Pathfinder 1E An open letter to Paizo

[SavageRobby]

I can see this from the OPs point of view, but ultimately I don't agree with that POV. Am I thrilled that Paizo carries it? Not particularly, but I won't stop shopping there because of it. Like others have mentioned (although a tad more acerbically), if you draw the line at purchasing from any place that carries anything remotely offensively, your shopping options will narrow rather quickly. And where do you draw the line?

Instead, if my daughter were to see and ask me about it, I would take it as an opportunity as a parent to take the initiative and hop on the soap box, explaining what I believed the problem with drugs to be. In this day and age, unless you're Amish (and you wouldn't be here if you were, I would assume) it is almost impossible to keep hot-button references (drugs, alcohol, porn, smoking, whatever) away from kids. Far better to educate them than to try to completely shelter them. No, I'm not advocating taking them to R-rated movies at 8 years old. I'm simply saying that you can take reasonable precautions as a parent, but you simply can't block everything. Nor do I think that is even desirable. Because there will come a time when you won't be around, and they'll have to make a decision about something like that without your presence. I'd much rather have my voice in my daughter's head on that than to have been silent about it, hoping that lack of exposure will equal good decision making skills.


*cough* Sorry. Didn't mean to preach.


(Hey look at that - I just got the email right now. And there indeed is the "Baked Baked Plush" right there as a featured New Product.)

 

[Shawn_Kehoe]

Game shops sell plush dolls of evil gods that want to destroy the world (Cthulhu) but a plush of stoner is somehow unacceptable? That's a bit hypocritical no?

It's a stupid product and I can't understand why anyone would ever buy it but if the US constitution protects the the rights of people to publish magazines like High Times I think it only good and right that it protects those who want to sell it.

I think people are making a mountain out of a mole hill. Move on everyone. Nothing to see here.

And if we were aware of actual elder gods intent on the world's destruction, that analogy would carry much more weight.

Now, I'm no expert on the American Constitution, but as I understand it - "Freedom of Speech" applies primarily to the government and its bodies, which cannot punish speech except in narrowly-defined cases, like inciting hatred. Private individuals *can* take punitive actions against those whose speech they disagree with, provided that those actions do not break the law.

But in terms of *spirit* of the amendment ... yeah, boycuts are a dangerous shade of gray.

I can certainly understand Firebeetle's convictions, and if nothing else, he has almost certainly brought this matter to the attention of Paizo's senior staff.

Shawn

 

[6pakofdwarves]

In defense of the OP, it's not hypocritical if your hot button is drug use but not fictitious elder beings from beyond space (or violence, looking at the other discussions going on in this thread).

I disagree, doesn't matter WHAT your hot button is. It is hypocritical because of WHY he objects. The doll supposedly glorifies something bad and illegal. Realistically so do almost all RPG's. That is the hypocrisy.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Sophisticated? A 10yr old can make the connection. You underestimate the deductive capabilities of children.

A 10 year old equates dreadlocks with drugs?

Dreadlocks stopped being exclusive to a drug-using culture more than 30 years ago.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

A 10 year old equates dreadlocks with drugs?

Dreadlocks stopped being exclusive to a drug-using culture more than 30 years ago.

The name and description of the doll are the big indicators here.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Query

Hey, isn't War of the Burning Sky a drug metaphor?

-Samir​

 

[SavageRobby]

I disagree, doesn't matter WHAT your hot button is. It is hypocritical because of WHY he objects. The doll supposedly glorifies something bad and illegal. Realistically so do almost all RPG's. That is the hypocrisy.

Ye gods, enough with the absolutes already. The OP is objecting to a very specific type of reference that Paizo is (inadvertently or purposefully) promoting - that which supports "a drug lifestyle". Perhaps if you spent some more time reading instead of so vociferously demanding he's a hypocrite you'd see what the objection actually was.


And the fact that you believe that RPGS glorify something "bad and illegal" speaks volumes to me about your games.

 

[takasi]

If they pull the doll then they should pull this too:

http://paizo.com/store/brand/dungeo...lementalRulebooks/v5748btpy7b2v&source=search

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

And if we were aware of actual elder gods intent on the world's destruction, that analogy would carry much more weight.

Oh, you'll become aware of them ... AS THE WORLD IS ENDING!

MWAH HA HA HA HA HA!

 

[catsclaw227]

A 10 year old equates dreadlocks with drugs?

Dreadlocks stopped being exclusive to a drug-using culture more than 30 years ago.

Equating dreadlocks to drugs? Maybe not. But equating dreadlocks, sleepy eyes and being named Baked Baked to drug use is not a stretch.