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<blockquote data-quote="Edena_of_Neith" data-source="post: 4405757" data-attributes="member: 2020">It's hard to quantify this, but I do believe that respect for the rules is crucial.&nbsp; It is the crux of the matter.&nbsp; The lack of respect for rules, becoming widespread in early D&amp;D, led directly to the culture of intolerance, anger, and hatred that exists today.&nbsp; Yes, I believe that.&nbsp; You cannot change human nature.&nbsp; But you can set up an etiquette, and require respect for that etiquette.&nbsp; In the case of D&amp;D, the etiquette of respect for the rules.&nbsp; The rules themselves can be ... what they are, even changed a lot ... but the respect for the concept of rules, that rules are important, that rules should be respected, that rules should be changed only for very important reasons and/or legitimate reasons, should be a reality.&nbsp; &nbsp; People are people.&nbsp; They are not perfect, anymore than D&amp;D is perfect.&nbsp; What more really need be said?&nbsp; I am not perfect.&nbsp; You are not perfect.&nbsp; We are not perfect.&nbsp; So it is!&nbsp; : )&nbsp; &nbsp; The Gaming Police?&nbsp; Don't we already have those?&nbsp; LOL.&nbsp; No, no Gaming Police Force is the answer.&nbsp; Heck, the Gaming Army with the Nuclear Weapons is useless.&nbsp; Gamers must police themselves.&nbsp; Truism if ever there was one.&nbsp; Etiquette is about that.&nbsp; Etiquette establishes an Institution.&nbsp; An Institution, is a set way of thinking and doing things.&nbsp; An Institution of civility, courtesy, mutual respect between Gamers, and respect for the rules (and altered rules, when they need to be altered), that is what is needed.&nbsp; The current institution of intolerance, anger, and hatred, has to go.&nbsp; It has to be buried and forgotten.&nbsp; It has to be squelched without mercy, crushed underfoot, stomped deep into the primordial muck.&nbsp; &nbsp; The concept of the Gaming Police?&nbsp; Yep.&nbsp; Quite silly.&nbsp; In my opinion!&nbsp; &nbsp; I have tried to explain the connection several times above.&nbsp; &nbsp; What started as something innocent, something seemingly harmless, turned into a disaster, much like a small snowball thrown at the top of a mountain producing an avalanche that buries a city of tens of thousands at the bottom.&nbsp; The designers in the beginning, explorers and experimenters, created rules and institutionalized the idea of changing the rules at will.&nbsp; The seemingly harmless notion of changing the rules at will, turned into something else.&nbsp; Here is the chain again:&nbsp; Ok to change rules - Ok to sneer at rules&nbsp; Ok to sneer at rules - Ok to think really badly of rules&nbsp; Ok to think really badly of rules - ok to question judgement of player using rules&nbsp; Ok to question judgement of player - Ok to question player in general&nbsp; Ok to question player in general - Ok to think badly of player&nbsp; Ok to think badly of player - Ok to denounce player&nbsp; Ok to denounce player - Ok for there to be intolerance&nbsp; Ok for there to be intolerance - Ok for there to be anger&nbsp; Ok for there to be anger and intolerance - Ok for there to be hatred&nbsp; Ok for there to be hatred - Young do not enter Hobby&nbsp; Young do not enter Hobby - Hobby shrinks&nbsp; Hobby shrinks - Hobby dies</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Edena_of_Neith, post: 4405757, member: 2020"] It's hard to quantify this, but I do believe that respect for the rules is crucial. It is the crux of the matter. The lack of respect for rules, becoming widespread in early D&D, led directly to the culture of intolerance, anger, and hatred that exists today. Yes, I believe that. You cannot change human nature. But you can set up an etiquette, and require respect for that etiquette. In the case of D&D, the etiquette of respect for the rules. The rules themselves can be ... what they are, even changed a lot ... but the respect for the concept of rules, that rules are important, that rules should be respected, that rules should be changed only for very important reasons and/or legitimate reasons, should be a reality. People are people. They are not perfect, anymore than D&D is perfect. What more really need be said? I am not perfect. You are not perfect. We are not perfect. So it is! : ) The Gaming Police? Don't we already have those? LOL. No, no Gaming Police Force is the answer. Heck, the Gaming Army with the Nuclear Weapons is useless. Gamers must police themselves. Truism if ever there was one. Etiquette is about that. Etiquette establishes an Institution. An Institution, is a set way of thinking and doing things. An Institution of civility, courtesy, mutual respect between Gamers, and respect for the rules (and altered rules, when they need to be altered), that is what is needed. The current institution of intolerance, anger, and hatred, has to go. It has to be buried and forgotten. It has to be squelched without mercy, crushed underfoot, stomped deep into the primordial muck. The concept of the Gaming Police? Yep. Quite silly. In my opinion! I have tried to explain the connection several times above. What started as something innocent, something seemingly harmless, turned into a disaster, much like a small snowball thrown at the top of a mountain producing an avalanche that buries a city of tens of thousands at the bottom. The designers in the beginning, explorers and experimenters, created rules and institutionalized the idea of changing the rules at will. The seemingly harmless notion of changing the rules at will, turned into something else. Here is the chain again: Ok to change rules - Ok to sneer at rules Ok to sneer at rules - Ok to think really badly of rules Ok to think really badly of rules - ok to question judgement of player using rules Ok to question judgement of player - Ok to question player in general Ok to question player in general - Ok to think badly of player Ok to think badly of player - Ok to denounce player Ok to denounce player - Ok for there to be intolerance Ok for there to be intolerance - Ok for there to be anger Ok for there to be anger and intolerance - Ok for there to be hatred Ok for there to be hatred - Young do not enter Hobby Young do not enter Hobby - Hobby shrinks Hobby shrinks - Hobby dies [/QUOTE]

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