Blue Robot Cult

Godot Initiation Ritual - By יעקב

Godot Engine is a cult, albeit an IT-focused one, as opposed to physical cults. While many people are only familiar with the user-side of Godot, which may give the impression that there are no issues when interacting with the Godot community on the surface, it is important to recognize that cults often operate in this manner: outwardly welcoming but internally abusive.

Some respected followers of Godot openly acknowledge its cultic nature. They assert that Godot is indeed a cult, but interestingly, they do not view it as a negative characteristic¹:

Godot definitely is a cult, but it’s not a bad thing.

It is true that not all cults are inherently destructive. However, when we examine other cult characteristics, it becomes apparent that Godot exhibits signs of being a toxic cult. Some of these signs manifest as subconscious cognitive dissonance, as evident according to what aforementioned Godot follower said:

If you do, in earnest, believe Godot is a cult, then posting this to the cult members on the forum certainly will not be taken well.

It’s highly recommended that you read the detailed analysis of the discussion that happened around this, which both counteracts Godot followers’ attempts at scapegoating a former member of Godot and shows how their own behavior is the evidence behind Godot’s toxicity as a community². Unfortunately, the analysis has been deleted by Godot forum moderators, which further confirms the initial hypothesis presented in the analysis. This removal was anticipated due to the predictability of Godot followers.

Therefore, information presented further is especially relevant for you if you’re a Godot contributor. Contributors who work on Godot don’t have a clear vision for the project. When you try to reveal it, or you ask questions on Godot’s governance, Godot leadership and their overzealous followers act quite passive-aggressive and repulsive.

We can certainly learn from Godot… But what to learn? One can learn how to be a cult leader and a cultist, and to repeat the same narrative regurgitated by the same cultists, even if such narratives do not reflect the reality. Many of the touted “benefits” of Godot are exaggerated. When asked why Godot is superior to other game engines and tools in specific aspects, most Godot followers cannot provide detailed examples or their answers are too general to be taken seriously. Because of this, Godot tends to attract hobbyists more than professional developers.

Without further ado, let’s take into account characteristics that we have covered in Toxic Cult chapter and apply that to Godot community.

References