Ever roleplay elsewhere in your life?

[Driddle]

The recent reference in another thread about the DM-for-pay concept got me to wonder about the nature of "roleplaying" and to what degree we play roles in other aspects of our lives.

For example, if I remember correctly, the nigh-legendary "Bugaboo" guy from years gone by had several associates he played with on this board who registered identities here that were truly fantasy characters. Many of those messages posted were "in character," composed within a set of traits and flaws appropriate for that person. ... They had quite a bit of silly fun, too, although (ironically enough) several other people on this board at the time had a hard time appreciating their interactive performances.

Do you ever slip into playing roles in your work environment? At home? With friends not at a gaming table?

And to what extent are the roles used purely for fun versus social expectations? -- For example, do you ACT like a "professor" when someone comes to you for advice because that's the way you believe you should act? Do you squeal when you see a spider because your mate expects you to behave that way, even though you don't really mind bugs that much? Do you pretend to be someone you're not on other message boards? (I'm going to hazard a guess that a lot of you do this, whether you admit it or not.)

Or do you only wear an alternate identity when you're actually sitting at a table with dice in hand?

 

[Crothian]

Ah, yes, the Stranger by Billy Joel summed it up nicely.

 

[Driddle]

Ah, yes, the Stranger by Billy Joel summed it up nicely.

I can't search the archives here. Is this Stranger by Billy Joel person still a registered user who posts messages?

 

[the Jester]

I roleplay all the time, especially in bed.

 

[Crothian]

I can't search the archives here. Is this Stranger by Billy Joel person still a registered user who posts messages?

Nope, he never was.

 

[gamecat]

In the bedchamber, besides the game table.

 

[rgard]

The recent reference in another thread about the DM-for-pay concept got me to wonder about the nature of "roleplaying" and to what degree we play roles in other aspects of our lives.

For example, if I remember correctly, the nigh-legendary "Bugaboo" guy from years gone by had several associates he played with on this board who registered identities here that were truly fantasy characters. Many of those messages posted were "in character," composed within a set of traits and flaws appropriate for that person. ... They had quite a bit of silly fun, too, although (ironically enough) several other people on this board at the time had a hard time appreciating their interactive performances.

Do you ever slip into playing roles in your work environment? At home? With friends not at a gaming table?

And to what extent are the roles used purely for fun versus social expectations? -- For example, do you ACT like a "professor" when someone comes to you for advice because that's the way you believe you should act? Do you squeal when you see a spider because your mate expects you to behave that way, even though you don't really mind bugs that much? Do you pretend to be someone you're not on other message boards? (I'm going to hazard a guess that a lot of you do this, whether you admit it or not.)

Or do you only wear an alternate identity when you're actually sitting at a table with dice in hand?

Makes you wonder what the 'creepy guy, who always plays a hot elf chick' does when he isn't playing D&D.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

I think everyone wears an alternate identity depending on where you are, whether is be at school, work or with a significant other. Lets face it, people arent really tolerant no matter how much we pretend otherwise. So yes I do "roleplay" someone else depending on the situation. As for the heck of it. Not really.

 

[sckeener]

I think the most interesting time I had RPing in real life was when my old DM flew in to have dinner with a client. She needed a date and gave me a bio sheet of who everyone was going to be at the table. The sheets had been written up by her assistant. It included the standard stuff such as birhtdays, where they went to school, how many kids, their names, their spouses, personal & work history, etc.....She also explained my 'role' I was to play at the table.

Admittedly I was probably the only one playing a pretend role. It was fun.

Basically I was a male unpaid escort for the evening.

 

[Driddle]

I think the most interesting time I had RPing in real life was when my old DM flew in to have dinner with a client. She needed a date and gave me a bio sheet of who everyone was going to be at the table. The sheets had been written up by her assistant. It included the standard stuff such as birhtdays, where they went to school, how many kids, their names, their spouses, personal & work history, etc.

"Yes, Bob speaks about you all the time!..."

I love that.

I remember hearing about a troupe of performers who created surreal situations in real world environments purely for amusement sake. For example, a couple might play out an argument in a coffee shop, storm out, and then immediately return and repeat the argument verbatim, then do it over and over and over again. Obviously the people still in the coffee shop saw the repeats, and that was the fun part of the scenario -- they had to wonder about the apparent "time loop" feeling they were experiencing.

The radio reporter/storyteller also noted that sometimes audience members felt they were being manipulated and resented that, rather than enjoying the performance.