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Message: <blockquote data-quote="I'm A Banana" data-source="post: 3187419" data-attributes="member: 2067">I find that it is more accurate to say that D&D wants you to be good morally, but won't let that get in the way of having a good time. I mean, there's no base class that requires you to be Evil, and the alignment descriptions of the Evil alignments all place them firmly in "the worst you can be" areas. It allows you to play as villains, but it subtly wants you to play as heroes...though I guess either way, it's a MASSIVE level of villainy or heroism. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />I believe it would be constructive to note that Joseph Campbell is not the first, last, or middle word on analyzing mythos.And I believe that D&D heroes *do* reinforce cultural values of our time, and, specifically, some American cultural values. For instance, there's the persistant idea of the Frontier that Must Be Explored (a Manifest Destiny if I've ever heard one!), there is a Civilization vs. Barbarism struggle (the great cultural myth of ethnocentrism at it's greatest), there are often Ancient Fallen Kingdoms of Glory (toss in the Fall of Rome, which is a bit about Civ vs. Barbs), there is Cultural and Gender Diversity (Black people are better at basketball, Elves are better at archery! It's just Nature!), there is Science and Learning (Wizards are the ultimate nerds with power!), there is Romantic Naturalism ("Mother Nature" is a force in the world that opposes Civilization!), the aforementioned Noble Savage remark (Everyone Is Equal! Yay!), there is even Underdog Support (overthrowing corrupt regimes is a staple of D&D adventure). Even the selfish, immoral, decedant D&D characters represent a type of heroism, albeit the stereotypical anti-heroism wherein rejecting conventions is a good thing (and where no one can stop them from partying and rocking out! Pursuit of Happiness, y0s!)</blockquote>

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