the risk - I won't take the risk of going out. I won't take the risk to get on the plane. I won't risk my job by actually visibly transitioning, despite being on HRT for nearly two years. I won't risk even telling my family, because that would upset the balance.
Hell, for the last several months, I won't even take the risk of talking in any chats anymore, because I'm scared of what an utter moron and insufferable idiot I might come off as.
Take no risks, suffer no harm.
And yet, I have to wonder: Am I depriving myself needlessly when I act like this? Ironically, despite my strategy... it seems to hurt.


