Okay 1st I will iterate -- I DID NOT READ ALL THE POST -- apparently that statement was totally overlooked. Now let me follow that up with what it implied I AM NOT GOING TO READ ALL THE POSTS as I feel that is a waste of time but since the following was pointed out as speaking to my post I have read it and again since it is supposed to speak to my post I will rebut it. So what do we have here. At first glance I see a person being disappointed in human nature -- ghads what is knew there -- is the article itself something worth the time it took to write I guess that is in the eyes of the reader and this reader feels it is just complaining with no substance and deserves about that much attention. I checked it out just in case it had some substance to it as I find that topic to be something I have strong interest in. Do I feel those at WotC are racist -- not any more than a majority of the white population is -- which is to say many of them are just ignorant of it which is not quite what the writers are getting at by implying racism by WotC. So no I do not think they purposefully did this kind of stupid sterotyping because they have a horrendous track record in my book of falling short on a whole lot of stuff -- a half-arsed effort is all I expect from that company and when I go in with that mindset I am rarely disappointed (although they have actually done so with a few products over the years -- maybe not WotC in particular but D&D franchise as a whole).
Now on to the disclaimers that basically seem to say -- any argument you pose against this article is not valid. Which kind of shuts the book on making any comments at all.
So in summation critiques without suggested solutions are worthless drivel and when that worthless drivel is further compounded with less then optimal critiquing it makes it even more worthless than it was initially. Pointing out that the complaint is more worthless than it was initially while a waste of some ones time it is their time to waste. So is it really any surprise that meaningless drivel beget meaningless drivel??
Further if you missed the solutions purposed in this rebuttal you did not read carefully enough.
Now on to the disclaimers that basically seem to say -- any argument you pose against this article is not valid. Which kind of shuts the book on making any comments at all.
Is it or is it just being made into it. *shrug* actually I do not care again complaints without a solution provided are just hot air -- and I do not care what the "critic" is aimed at. Arm-chair coaches are just talking most the time just to hear them talk -- I am more interested in hearing from someone who has walked the walk then humbly denotes what some of the other options might have been to the situation they are discussing -- but here in lies the big difference they are offering potential solutions to the problem they are outlining and doing it in a humble (aka receivable manner) as even Abe Lincoln understood that unless you are in the persons exact set of shoes when they made there decision you cannot criticize that decision and so it is best to try to encourage seemingly better decisions in the future by humbly laying out some potential ideas in that direction.I agree that this does seem to be one of the issues at work here.
Yep I concur as the community has grown and the gaming environment become more popular it has drawn in more of the more critical individuals that like to complain about just about everything rather than just accepting it or someone for who they are and leaving it at that. One of the things I loved the most about the community that was is that there were accepting of just about anyone and everyone regardless of race, creed, color, politcal mindset, social oddities, etc... However I have seen that change over the years to become more exclusive and segragated **sigh** people in these newer communities do not strive to include all gamers into their clique but only those they feel will fit their clique. That is life I suppose and while I personally do not do this -- I am not going to wrongfully expect others to do as I do as they are them and I am me, I will address it (and have) if I feel a community is being disrespectful for whatever reason to any group of individuals.Now honesty as a black gamer whose group is a mix of black and latino/latina players I was really trying to stay out of this discussion because I've been in discussions like this and inevitably they leave me feeling disappointed in a community I always thought would be more open minded and accepting of everyone... but here's a couple of problems I am seeing with this discussion overall...
Okay and so you should not critique the critic ?? Grant you that does not invalidate their complaint but it does show that the individual did not do their due diligence making their complaint worthless than it already was.1. "Nitpicking & pedantry", Trying to use the situation of the author getting some of the facts wrong as a reason to discredit or invalidate the bigger issue...
Okay again do not critique the critic (seems to be a theme). Okay so while pointing out that the article does not take that into account does not invalidate their complaint it does again show that the person was less than thorough in their write-up thus making the complaint again worth a bit less than it already was.2. "But what about syndrome", Trying to use the fact that stereotypes and bad choices have been made for other cultural or ethnic groups (and those specific ones aren't being called our by the author to again dismiss or belittle the importance of the issues that were called out.
Yeah I have to concur with this one but again other than humbly trying to help these individuals understand the errancy there is really nothing else that can be done about this kind of ignorance and it be disappointed that it exists is to be disappointed in the human race in general which the disappointee would be part of. **shrug**3. "Racesplaining", This is hilarious (in a not funny but do you realize the irony way) to me because it's basically when the white males in a group want to tell you how you as a people should or shouldn't group yourselves... i.e. blacks in america aren't all one community or group...people of color refers to so many disparate groups that it's meaning less. Like really do you hear yourself, once again you're trying to exert control and define a people you aren't even a member of.
Okay again do not critique the critic (continues to be the theme). Okay so while pointing out that the article does not take that into account does not again invalidate their complaint it does again show that the person was less than thorough in their write-up thus making the complaint again worth a bit less than it already was.4. "But there's more to the Realms"... Yes and? Did the author review a Realms sourcebook? Bringing up the fact that the Realms has other black or African based cultural groups does nothing to address the problems with those in ToA and Chult. This is where WotC decided to set this adventure and this is the african-esque culture they chose to flesh out. The fact that the author of the article isn't a Realms expert and thinks this is the only african-esque culture doesn't take away from the points raised about it.
Okay your point does not seem to be all that much more aware than there's -- further you are making the assumption that their black friend is culturally unaware while he might just be quite culturally aware but just considers this to be an insignificant issue **shrug** the only one that knows that answer is the person that has not spoken anything else is pure conjecture (bad thing to do) as to WotC looking for a more African culturally aware writer to have written this -- perhaps there are none that WotC is aware of willing to pay for. Would it make a better book, probably but again we are back to the we can sell it for 100% by putting in 95% or 50% which is cheaper so we can make more money. Is that racist, no that is called greedy which many companies are and that is not all that surprising since their whole reason for existence is to make more money.5. "A black isn't a guarantee"... No it isn't because nothing in this world is 100% and bringing up your one culturally unaware black friend as the example is an anecdote that means nothing (and is actually kind of insulting)... because there's also the very real chance that WotC does hire a black person who is culturally aware (I mean wouldn't that be what they were looking for in a consultant for this type of project?) and is able to make changes in their adventure that make it not just more culturally sensitive but a better all around book.
No just the defense of them being lazy and seeking the path of least resistance -- again that 50% versus 95% effort rule. And no it does not invalidate the article nor lessen it.6. "(racist)Stereotypes vs. Knowledge"... You spoke to this one but I just want to reiterate... racist stereotypes and caricatures of african culture in fantasy aren't based in knowledge... they are the exact opposite of having real knowledge and were fabricated mostly during the pulp era. Claiming designers shouldn't be called out for falling back on them since they are using the knowledge they have is a cop out, plain and simple.
Yeah I think I already spoke to this -- it is not dishonest at all -- it actually the best approach to any critique -- is it just someone complaining -- or is it someone complaining and offering a solution. The first group simply devalidate themselves while the second group creates value and thus validate themselves. It is just basically understanding the aspect of value -- this world due all those folks you mention place far to much value on empty complaining and that is were the true issue of this article resides. Just empty complaining that has little to no value -- you want me to accredit value to your complaint then put some effort forward and create a solution or at least some potential solutions and then lodge your complaint.7. "Do it yourself"... No, just no this is a dishonest way of trying to dismiss the validity of issues being brought up. Movie critics, videogame critics, literary critics, sports commentators and so on are all people who critique things they don't necessarily do... but for some reason if someone want to critique this adventure with a cultural/racial focus... they should instead be writing their own supplements? when someone submits a non-favorable review of an rpg on this site I don't see the same people telling them to go write their own if they think the product has faults r isn't a good one, why is this different.
Okay you failed -- just pointing out the obvious in case you missed it. Again the issue that was brought up in the article had next to no value as there were not even any potential solutions -- so who cares if someone that critiques the critic produces just as much meaningless drivelI'm trying to keep myself from ranting but I've seen all of the above in this thread and the fact of the matter is none of these actually addresses the issues the author brought up in the article.
So in summation critiques without suggested solutions are worthless drivel and when that worthless drivel is further compounded with less then optimal critiquing it makes it even more worthless than it was initially. Pointing out that the complaint is more worthless than it was initially while a waste of some ones time it is their time to waste. So is it really any surprise that meaningless drivel beget meaningless drivel??
Further if you missed the solutions purposed in this rebuttal you did not read carefully enough.
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