Proposed: Adopt a "normal" person

[Mallus]

To quote whatever blog I remembered reading that in, "she's crying all the way to the bank," as the original article on Gizmodo got over 500,000 hits.

With the pitance outfits like Gawker Media pay freelancers, she'd be crying all the way to the convenience store to buy a pack of gum or lottery ticket with her hardly-earned earnings.

 

[RainOfSteel]

I had already been referred to the original blog from somewhere.

The critique linked here is basically what i was thinking to begin with.

 

[haakon1]

I don't want folks "sitting me down" and trying to introduce me to their hobbies unless I show interest first, so I'm not doing it to someone else.

Rarely, if ever, does proselytizing make a believer out of the target. So, I think this is not a great idea.

Agreed. I have offered to play with people who seem interested (gamers, into fantasy literature or medieval history, etc.) and had at least a vague idea of what the game is, and I've introduced many people to the game.

I've also tried to EXPLAIN it to a few people (almost always female that I can recall), because THEY asked me what it was (without expressing an interest in playing) after learning it was an interest of mine and having only vague/negative awareness of it. If I recall correctly, only one of them progressed to playing (a one shot).

Bugging uninterested people about your hobby seems like a poor way to promote it!

 

[Dannager]

Er. No.

The Golden Rule applies. I don't want folks "sitting me down" and trying to introduce me to their hobbies unless I show interest first, so I'm not doing it to someone else.

Rarely, if ever, does proselytizing make a believer out of the target. So, I think this is not a great idea.

Agreed.

Instead, how about we go for maybe once a year inviting our most nerd-receptive non-roleplaying friend to try D&D out with our regular group? And doing everything possible to make our regular group welcoming?

This would be a good thing to try, yes?

 

[Walking Paradox]

Rarely, if ever, does proselytizing make a believer out of the target. So, I think this is not a great idea.

I am not suggesting proselytizing. I am suggesting you just make them watch us do what we do so that they can see that we are normal people who, in all likelihood, have better social skills than them.

 

[Stumblewyk]

I am suggesting you just make them watch us do what we do so that they can see that we are normal people who, in all likelihood, have better social skills than them.

I think that's called "kidnapping."

At the very least, it's taking a hostage.

 

[ExploderWizard]

This just in: People are being rude and insensitive to each other on the internet.

We'll be back when there is something noteworthy to report.

 

[billd91]

I'm having a little trouble getting the righteous indignation here too. As other posters have said, most people, including gamers and nerdboys, have no trouble judging people on very little pieces of information like hobbies. Just look at the derision anybody who admits to being a furry gets.

The main problem I have is the person went and put her mean-spirited blog post on the internet and included personal information. I certainly doesn't give me any sort of good impression of her as a person, though I believe that means that I too am judging her by using very little (mostly superficial) information. But as I said, I'm comfortable with that.

By the way, I wouldn't have much of a problem if she complained that the first date included a show about Jeff Dahmer. That isn't exactly the sort of subject matter I would consider trying to make a first impression with. If a woman took me to that on a blind date, there would have to be an awful lot of other chemistry to overcome that creepiness vibe.

 

[Umbran]

I am not suggesting proselytizing. I am suggesting you just make them watch us do what we do so that they can see that we are normal people who, in all likelihood, have better social skills than them.

It seems to me that "make them watch" and "better social skills than them" are mutually exclusive.

There may be some times and places where making someone do something they don't really want to do is okay. But proselytizing a hobby (and yes, it is just that - the act of trying to convert someone to another opinion) isn't one of them.

Instead, how about we go for maybe once a year inviting our most nerd-receptive non-roleplaying friend to try D&D out with our regular group? And doing everything possible to make our regular group welcoming?

If your group is on board, there's nothing wrong with giving someone an invitation and introducing them to the game if they accept.

I hope folks can see the difference there - "make them watch" and "invite them to see" are quite thoroughly different things, at least to my mind.

 

[amerigoV]

I am not suggesting proselytizing. I am suggesting you just make them watch us do what we do so that they can see that we are normal people who, in all likelihood, have better social skills than them.

Riiiiiiiight....

Just have them watch the 8-bit cartoon on the evils of D&D. It pretty much sums up our hobby.

"...if there are any girls there I want to DO them!"