Paizo Jessica Price (ex Paizo employee) spills the beans

[SkidAce]

There is some controversy around this, particularly people wanting to salvage the ideas after WW2 in spite of theosophy being part of the soup of the Fascist scene, but you can find a bit more on this wiki:

Theosophical mysticism - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Thanks, I saw the origin of Theosophy was actually late 1800s.

Appreciate the info.

 

[Parmandur]

Thanks, I saw the origin of Theosophy was actually late 1800s.

Appreciate the info.

Yes, most of the components of Fascist thought were.

I don't at all imagine that Mona is a Fascist or a "Racist" in the hard sense of the term: but he has been playing with Racist ideas and symbolism as a side hobby around people who voiced discomfort with that, and tried to fit in weird 19th century "scientific racism" and mystical racism into the game for his own amusement over the objections of others. Not a good look.

 

[Justice and Rule]

 

[Hex08]

That was certainly long, and if true, tragic. However, maybe Twitter isn't the best place to post something of that length. May I'm just getting old but that was a chore to read.

-edited to add-

So I went back and am re-reading the posts (thanks @Ancalagon for making it easier) and I can't help but have an observation. While there are some crappy things going on specific to Paizo (if true) like not cleaning up for 7 years and other bad behaviors I can't help but note a lot of the things mentioned are of a more general nature. What I mean is that complaints like overworked staff, crap pay, internal politics and the like are true of most any job in corporate America. Everyone needs to chose their own battles but while you a heaping your rage on Paizo maybe look at your shopping habits as a whole (and I am no saint here). Do you shop at Amazon or Walmart? Are you buying food from a corporate grocery store or from your local farmers market? Where do you get your games from? I know that our options are really limited when it comes to some purchases but maybe bailing on Paizo isn't the best way to go. No longer purchasing from them will directly hurt front line staff and creative talent but massive letter writing campaigns and social media engagement may make management feel like their hands are being forced and bring about constructive change without directly impacting frontline workers.

I feel like I am a hair's breadth and another beer from going on a political tirade but this is all endemic of a bigger problem and maybe our rage needs to be pointed at bigger targets as well.

 

[TheSword]

Yes, most of the components of Fascist thought were.

I don't at all imagine that Mona is a Fascist or a "Racist" in the hard sense of the term: but he has been playing with Racist ideas and symbolism as a side hobby around people who voiced discomfort with that, and tried to fit in weird 19th century "scientific racism" and mystical racism into the game for his own amusement over the objections of others. Not a good look.

It’s worth noting that Mona denies anyone raised an objection to what he thought was an otherwise innocuous poster. Also that he found it interesting not that he believed it. Also that his editor had done the job of editors the world over and removed controversial elements that don’t add to the work.

 

[Ancalagon]

That was certainly long, and if true, tragic. However, maybe Twitter isn't the best place to post something of that length. May I'm just getting old but that was a chore to read.

Hello

I juuust edited the thread to add this easier to read link: Thread by @Delafina777 on Thread Reader App

and yeah, it's long.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

It’s…. More complicated than that.

As a whole Paizo has led the way in many ways. Paizo is also a collection of people some of who might have done things differently if it were up to them alone. Some it seems even tried.

Yeah, it certainly is. It seems that those operating at a lower paid levels are very different from those at the executive level.

Disappointing to hear that Lisa Stevens and Eric Mona are not the people I had thought they were though.

 

[Parmandur]

It’s worth noting that Mona denies anyone raised an objection to what he thought was an otherwise innocuous poster. Also that he found it interesting not that he believed it. Also that his editor had done the job of editors the world over and removed controversial elements that don’t add to the work.

I both believe that Price (who is Jewish, incidentally) and others raised objections, and that Mona doesn't remember that they did, probably because it went in one ear and out another. Compatible truths. Entertaining harmful ideas for amusement, particularly in a work environment, is almost as bad as being gung ho for them: and ignoring coworkers and subordinates discomfort is...not good.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I kinda feel like Erik Mona is being given a bit of a free pass by many people. Price stated that he was basically the best of the worst in regards to management. However, Erik's reddit post doesn't address the fact that he sat on his hands and did nothing when people under him raised issues like not being able to breathe properly and then towed the company line when push came to shove. At the very best, that's not great.

He had a painting containing an iron cross in his office and supposedly didn't think that was inappropriate because no one mentioned it to him? Price also stated that Mona wanted to keep a mental illness mechanic in because it would only be 3-4 years because that sort of thing would be politically incorrect to do, so they needed to milk it while they could.

Either he was ridiculously oblivious, or he wasn't oblivious and just didn't care about how others may feel about that. Neither of those paint him in a good light for mine.

I don't know, maybe it's because I held him in quite high regard before this, which has made me even more disappointed that the Wizard of Oz is not at all what I thought he was once the curtain was pulled back.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

Importantly: delivering incontrovertible physical evidence of misbehavior to Person Z's boss is more likely to result in firings and policy changes than just the Internet flamethrower running on hot emotion.

Actually, I see the risk as more with collateral damage: delivering evidence of misbehaviour to a boss could indeed result in a change, if not, a proper legal action will at least punish the culprits if not initiate changes, while an outright boycott could make the company fold/make a few layoffs, punishing equally the culprit and everyone working with them (including other victims of the health hazard who simply couldn't quit their job easily, and perhaps not including the responsible persons). I don't see the latter as a desirable outcome. It could, of course, happen in court (if the public interest of protecting employees health is judged to outweigh the private interest of employees to stay in their jobs, because the problem is widespread within the company and there is no other solution than closing it down) but at least the court will do a significant inquiry, including reviewing evidence we won't easily have access to, and trying to determine individual responsabilities, before concluding to such an extreme measure.