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Message: <blockquote data-quote="William Ronald" data-source="post: 2439963" data-attributes="member: 426">I have meet some gamers who have made me uneasy, but I think that is because they would make most people uneasy.  Are there gamers who lend credence to stereotypes? Yes.  However, I find that the majority of people I have meet in some 25 years of gaming have been relatively normal people.  I would say that relatively few people I have meet seem to typify the gaming stereotypes.  The social stigma has decreased in the past 25 years, and I think it will continue to decrease.  I don't know if gaming will ever be a really popular pasttime, but it does seem to be a lot better understood than in the height of the anti-gaming hysteria of the 1980s.Someone I used to game with said that a night of gaming with friends was a lot cheaper than blowing a good chunck of his paycheck at a bar.  Hmm, James, I think that you might have a good idea for a t-shirt.Most of the gamers I have meet have been intelligent and had at least average social skills.  I have seen a few gamers with bad social skills, and I once briefly meet a gamer in high school who perhaps needed to learn about such technological innovations as soap and deodarant spray.  However, I sometimes think that although gaming may track a fair share of introverts, that we are a pretty diverse lot.  Most gamers I know have social lives, jobs (or working towards a career in college), family and other responsibilities.  Many of the people on these boards have spouses and children.  So, I think that although you can find people who fit the stereotypes, the majority of gamers probably does not.  (I seem to recall a few WotC gaming surveys. Perhaps someone can find them and quote the demographic data.)For myself, I have known journalists, college students, elected politicians, police officers, technology workers, nurses, teachers, and many other people who happened to play RPGs.  Most were preety decent people.  I think that it is easy to let the opinions of others determine how you live your life, but I do not see this as necessarily a wise way to live.  I think the best way to counter a fallacious opinion is to offer facts and reasoned arguments.  Some people will not listen, regardless of how many facts and logical arguments you present.  However, I have found most people willing to listen to different opinions.Now, if you want some resources to counter the stigma, here are some resources. <a href="http://www.theescapist.com" target="_blank">The Escapist</a> is a good general resource, with many good resources, links, and archived material.AaronL, I think RangerREG makes a point, as my high school interests were not smoking, sexual promiscuity, booze or drugs.  However, I have seen a few people who have had to counter religious prejudice against RPGs.  (I had an aunt who fell for the Jack Chick line of thinking, but eventually countered it by explaining it was a game.)  So, here are some resources to help you out in addition to The Escapist.James Wyatt is a game designer whow works for Wizards of the Coast and a former minister. His website is <a href="http://www.aquela.com" target="_blank">Aquela</a>. You might want to click his theological musings.Tracy Hickman is a former Mormon missionary and co-author of many of the Dragonlance novels. His website is <a href="http://www.tracyhickman.com" target="_blank">Tracy Hickman</a> and has several good essays that you might want to use to educate the people who have condemned roleplaying.  So, Aaron L and jones4590, I suggest checking some of the resources to help counter the prejudice that both of you have faced.  Hang in there.As for J.K. Rowling, I find  her reported remarks amusing as similar things have been said about her books.  Perhaps she should be open minded in light of her life and experiences.  Perhaps the WotC representative should forward some of the links to her.</blockquote>

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