Mr. Rehagen,
Having recently read your article from Indianapolis Monthly titled “Revenge of the Nerds,” I felt compelled to write you with my thoughts on it (though I’m sure you’ve already been inundated by similar messages). Though I did think the article was certainly an accurate (and, indeed, embarrassing) depiction of a small subset of gamers that visit GenCon, I must admit I was puzzled that you believed that the group you interviewed and observed for the article represented the whole of GenCon’s attendees. Indeed, it has been my experience that the undersexed, desperate, and in dire need of a bath attendees represent a small minority of gamers. Not only that, but referring to the bulk of the attendees as “social exiles” is not only inaccurate but mildly offensive.
I would instead liken the convention to a typical Colts game in the RCA Dome. Tens of thousands of fans pack in for home games, most of whom range in occupation and personality as widely as any other segment of the populace. However, among those fans there will always be the few that cover themselves in blue an white body paint, wear blue-painted clown wigs, and scream at the top of their lungs the moment they step foot in the door. Were one to follow these fans around all day, immersed in their fan culture yet knowing little about sports fans nationwide, would that not skew your opinion and analysis of all Colts fans? If you had never heard of sports fandom, and spent your day among a small minority with extreme attitudes, would you not be inclined to believe that all Colts fans would have at least a small semblance of similar fanaticism? Yet when you look around the stadium you will see well-dressed and socially acceptable fans in nearly every other seat. This is the analogy I would draw to your analysis of GenCon.
I would urge you, then, to consider spending a GenCon not with the “social exiles” as you call them, but perhaps pass the time discussing the business aspect of gaming with one of the hundreds of publishers that visits your fair city each August. Alternately, you could contact one of the hundreds of authors, artists, editors, and publishers that attend GenCon each year in order to make business connections and obtain new contracts. I myself am one such writer; I paid my way through college writing for roleplaying games and continue to supplement my living doing so today.
Not interested in the business side of gaming? Spend a while with some casual gamers that come to try new things. Pass some time in the miniature games rooms, or test out some of the new board and party games available each year. I simply feel as though your narrow case study in the article tainted your view of GenCon and led you to write an article that both misrepresents the actual attendees but also could potentially bias Indianapolis locals—including local businesses—against the convention. Indeed, your article paints a portrait of GenCon as a near-orgy of social exiles who fill your city with their poor hygiene and pollute the landscape. If your aim was to alienate attendees and encourage Indianapolis locals to shun us each year, then I congratulate you on your success, as I feel sure that each party has received the message.
Indianapolis has welcomed GenCon with open arms. My experiences with the locals has been nothing but positive; in fact, at least one local restaurant of some size alters their menu to present a GenCon theme in an effort to make us feel comfortable. Unfortunately, I felt as though your article merely went out of its way to reinforce negative stereotypes and demonize a large group of people that bring a large amount of money to the city each summer. I would encourage you to spend more time at GenCon this year, perhaps not so attached to a single group of gamers (indeed, though you did seem to spend a great deal of time at the convention, I would call this a very narrow avenue of research) and instead see that we come in all stripes. If you go to the mall, do you not see these same “social exiles” loitering around? Yet I have not seen an article decrying the mall, and all those that shop there, as a sex-hungry meeting ground for the socially inept.
I know my long-winded reply probably has little effect on you, but I would just ask, as one professional writer to another, that before creating such a potentially harmful piece in the future you spend a bit of time away from the extreme side of the people you are writing about.
I thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Rodney Thompson
RPG Writer and Editor
