Why are people not interested in RPG?

[Lwaxy]

Really, what's wrong with T-shirts all of a sudden? I almost exclusively wear T-shirts (hard to find anything my size even then).

I'm really a bit tired of the silly "fat people in T-shirts are bad" story. It's nonsense. T-shirts are about the most comfortable wear, and even if I wasn't so fat I'd probably not wear anything else to a game. And where else to wear your heavy metal/punk/sci-fi/fantasy/whatever shirt if you are not supposed to wear it in your free time with fellow nerds?

Seriously.

 

[Aeolius]

I know of Pepsi employees fired for drinking Coca Cola products in public.

That's pretty common. I am part owner of a beer/wine distributorship. It has always been company policy to discipline employees who consume beer that we do not distribute.

 

[Umbran]

Point.

However, we've already seen that getting fired for "liking" the wrong thing on Facebook will survive a challenge on the grounds of being a restriction of free speech in the state of Virginia-

I should mention, what I originally said was, "...have issues in the workplace..." not, "get fired for". We shouldn't limit discussion to such specific results.

I know folks who have had legitimate issues getting security clearances due to having oddball hobbies, not limited to gaming. The assumption being that if you aren't "mainstream", you have to be examined rather more closely to make sure you are safe.

And, far more frequent, are not necessarily boss-employee issues leading to firing, but inter-employee issues. If the people in the cubes around you think you're far off the beaten path, they can make it difficult to get your job done, and make the workplace downright unpleasant.

 

[The Red King]

Really, what's wrong with T-shirts all of a sudden? I almost exclusively wear T-shirts (hard to find anything my size even then).

I'm really a bit tired of the silly "fat people in T-shirts are bad" story. It's nonsense. T-shirts are about the most comfortable wear, and even if I wasn't so fat I'd probably not wear anything else to a game. And where else to wear your heavy metal/punk/sci-fi/fantasy/whatever shirt if you are not supposed to wear it in your free time with fellow nerds?

Seriously.

I agree. Is he supposed to wear a suit? I'm not a big fat guy, but I might be someday. In the mean time, I wear t-shirts everywhere I can get away with it.

That's pretty common. I am part owner of a beer/wine distributorship. It has always been company policy to discipline employees who consume beer that we do not distribute.

Be careful on that one. Firing people for what they do in public - when NOT on company time can get you into some pretty big lawsuits.

On the clock? Fair game.

I should mention, what I originally said was, "...have issues in the workplace..." not, "get fired for". We shouldn't limit discussion to such specific results.

I know folks who have had legitimate issues getting security clearances due to having oddball hobbies, not limited to gaming. The assumption being that if you aren't "mainstream", you have to be examined rather more closely to make sure you are safe.

And, far more frequent, are not necessarily boss-employee issues leading to firing, but inter-employee issues. If the people in the cubes around you think you're far off the beaten path, they can make it difficult to get your job done, and make the workplace downright unpleasant.

This is becoming more and more true. There are many reports about jobs asking to see your Facebook page before they hire you. Sadly, gaming isnt mainstream enough to pass that kind of silly test. (Thats some of the reason I'm not on facebook.)

 

[Elf Witch]

I think whether we hide it is irrelevant. My understanding of the numbers is that (tabletop and larp) RPG players comprise less than 1% of the total US population. Even if every one of us was public and forward about it, we would *still* be lost in the noise of the throng.

It seems to me that how RPGs are viewed is not really a function of RPG players, but a function of how intellectual pursuits and play are viewed by the culture around us in general.

I disagree if the only examples of gamers are the ones shown on Big Bang and the stereotypical live in the basement nerd who has never been laid then that has the potential to turn off people who don't view themselves that way.

Why should someone young want to play a game that the very people who play are ashamed of?

 

[Elf Witch]

Really, what's wrong with T-shirts all of a sudden? I almost exclusively wear T-shirts (hard to find anything my size even then).

I'm really a bit tired of the silly "fat people in T-shirts are bad" story. It's nonsense. T-shirts are about the most comfortable wear, and even if I wasn't so fat I'd probably not wear anything else to a game. And where else to wear your heavy metal/punk/sci-fi/fantasy/whatever shirt if you are not supposed to wear it in your free time with fellow nerds?

Seriously.

It is not just the t shirt it is the general unkept grooming that often goes with it. There is also a time and a place for them. I wear nerd t shirts to cons but I don't wear them every where.

As for the t shirt on fat people well it is because so many look slovenly. I am over weight and it is possible to find shirts that fit and look more flattering on an overweight person.

The world is not fair and people judge you on how you look if you are over weight you get judged that mush harsher. That is why I never dress like a slob when I go out a thin woman can get away with it more than a fat woman who is already being judged as a fat slob. I am always well groomed when I leave my house. I wear nice clothes, make up and have my hair groomed I may be fat but I am not a slob. And that is how I cope with the rude stares and the nasty mean comments from strangers about my weight.

I have found taking care of my looks increases my self confidence and makes me feel better about myself. For the most part most of the fat woman I know who live in t shirts do so because they don't care how they look because they have this attitude that they are fat so why bother. They really hate how they look and they suffer low self esteem because of it.

 

[Elf Witch]

I should mention, what I originally said was, "...have issues in the workplace..." not, "get fired for". We shouldn't limit discussion to such specific results.

I know folks who have had legitimate issues getting security clearances due to having oddball hobbies, not limited to gaming. The assumption being that if you aren't "mainstream", you have to be examined rather more closely to make sure you are safe.

And, far more frequent, are not necessarily boss-employee issues leading to firing, but inter-employee issues. If the people in the cubes around you think you're far off the beaten path, they can make it difficult to get your job done, and make the workplace downright unpleasant.

As someone who has off the beaten path hobbies I have found that a lot of the way your co workers judge you depends on how you act not so much what your hobbies are.

If you basically look like them and dress like them and you can do the small talk that does not include boring people about your hobbies then most fellow employees are not going to care what you do when you are not at work.

Being a gamer and in SF fandom as long as I have I can say that there are members of our hobby who are just weird they lack the normal social skills to get by.

I never hid my hobbies from my co workers but I didn't make a big production either and I could talk about the same things they did, when we did things out of work like baseball games and picnics and showers I dressed just like they did.

If I was going to a con that weekend and someone asked what I was doing I said that or if I was going to an SCA event I would say that. Most of the time all I got was have fun or I hope the rain does not ruin your event.

Sure I sometimes dealt with nasty co workers who made fun of my hobbies but that was because they didn't like me as a person and would have said nasty things no matter what I did. Or they were just mean spirited miserable people who couldn't stand the thought of other people actually enjoying life.

 

[Umbran]

I disagree if the only examples of gamers are the ones shown on Big Bang and the stereotypical live in the basement nerd who has never been laid then that has the potential to turn off people who don't view themselves that way.

Again - I don't think all the gamers in the world, being open, would compete with Big Bang Theory in terms of defeating the stereotype. Especially when most of the geeks of my acquaintance seem to think the show is hilarious.

Why should someone young want to play a game that the very people who play are ashamed of?

Why do I ("I" meaning "the typical gamer", not me, personally) care? Am I the marketing division of WotC, or something?

 

[Lwaxy]

I never wore make up in my life other than when in costume. My skin is thankful for it, too, I think.

I don't usually care how I look. I have sensory issues as many on the autism spectrum do, and I need to be comfortable. Especially when meeting people. I don't have a large choice of clothes either as it is hard to find something that's my size and not bothering me (material, cut, colors etc). I can't wear shoes or socks either and only wear sandals save in the deepest snow thanks to edemas. Gets me a few weird looks in colder weather.

I found at least half of my players in two of the groups have the same problems, husband included.

Yes, our society sucks in the way it cares about appearance, but at least the nerdier activities in this world should ignore that. There are other reasons for people not to need to care about how they look than supposed low self esteem or sloppiness. And I'm in anyone's face who dares to comment on my choice of attire if I happen to hear them. They are usually terribly embarrassed about it.

I insist on cleanliness and politeness with my groups and prefer non-smokers, but I don't care at all how people look other than that their clothes should fit and not expose too much of their anatomy, be that belly free on purpose or shirt too short

I also found that after a few sessions, people who first came in different clothes find it relaxing to dress like everyone else and not to care at all. With the exceptions of a few girls and one of the young men (who actually does show up in a suit but he has a reason for it).

It is possible that it has helped to put requirements like cleanliness, no smoking, no shouting in the house etc on the recruitment info. I have only once had to turn someone away for looking like he had fallen into a pot of grease or something. Of course, if that is the type of people who tend to show up I'd not want to game with them either.

 

[Elf Witch]

Again - I don't think all the gamers in the world, being open, would compete with Big Bang Theory in terms of defeating the stereotype. Especially when most of the geeks of my acquaintance seem to think the show is hilarious.



Why do I ("I" meaning "the typical gamer", not me, personally) care? Am I the marketing division of WotC, or something?

I think the show is funny too. Like a lot of comedy it is based on some truths.

Well if you don't care and the hobby dies then don't whine about when it happens.