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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DarkMantle" data-source="post: 8529834" data-attributes="member: 7034738">Thanks Hussar. I'm using your comment as a jumping off point (which is to say, nothing below has anything to do with the specific you).I wanted to say that, for what it's worth, I accept the bigger picture.I've read the D&D-races-are-racist articles. I listened. I emphasized. Not commenting on that portion of the argument is not intended to be some sort of silent complicity. I just don't want to make it about me: I want to decenter myself from that and let other people, who actually know what they are talking about, do that part of the advocating. Perhaps (?) other people will judge this as a suboptimal approach (?), but I've fended off enough arguing as it is and this is what I feel comfortable with for now.I may not understand every racial analogy as fully as someone directly hurt by it, but empathy does not wait for 100% understanding of the context. Empathy begins with a willingness to integrate another person's perspectives, trying to feel what it could be like in their shoes, even if there isn't 100% clarity for the person who is trying to empathize.What I do not accept, or what I've found to difficult to accept, is/was:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The kind of arguing (presumptions, knee-jerk reactions, etc.) that makes it feel really stressful (at least for me) to be a new contributor on Enworld (we all know if we've done this but maybe we don't, so that I started the poll <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/arguing-ideating-and-solution-seeking-on-the-d-d-enworld-forum.685679/" target="_blank">D&D 5E - Arguing, ideating and solution-seeking on the D&D Enworld forum</a> )</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">And my other problem with that kind of arguing is that one will generally be preaching to the choir and not be reaching into the hearts and minds one wanted to reach, so it doesn't even make sense rationally, unless the only goal is to be lashing out and get frustrations off your chest</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A lack of ideation and brainstorming around "ok, so what's next, what does that mean for players, their games, and D&D in-game fiction"? I still have a few interesting posts unanswered (or at least I thought they were interesting). I would have thought they could have lead to interesting conversations? AcererakTriple6's <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/goblinoids-in-d-d-5e-their-origin-story-and-tragedy.685683/" target="_blank">D&D 5E - Goblinoids in D&D 5e: Their Origin, Story, and Tragedy (+)</a> post is an example of something I think is starting to move somewhere on this general topic (and which I wouldn't have made the time to research and write as thoroughly, so much appreciated!) but YMMV?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">My other problem with a lack of ideation and brainstorming is that frankly, it sounds (to me) like a bunch of people complaining so hard they can't see what to do next. I sympathize how people who are in deep emotional pain are not capable of seeing a step ahead to future outcomes. But if you're not in that category of emotional pain, how awesome would it be to do more ideation and creative solutions?</li> </ul>It may very well be that my OP did not reflect any of the above very well. I was not at a point where I thought it all the way through to the end in a way that I could well articulate. I probably still haven't thought it through to completion. I bet there are things people still assume now about the OP based on their own mental maps and not actually my intention. I definitely did not anticipate having to fend off the various reactions that seemed unmindful, including from those with Legendary experience at this sort of thing on Enworld. Overall, not a great initial experience for a newcomer to Enworld but I'm optimistic enough to keep learning to do better and keep trying at least a bit more.</blockquote>

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