WotC Dungeons & Dragons Fans Seek Removal of Oriental Adventures From Online Marketplace

[Mercurius]

So I was poking around and looking for the connection between Oriental and Orientalism and did not ever realize they refer to the Middle East just as much as they do Asia. When I hear Oriental, I have never thought of Persia or Turkey, only Japan or China or other east Asian countries. It also appears the terms did not really start having serious negative connotations until Edward Said, a professor and political activist, included it in a negative way in his books, including one titled Orientalism, published in 1978. Reading all that makes me wonder how the original release was called Oriental Adventures in the first place, seeing as it was published only 7 years later. Though with no internet to check on things like that, it is understandable that no one at TSR would have even known.

I think the meeting point of Occident and Orient is traditionally Istanbul, which spans Europe and Asia.

 

[Xenonnonex]

Thank you for this! I'm sick and tired of white outrage.

Asian fans are seeking its removal. So.

 

[Weiley31]

Mists of Akuma is my asian themed replacement for Kara-Tur in my 5E games.

 

[cbwjm]

I think this is pretty stupid. I'd recommend that the only thing WotC do is put up a disclaimer much as others have said.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

I think the meeting point of Occident and Orient is traditionally Istanbul, which spans Europe and Asia.

And it is the end station of the Orient Expr... I mean, the Paris-Istanbul Express.

 

[Xenonnonex]

If the word is used offensively. That is an insult. If the word is used with racist stereotypes and outdated concepts. That is an insult.
Otherwise it means Of the East.

 

[Imaculata]

I'm a bit worried that this will lead to censorship, which is never good. Oriental Adventures for 3e is a pretty good book, regardless of that one word in its title. It would be a shame if access to the only source book for running an Asian themed campaign is limited even further than it already is. I get that the word is offensive to many people... but isn't diverse representation in D&D also of value?

 

[John R Davis]

The Fentitled generation are destroying all creativity

 

[Danzauker]

Asian fans are seeking its removal. So.

I'm happy to read this. You, see this strenghtens my opinion that all people are equal, regardless of ethnic groups.

In this case both (some) white and (some) asian people are equally seeking to do something stupid.

 

[Aldarc]

So I was poking around and looking for the connection between Oriental and Orientalism and did not ever realize they refer to the Middle East just as much as they do Asia. When I hear Oriental, I have never thought of Persia or Turkey, only Japan or China or other east Asian countries. It also appears the terms did not really start having serious negative connotations until Edward Said, a professor and political activist, included it in a negative way in his books, including one titled Orientalism, published in 1978. Reading all that makes me wonder how the original release was called Oriental Adventures in the first place, seeing as it was published only 7 years later. Though with no internet to check on things like that, it is understandable that no one at TSR would have even known.

It can take awhile for some academic works to disseminate to other academic fields, sometimes decades. So one can imagine how long it takes for some academic works, even those of significant impact and import to reach lay audiences.