I am just curious if there will be any actual references to the Oriental Adventures book. Like the actual text. Before this thread is closed.
So we have at least go the authorship of the book.
And of course, happy new year!
Huh?
I think you are trying to imply some of us are criticizing Oriental Adventures without having read it . . . virtue signaling, if you will. If that is your assertion, I'll not engage with you any further.
I'm a white guy who purchased Oriental Adventures (both versions) off the shelf when they were first published. I loved them, and didn't see any issues with them at the time. In fact, I assumed they were loving, respectful, accurate (if fantastical) interpretations of Asian cultures. It took listening to Asian voices discussing the orientalism of the books to open my eyes, relatively recently, but prior to my discovery of the Asians Represent podcast. I've gone back and read through my copies again (I've got it all on digital, my physical copies are long gone), and yeah, it's all there.
Zeb Cook was not a terrible racist for writing the original Oriental Adventures as it was, he just unwittingly passed on the systemic racism that is, well, systemic in Western culture. I was not a terrible racist for purchasing the book and using it in my games, nor were any of my fellow grognards who are all now pushing 50 (or more).
As Umbran has pointed out, we've had this discussion here multiple times before, no need to get into the weeds again. If you haven't yet, listen to some of the Asian voices who are critical of Oriental Adventures, the Asians Represent podcast is a good start if you are genuinely interested in an Asian perspective.
If anyone does have any sections of the book ready to quote, by all means, bring it into the conversation. But those of us not willing to take the time . . . again . . . does not make our issues with the title not legit.