D&D General Drow in early D&D

[billd91]

@billd91

Also the 3e FR Sun Elf are factually smarter and viewed as more "civilized" than other races. How could one not read reallife European racist traditions into that worldview?

Actions, actions, actions, that’s how. A racist view that leads to enclaving is fundamentally different from one that leads to colonial exploitation. Note - I’m not saying that it isn’t a form of racism, just one with a significantly different moral implication.

 

[eyeheartawk]

I never understood the whole "haughty we are better at everything elves" thing. If they were so much better at literally everything they would be running the world in all these campaign settings.

 

[Yaarel]

Actions, actions, actions, that’s how. A racist view that leads to enclaving is fundamentally different from one that leads to colonial exploitation. Note - I’m not saying that it isn’t a form of racism, just one with a significantly different moral implication.

I suspect the cure to supremacism, is for each group to have a custom to adopt an outsider into the group.

So if the Sun Elf has some kind of cultural ideal involving magical scholarship and magical artisanship, or whatever, and there are members of other races who value this and want to be part of this, the Sun Elf culture needs to have some kind of adoption process, for these outsiders to become genuine members of Sun Elf society.

The custom can differ from culture to culture, but each one requires some kind of method of inclusivity.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I never understood the whole "haughty we are better at everything elves" thing. If they were so much better at literally everything they would be running the world in all these campaign settings.

That would mean mixing with the great unwashed (i.e. everyone else).

 

[Sithlord]

I never understood the whole "haughty we are better at everything elves" thing. If they were so much better at literally everything they would be running the world in all these campaign settings.

Unless that is not their goal.

 

[Sithlord]

Being "haughty" and feeling "pity" for inferior races, does make one racist.

I’m thinking more along the lines of isolationists wanting to stay away from humans and their petty wars. And not wanting their children and culture contaminated by warmongers. And yes they would probably see themselves as superior to violent human societies which is not a stretch. But we have to see racism in everything.

 

[Yaarel]

I’m thinking more along the lines of isolationists wanting to stay away from humans and their petty wars. And not wanting their children and culture contaminated by warmongers. And yes they would probably see themselves as superior to violent human societies which is not a stretch. But we have to see racism in everything.

I admire indigenous cultures. I want them to preserve ancient ways of being human.

This kind of ethnic instinct helps keep humanity diverse, which is good for the survival of the human species. At least some group somewhere might be more likely to adapt and to survive in a new situation.

I understand why people want to distinguish between isolationism and supremacism.

But the truth is, no human community is separate from any other human community. We are all humans, even when we choose to express diverse identities.

I want a reasonably fair ethical principle that applies to all of us equally, that balances the needs of a unique identity with the needs of our shared humanity, in a way that is as mutually beneficial as possible.

 

[Yaarel]

I hope D&D 5e removes the word "race" from every 5e book published so far.

The term is a buzzword that is too loaded with objectionable connotations.

Even when there is maybe the slightest hint of reallife racism, such as the "haughty" Sun Elf, the word "race" becomes supercharged in a way that is bad for WotC business.

 

[Faolyn]

I wonder what good old Raven c.s. McCracken is up to these days? (Did I spell that right?).

Apparently still producing Synnabar.

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[Faolyn]

I’m thinking more along the lines of isolationists wanting to stay away from humans and their petty wars. And not wanting their children and culture contaminated by warmongers. And yes they would probably see themselves as superior to violent human societies which is not a stretch. But we have to see racism in everything.

That's pretty racist, to view everyone outside their group as violent contaminants. It's like, gated community, "not our kind"-style racism.