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The importance of appreciation

Started by Kyle Aaron, October 04, 2007, 07:28:25 PM

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Kyle Aaron

October 04, 2007, 07:28:25 PM
As a GM or player, do you ever feel unappreciated?
   "Gift rage" lands worker in court

    Thu Oct 4, 2007 12:42pm EDT

    TOKYO (Reuters) - A disgruntled Japanese worker smashed up his employer's office in a fit of pique after his boss ignored his gift of jelly desserts, a national paper said on Thursday.

    An Osaka court heard that the 31-year-old man, who worked for an online clothing sales company, had given the company president a box of jellies in the summer as a mark of gratitude after landing the job, the English-language Asahi Shimbun said.

    Many Japanese maintain a tradition of sending gifts to important business contacts in summer and winter.

    When the employee realized that his boss had left the box of jellies unopened under his desk, he smashed 22 computers in the office with a truncheon, the paper said. No one was injured in the incident.

    The man pleaded guilty to charges of obstructing business with force, the paper said.

    "I wish the company president had cared a little more," the paper quoted the employee's lawyer as saying.

    Prosecutors said the employer had been too busy to open the gift, the paper said.

Now, I'm not advocating a violent solution to any lack of appreciation, but I do wonder... You see, I was brought up to say "thank-you" when people pass the salt, or after dinner at a friend's place, and so on. Nothing really formal or Miss Manners about it, just a grunt and smile of appreciation after finishing the plate, perhaps saying goodnight to the host and hostess, that sort of thing.

Most geeks can't manage that, I find. Right after the game session, I often feel a little disappointed. But then sometimes after thinking about it, I feel really pissed off.

How about you lot?
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VBWyrde

#1
October 04, 2007, 07:49:10 PM
Quote from: Kyle AaronAs a GM or player, do you ever feel unappreciated?
How about you lot?

Well for me, no, I don't feel unappreciated usually.  My players have a great time and their appreciation is expressed in-game mostly.  Occasionally someone will say something nice to me like, "Your World is great" or some other such complement, but that's not really all that common.  People never actually Thank me after the game so far as I recall.   Actually, I just don't expect them too.  The occasional compliment is enough, especially since it's sincere and not perfunctory.  Also, I play with cool people and I don't play with uncool people.  If I feel the players lack that certain something, then I just quietly boot them from the game.  In the end I have mostly wound up with cool players.
* Aspire to Inspire *
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ancientgamer

#2
October 05, 2007, 12:24:42 AM
Quote from: VBWyrdeWell for me, no, I don't feel unappreciated usually.  My players have a great time and their appreciation is expressed in-game mostly.  Occasionally someone will say something nice to me like, "Your World is great" or some other such complement, but that's not really all that common.  People never actually Thank me after the game so far as I recall.   Actually, I just don't expect them too.  The occasional compliment is enough, especially since it's sincere and not perfunctory.  Also, I play with cool people and I don't play with uncool people.  If I feel the players lack that certain something, then I just quietly boot them from the game.  In the end I have mostly wound up with cool players.

The excitement expressed during the game and comments such has "I haven't RP'ed for so long before you invited me, thanks" does it for me.  Of course I return the favor of thanking them for coming because as the GM, you work a bit harder, but the others took time out of their schedule, etc to make it to your game as well.  It's a two way street...not saying anyone here doesn't appreciate their players but just saying...:)
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Imperator

#3
October 05, 2007, 02:24:37 AM
Quote from: Kyle AaronAs a GM or player, do you ever feel unappreciated?
No, my players are well educated people, and they appreciate my work as I appreciate theirs. Sometimes, they even bring me my favourite beer, or things like that :) I'm very happy
My name is Ramón Nogueras. Running now Vampire: the Masquerade (Giovanni Chronicles IV for just 3 players), and itching to resume my Call of Cthulhu campaign (The Sense of the Sleight-of-Hand Man).

Melan

#4
October 05, 2007, 05:17:02 AM
Quote from: ImperatorNo, my players are well educated people, and they appreciate my work as I appreciate theirs. Sometimes, they even bring me my favourite beer, or things like that :) I'm very happy
Yup, except the beer bit. :cool:
Now with a Zine!
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Abyssal Maw

#5
October 05, 2007, 08:33:00 AM
Gift giving is quite popular in my group- usually small stuff like miniatures, but also books and once- one of the guys gave me that black-box edition of Basic D&D. At Gen Con a couple of the guys even lifted a few extra shirts (those D&D4 promotional shirts) and thumb drives that we passed out to the people in our groups who didn't make it.

About half my collection of miniatures was probably gifted to me from the common and uncommon castoffs of one of the players who collects DDM.
Download Secret Santicore! (10MB). I painted the cover :)

TonyLB

#6
October 05, 2007, 09:15:46 AM
My group is big into appreciation at both the micro- and macro-level.

Yes, "That was a great game!  Thanks, everybody!"  It's great, it covers all the bases.

But also, "Oh wow ... that's a damn fine plan!"  We aim to appreciate and reinforce the individual things that people bring to the table.  

Ya gotta be sane about it, or it could (I suppose) turn into a big fluffy group-hug sort of thing.  None of us wants that.  But doing your best to pick up on the times when another player really performs in the game, and to express your appreciation clearly ("WHOA!  That's vicious!", etc.) does a lot to maintain energy and make with the happy.
Superheroes with heart:  Capes!
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