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<blockquote data-quote="Urriak Uruk" data-source="post: 7895413" data-attributes="member: 7015558">So I'm going to respond directly to the OP, and I haven't read much of the rest of the thread so someone may have already made this point...But yes, gatekeeping is integral to the human condition, though it's not normally called that.Humans evolved by being social creatures, and have dominated the earth in so-doing. Unlike solitary animals, humans have survived by making groups. Starting with family units, developing into tribes, which became towns, then cities, then nations, and empires. Making groups is tied directly to human behavior, probably for as long as humans have existed.But there is a darker side to group mentality. Because when you define what is your group, you inevitably define what isn't in your group... the wolf pack does not consider a fox a member of its group, nor will the fox add a wolf to his family.Today we still form groups, whether you notice it or not. You're a member of your country, your family, and your workplace. You like a sports team. You choose Coke or Pepsi. You pick a political party. Whatever you do, you'll always pick a group somewhere, and even when trying to be tolerant, you'll always be doubtful of the &quot;not one of us,&quot; group.After all, if they're not one of us, and we're the best, then therefore they are less than best.Gatekeeping is that same construct, but instead of it being sports or politics or war, it's D&amp;D editions. You're socially conditioned to do it.The true test of character is recognizing that all gatekeeping is, is that social construct. People are different. They aren't worse.Unless they're a paladin.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Urriak Uruk, post: 7895413, member: 7015558"] So I'm going to respond directly to the OP, and I haven't read much of the rest of the thread so someone may have already made this point... But yes, gatekeeping is integral to the human condition, though it's not normally called that. Humans evolved by being social creatures, and have dominated the earth in so-doing. Unlike solitary animals, humans have survived by making groups. Starting with family units, developing into tribes, which became towns, then cities, then nations, and empires. Making groups is tied directly to human behavior, probably for as long as humans have existed. But there is a darker side to group mentality. Because when you define what is your group, you inevitably define what [I]isn't [/I]in your group... the wolf pack does not consider a fox a member of its group, nor will the fox add a wolf to his family. Today we still form groups, whether you notice it or not. You're a member of your country, your family, and your workplace. You like a sports team. You choose Coke or Pepsi. You pick a political party. Whatever you do, you'll always pick a group somewhere, and even when trying to be tolerant, you'll always be doubtful of the "not one of [I]us[/I]," group. After all, if they're not one of us, and we're the best, then therefore they are less than best. Gatekeeping is that same construct, but instead of it being sports or politics or war, it's D&D editions. You're socially conditioned to do it. The true test of character is recognizing that all gatekeeping is, is that social construct. People are different. They aren't worse. [I][SIZE=1]Unless they're a paladin.[/SIZE][/I] [/QUOTE]

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