The big issue is that people have put emotional stock on
4e, be it for or against. Some people foam at the mouth whenever anything that could be taken as criticism is mentioned against anything that's remotely related to
4e or Wizards. Some people foam at the mouth whenever someone even thinks about suggesting that
4e might have even the smallest positive about it. it's not something you can solve with reasonable and enlightened debate, because it's not about logic or understanding. It's about "I'm right, they're wrong."
The worst thing about it isn't just that it's polarizing, but that it makes people on both sides groan and feel ashamed for liking D&D at all. If I want to have a nice, honest discussion about Pathfinder, I can't if someone runs up and yells in my ear how I'M WRONG OMG WAT DO U THINK UR DOING THIS GAME SUX SO MUCH. If I want to have a nice, honest discussion about
4e, I can't if someone runs up and yells in my ear how I'M WRONG OMG WAT DO U THINK UR DOING THIS GAME SUX SO MUCH. And again, whenever that happens, it disenfranchises people who might have legitimate complaints about either game, because suddenly they're being forced into taking sides.
Really, it's that last one that irks me so much - the idea that there has to be "sides." Nothing devolves a discussion further then forcing everything to be polarized into them vs us, with nothing in between. If there's anything involving the edition wars that needs to be permabanned, it's the notion that people need to take sides.
Edit: Oh yes, and Changeling: The Lost is far better then Otakukin: The Glamourbombing ;p
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