D&D General PETITION: Acknowledge Hasbro's hurtful content (Black orcs, Asian yellow orcs, Native American red orcs)—through an Amendatory Bundle [+ thread]

[Ruin Explorer]

Is staging Shakespeare in a different setting (modern, whatever) bad.

< squaring up to fight anyone who tries to tell me Romeo + Juliet isn't amazing >

I just but it's interesting that actually the majority of Shakespeare productions I've seen on stage (and perhaps also on screen?) have been playing with the time period to a greater or lesser extent. It's actually one of the most fun things to do with Shakespeare given how eternal a lot of it is.

Even stuff people see as "period" is often not really period, c.f.


Sexy-as-hell cast and great look, but that ain't Messina in the 1500s or 1600s yo, that's a heavily late 1700s-influenced look that's not even accurate to the 1700s but is essentially a clean, beautiful modern take to make everyone look as great as hell. It was filmed at the opposite end of Italy, too!

(Look at that cast damn - Washington, Reeves, Thompson, Branagh, Beckinsale, Keaton, Blessed, Staunton)

 

[Sacrosanct]

Funny enough, last year or so when this topic came up, it was a reason why I decided to devote an issue of The Gnoll Sage to Orcs, and how one can do something like the GAZ issue but also keep it respectful. I'd like to see more of this (people using problematic content in the past as motivations to make it better now with current creations). We can't erase the past (nor should we), but we should learn from it, IMO, and show how we can be better. My personal opinion is that I agree with the OP that it doesn't feel right WoTC is still making a profit off of something so blatantly horrible. And I support their right to create a petition. But I'd also like to see people who are upset about it to support or create stuff that is more modernly sensible. We don't have control over WotC, but we have control over what we create and/or who we support with our wallet.

 

[Justice and Rule]

IMHO, people gloss over the ramifications of changing a written work because of its nature. We are used to books being translated, and we're all familiar with the term 'lost in translation'.
But would those same people suggest we edit visual art? One example that comes to mind is Les Comédiens italiens (circa 1720) by the French painter Antoine Watteau. It has been argued that one of the depicted characters is wearing blackface. Are we going to remove the character or change the skin tone?

I feel like this is all just whatabouting and is specifically unhelpful when dealing with instances of things like racism in content. Much of this demands context, where intent, usage, and other things inform the value of what is being done. Trying to compare it to something else (especially when we are making up outrages) misses how individualized each situation is and how that matters to how we view and judge it.

So really, let's focus on the issue at hand: do you object to giving a more thorough warning as to why this book is racist?

 

[Voadam]

Since the petition is actually for apologizing, redirecting profits, and adding a report and short additional revision, not for removing or revising the PDF that is sold I suggest changing the thread title. Stop the hurtful content sounds like you are asking for its removal.

 

[Justice and Rule]

Since the petition is actually for apologizing, redirecting profits, and adding a report and short additional revision, not for removing or revising the PDF that is sold I suggest changing the thread title. Stop the hurtful content sounds like you are asking for its removal.

I mean, it would help if people were less knee-jerk as well.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

I mean, it would help if people were less knee-jerk as well.

When there is a click-baity thread title that invites knee-jerk reactions... that's not a statement you get to make.

 

[not-so-newguy]

Most folks will have a knee jerk response to topics like racism and censorship, in the U.S. at least.

 

[ruemere]

(IMHO)

1. Existing disclaimer is fine.
2. Drive Thru RPG should annotate the product with highly visible tag: #raciallyinsensitivecontent.
3. Instead of curating hundreds of works, which would require a lot of time, would invite disputes as to the sound judgement of moderators, just allow certified buyers to vote, and then ask a mod to approve the tag.

Disclaimer: I do not have a stake in this race. I am permabanned on some forums for posting disagreeable stuff (yeah, rpg.net too). So if you like this post, you may be entering alliance with evil.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Most folks will have a knee jerk response to topics like racism and censorship, in the U.S. at least.

Mostly because it's way, way easier to call censorship and pretending there's no problem instead of reexamining our culture.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Mostly because it's way, way easier to call censorship and pretending there's no problem instead of reexamining our culture.

Or... it's easier to censor and call it 're-examining our culture'. These are not mutually exclusive things believe it or not.