Mac saves teen from D&D

[Kanegrundar]

Which is all in your point of view. Not everyone understands the same logic, not everyone has the same sense of fun, not everyone uses their imagination the same way and not everyone likes the same joke. Again, if they don't think like him they're an idiot because he determines what is "good" as far as how people use the concepts listed.

That's pretty much what I got from it.

 

[Merlion]

Well, I dont go so far as to call people idiots (tho some are), but I can still sympathize with what he's saying.

Theres a lot of people right now in our culture who cant get *any* logic, and who can not or will not use their imaginations, and who will consider you an idiot for doing so.

My first job involved working in a Gamekeeper store (they dont exist anymore). One day a mother and her son who I guess was about 16ish came in. She bought him the 3 core rulebooks, but spent the entire time we were there berating him for "using his imagination to much", and going on about how she couldnt imagine him spending his time on something as stupid as a fantasy game etc. It was the closest I've come in several years of working in retail to losing it with a customer (although I didnt).

 

[reveal]

Well, I dont go so far as to call people idiots (tho some are), but I can still sympathize with what he's saying.

Theres a lot of people right now in our culture who cant get *any* logic, and who can not or will not use their imaginations, and who will consider you an idiot for doing so.

You're right. There are a lot of people who can't use *any* logic nor use their imagniations. But in MOs case, it's all based upon his judgement of what the "right" way is to use your imagination or logic. If it's not the right way, it's wrong and you're an idiot. That's just a bad way of viewing other people because you will never accept them for who they are but only if they fit a certain mold of what people *should* be like, which MO actually admitted to doing. It makes for a sad, lonely existance.

 

[Kanegrundar]

Well, I dont go so far as to call people idiots (tho some are), but I can still sympathize with what he's saying.

Theres a lot of people right now in our culture who cant get *any* logic, and who can not or will not use their imaginations, and who will consider you an idiot for doing so.

My first job involved working in a Gamekeeper store (they dont exist anymore). One day a mother and her son who I guess was about 16ish came in. She bought him the 3 core rulebooks, but spent the entire time we were there berating him for "using his imagination to much", and going on about how she couldnt imagine him spending his time on something as stupid as a fantasy game etc. It was the closest I've come in several years of working in retail to losing it with a customer (although I didnt).

The way I read it was that he couldn't tolerate anyone that did things that weren't up his alley. I could be wrong there, and I sure hope I am, but that's the way it read to me. It completely read like he couldn't be bothered listen to anyone talk about something that he isn't interested in. That's so jerky that I can't really put it into words that are totally Eric's Grandma friendly.

My fiancee works long hours, so when she gets home she watches show that she's recorded. I couldn't care a whit about most of them, but I certainly don't think she's an idiot. I listen to her talk about whatever she's finding interesting enough going on in the shows and discuss it briefly before going back to whatever I was doing. Sometimes, I even sit down and watch a show with her. It's all about being flexible. I watch something like What Not to Wear with her because she'll watch The Venture Brothers with me. Relationships are full of that kind of give and take. People that can't (likely won't) grasp that stay alone more times than not.

 

[Grimstaff]

Well, I dont go so far as to call people idiots (tho some are), but I can still sympathize with what he's saying.

Theres a lot of people right now in our culture who cant get *any* logic, and who can not or will not use their imaginations, and who will consider you an idiot for doing so.

My first job involved working in a Gamekeeper store (they dont exist anymore). One day a mother and her son who I guess was about 16ish came in. She bought him the 3 core rulebooks, but spent the entire time we were there berating him for "using his imagination to much", and going on about how she couldnt imagine him spending his time on something as stupid as a fantasy game etc. It was the closest I've come in several years of working in retail to losing it with a customer (although I didnt).

Ironically, a lot of kids do seem to get a much harder time from their parents than from their peers when it comes to gaming. Not to beat a dead horse, but I think sports and FHA are just easier for some people to understand. Good for those kids that stick to their guns and explore imaginative interests anyway!

 

[reveal]

Well, I dont go so far as to call people idiots (tho some are), but I can still sympathize with what he's saying.

Theres a lot of people right now in our culture who cant get *any* logic, and who can not or will not use their imaginations, and who will consider you an idiot for doing so.

My first job involved working in a Gamekeeper store (they dont exist anymore). One day a mother and her son who I guess was about 16ish came in. She bought him the 3 core rulebooks, but spent the entire time we were there berating him for "using his imagination to much", and going on about how she couldnt imagine him spending his time on something as stupid as a fantasy game etc. It was the closest I've come in several years of working in retail to losing it with a customer (although I didnt).

BTW, lest you skip past them gem:

Unfortunately, that philosophy involve getting really frustrated at a lot of girly activities which I view as pointlessly stupid to the point where I can't understand someone who does them. Due to the fact that I can understand it, I can't respect someone who does things I can't understand, if I can't respect someone I can't love them.

He can't understand why girls do the things they do so he doesn't respect them? How is that good exactly?

 

[Merlion]

My fiancee works long hours, so when she gets home she watches show that she's recorded. I couldn't care a whit about most of them, but I certainly don't think she's an idiot. I listen to her talk about whatever she's finding interesting enough going on in the shows and discuss it briefly before going back to whatever I was doing. Sometimes, I even sit down and watch a show with her. It's all about being flexible. I watch something like What Not to Wear with her because she'll watch The Venture Brothers with me. Relationships are full of that kind of give and take. People that can't (likely won't) grasp that stay alone more times than not.

I'm trying to give the benefit of the doubt, since I dont know the person well. Perhaps all he has ever encountered is exactly what your speaking of...women who wont accept any of his interests.

And really I would find it hard to be in a relationship with someone that felt that fantasy, the pursuit of intellectual concepts, and the use of the imagination were all silly and frivolous, and who was only interested in making money, buying clothes, going to parties where people talk about nothing but the news and other peoples problems etc.



My big underlying point is...your can feel isolated from the majority of people in todays culture without being a total misanthrope. I know because thats exactly how it is for me.

 

[d20Dwarf]

Is this not fairly common? I stopped gaming for 3-4 years in my late teens to, well, act like an animal and chase girls around. Gaming is something I do for fun, not a path I live my life by. If you can't imagine not gaming in order to go out and socialzie with others, maybe you need to take a break. Whether a girls plays roleplaying games or not is almost an irrelevency. Its way, way down on the list of things I look for. Way higher is "respects my interests and hobbies", so even if she's not a gamer she won't have a problem with me doing so - but that's a larger issue not related to gaming directly.

There's more to life than hit points and funny dice.

Can I just quote this post and be done?

 

[Merlion]

BTW, lest you skip past them gem:



He can't understand why girls do the things they do so he doesn't respect them? How is that good exactly?

Its not good. And I think part of the problem is the odd set of values or whatever that this person...and many similar that I have encountered...set up for themselves.


Part of why I empathize is because I am getting a feeling lately that a lot of young people are just so barraged with so much crap they cant think straight. People get stuck in absolutes, and in unyielding ideas, instead of 1) trying to understand others while simulataneously 2) realizing that you cant understand everything, and some times you dont have to.

Its about compromise, and understanding things.


But we do live in a culture a large part of which is hostile towards those who have and use imagination, and/or who are interested in "higher" pursuits than the making of as much money as possible or the drinking of as much liquor as possible, or screwing as many people as possible etc.


I dont think having a monomanicial obessession is the problem in itself with many "sterotypical gamers", I think the obessesion is a symptom of other issues.

 

[reveal]

Its not good. And I think part of the problem is the odd set of values or whatever that this person...and many similar that I have encountered...set up for themselves.

Part of why I empathize is because I am getting a feeling lately that a lot of young people are just so barraged with so much crap they cant think straight. People get stuck in absolutes, and in unyielding ideas, instead of 1) trying to understand others while simulataneously 2) realizing that you cant understand everything, and some times you dont have to.

Its about compromise, and understanding things.

But we do live in a culture a large part of which is hostile towards those who have and use imagination, and/or who are interested in "higher" pursuits than the making of as much money as possible or the drinking of as much liquor as possible, or screwing as many people as possible etc.

I dont think having a monomanicial obessession is the problem in itself with many "sterotypical gamers", I think the obessesion is a symptom of other issues.

I don't care to empathize or try to understand why MO feels the way he does. All I know is that he is a poor example of a person who claims to be imaginitive when he can't even use his imagination to try to understand why something may be appealing to others and not him. He's the epitome of the stereotypical gamer mentality that people make fun of and does nothing to promote the game but, instead, makes it less approachable because of the type of people non-gamers would have to deal with.