In our newest show:

-I share the funniest story to come out of the DnDGate Hashtag controversy

-Venger Satanis talks about world-building

-Grim Jim Desborough contemplates the Giant Space Hamster

[video=youtube_share;uweLAym5JhM]https://youtu.be/uweLAym5JhM[/youtube]

Just finished it - Interesting stuff on worldbuilding from the trio.

Very good point about lawn shitters. I think that says it all very well about what should and shouldn't be allowed or tolerated in the hobby and what you should do when you meet one (or them as a group!).

Good stuff!

It was a good one!

Good video.

I'm not so sure about your assessment of Mearls. Only because, like you, I've *never* thought Mearls was some kind of political ideologue when I worked with him. But since then - the world has changed and people have changed with it. I've seen very close friends that have been activated by the current politics and found themselves in strange places.

I think you could be right. But ultimately that doesn't excuse the agency of choice in participating in that foolishness. So I don't care to parse the "degree" of his strength of belief. I care more about the action taken. He's clearly not working in the interests of keeping things neutral at minimum. He's actively, along with Crawford, actively injecting D&D with their ideology.

I think it's unnecessarily divisive - but ultimately the market will decide that.

Excellent video; very entertaining.

About Mearls: Whether he is sincere or simply feels that backing from SJWs is valuable is an interesting question but does it even matter?

To pluck an example from far enough ago to avoid a s-storm, George Wallace was (probably) not sincerely racist. I know, or knew when they were alive, two Black people who knew him well and they said that the stand in the schoolhouse door, etc, was all part of an act. The first time he got any real newspaper coverage was when he was a judge and ruled that "we can rob them because they are Black" was not a sufficient argument from some white businessmen seeking to cheat some Black businessmen. Of course, in his ruling he did not attack the institution of segregation. Finally, the first time he ran for governor, he took a moderate position on race. Several things he said publicly made people think he blamed that for his loss and the rest is history.

So, does it matter if Mearls is sincere?

Mearls is not an Ideologue, he's just mouthing the party line because he wants to keep his job.

Quote from: Christopher Brady;1045992Mearls is not an Ideologue, he's just mouthing the party line because he wants to keep his job.

Speaks more to his personal integrity. If I were in his shoes I'd be staying a-political and telling my staff to do the same. If that cost me my job... well then at least I tried. Otherwise I'd be finding a different business to get into.

So why is geek culture so politicized? I don't see hockey forums, discussion about BBQ, historical fiction reddits, cycling, craft beer culture, and other hobbies I enjoy wracked with such drama and ardent ideological fervour. What is it about geeks and geek culture that makes so many of them so desperate to belong to a mass movement?

Is it simple demographics? Age 18-40, university educated, white = probably illiberal progressive? Is it because many nerds are so desperately alienated and unhappy that they need to feel like they belong, and the SJW movement just happened along at the right time for them to seize on?

I've heard it argued that RPG geeks tend to over-educated and underemployed, and that this fosters a lot of resentment and discord we see online. This fits with Eric Hoffer's observation that mass movements attract people who want to be rid of themselves and their identity, who crave a sense of purpose and an identification with a sacred cause.

Quote from: Haffrung;1046015So why is geek culture so politicized?

This one is easy, but it's not pleasant.  See, the current geek contingency is mostly 80's and 90's kids, and back then that demographic was easily the most bullied group of kids.  And no matter what anyone says, bullying never stops.  So they have the nearly perfect target:  

First off Geeks and Nerds, especially the unattractive ones, which out number the moderately attractive, so innately they will want attention.

Second, these mostly men have been conditioned to accept abuse, and tend not to fight back.

Third most of them are also White, and the White Man has ALWAYS been the enemy, so an easy target.

Quote from: tenbones;1046010Speaks more to his personal integrity. If I were in his shoes I'd be staying a-political and telling my staff to do the same. If that cost me my job... well then at least I tried. Otherwise I'd be finding a different business to get into.

And this is where you're not getting it.  You wouldn't be able to get into a different business.  When the as people call them 'Ctrl-Left' can and have actually 'unperson' an individual, getting a new job, is about as easy as someone on the sexual offenders list.

Mearl's knows this, his entire life and his family's is on the line.  And when YOURS would, you'd toe it just as fast.  It doesn't matter if he believes or not, he's got a target on his back.

Quote from: Haffrung;1046015So why is geek culture so politicized? I don't see hockey forums, discussion about BBQ, historical fiction reddits, cycling, craft beer culture, and other hobbies I enjoy wracked with such drama and ardent ideological fervour. What is it about geeks and geek culture that makes so many of them so desperate to belong to a mass movement?

Are you oblivious to the political posturing and antics that is infecting both the NFL and NBA today?

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1046023Are you oblivious to the political posturing and antics that is infecting both the NFL and NBA today?

I'm aware of it, but I'm not American. So the NFL and NBA aren't really my scene.

Quote from: Haffrung;1046025I'm aware of it, but I'm not American. So the NFL and NBA aren't really my scene.

Ok, just understand it's not just the "geek" scene.

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1046026Ok, just understand it's not just the "geek" scene.

But even in broader culture it's the nerdy genres with more acrimony and zeal. Look at fiction. Are there firestorms about representation and social justice in the Mystery, Romance, and Historical Fiction genres? Nope. But there sure as fuck are in SF/F. Or movies. People are wigging out about representation in Marvel movies and Star Wars. Nobody seems to give a shit about romantic comedies and thrillers.

Mearls is allways chirping whatever he thinks is trendy, even if its a year or two behind the trend. Which makes me wonder if he is more a social chameleon shifting gears to fit in with what he thinks is the current trend and then shifting again and again. But apparently not quite understanding what he is siding with. Though at least since 5e playtest started his leanings have gotten more and more to the SJW side.

He allso suffers from occasional foot-in-mouth disease and has said some things over the years that might be a compliment, but come across as backhanded. Or just badly wording some comment such that it comes across as ham-handed or totally off the mark.

Expect after GenCon for things to get worse. Possibly much worse. With Anita attending its near guaranteed some minds are going to be poisoned and theres going to be some big "crusade" to bring equality where women allready dominate several sections and have been participating in the gaming industry since practically the start. But of course none of that counts because a woman has never actually written D&D and so that is sexist and MUST be fixed.

Worst case scenario is...

Cur SJW edition D&D...

Quote from: Christopher Brady;1046021And this is where you're not getting it.  You wouldn't be able to get into a different business.  When the as people call them 'Ctrl-Left' can and have actually 'unperson' an individual, getting a new job, is about as easy as someone on the sexual offenders list.

Mearl's knows this, his entire life and his family's is on the line.  And when YOURS would, you'd toe it just as fast.  It doesn't matter if he believes or not, he's got a target on his back.

Nah I get it. I think it's self-inflicted. I'm just not stupid enough to work in RPG's fulltime for WotC. Frankly I don't know what Mearl's skillset is outside of RPG's. I don't have that problem, I'm extremely marketable and I could go anywhere by choice. I don't hide my views from anyone - if they ask. I'm just not a raging dick about it. But navigating the waters of politics that aren't yours are *particularly* easy when you see the waters rising. You get in your boat, and you paddle the fuck out quietly.

Very few jobs are worth actively selling your principles out (assuming you have any) for. But maybe he believes this crap. Who knows?