D&D 5E Toxicity in the Fandom

[Scribe]

. . . "Fandoms are inherently toxic" and "some fans are unrelentingly positive" are absolutely not contradictory statements. Individuals in the fandom can be extremely positive (fanatically so), while the fandom overall is still extremely and inherently toxic.

I'm not comfortable painting a potentially vast and diverse population as toxic.

 

[MGibster]

Studies showing fandoms are toxic are flawed. Nobody is eating as many fans as they're feeding to those labrats in the studies. If you're just eating a few fans here and there, they're not really toxic.

 

[Hussar]

I look at it this way. If you can explain to me why you like something without referencing anything negative about anything else? Then you're golden. IOW, if you like X because you like X, then fantastic. However, if you're telling me you like X because it's not Y? Then nope. Being Not Y is never a good enough reason.

 

[Zardnaar]

I look at it this way. If you can explain to me why you like something without referencing anything negative about anything else? Then you're golden. IOW, if you like X because you like X, then fantastic. However, if you're telling me you like X because it's not Y? Then nope. Being Not Y is never a good enough reason.

Depends on how they word it.

If you like something and they drastically change the formula or recipe or whatever and people walk en masse they only have themselves to blame.

It's basically product identify you have certain expectations.

Doesn't matter if that's a movie, game, food, car etc.

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

Personally, I think the D&D fandom is far less toxic now than it was in 2008 - 2012. I largely avoided EN World, even though it was well moderated, just because of the overwhelming negativity of the fandom at that time. About the only forum that seemed to be positive about that era of D&D at the time was the Forge which was in the process of decommissioning through the majority of that era.

People who came on via Critical Role and now are being gatekeepery about the movie is a bit sad, but less toxic than a lot of fan behaviors. It is like all those people discovered "Running Up That Hill" off when it was viral on Tik Tok in 2020 decrying people who discovered it through Stranger Things as Johnny Come Latelys. We get it, you are cool . But it isn't the sort of stead diet of doxxing and death threats that I see going on in truly toxic fandoms.

 

[Hussar]

Depends on how they word it.

If you like something and they drastically change the formula or recipe or whatever and people walk en masse they only have themselves to blame.

It's basically product identify you have certain expectations.

Doesn't matter if that's a movie, game, food, car etc.

See this? This right here? Just flies up my nose. Why would you possibly give the slightest rat's patoot about what people do "en masse"? Funny how "en masse" only ever seems to line up with someone's personal preferences, even when there is virtually no evidence of "en masse".

You don't like something? Fine, no problem. That's groovy. But, as soon as people start talking about "the hobby" or "this is how everyone feels" and stops talking about their personal preferences, but rather tries to extrapolate their preferences onto the hobby, things go sour.

It baffles me why people can't just talk about themselves without trying to appeal to the masses to try to justify their opinions.

 

[Zardnaar]

See this? This right here? Just flies up my nose. Why would you possibly give the slightest rat's patoot about what people do "en masse"? Funny how "en masse" only ever seems to line up with someone's personal preferences, even when there is virtually no evidence of "en masse".

You don't like something? Fine, no problem. That's groovy. But, as soon as people start talking about "the hobby" or "this is how everyone feels" and stops talking about their personal preferences, but rather tries to extrapolate their preferences onto the hobby, things go sour.

It baffles me why people can't just talk about themselves without trying to appeal to the masses to try to justify their opinions.

I don't care about en masse for opinions.

But companies do care about things like bottom lines. You have to sell something to your customers. If you alienate them it's not the customers fault.

If you sell vanilla ice cream with a variety of topping but switch to chocolate or pizza and you lose your customers that's your fault.

Our local chocolate factory changed their recipe. They were number 1. Anecdotally the warehouse shipped out more of competitors product.

A staff member I knew said volume dropped two thirds more or less overnight.

Said chocolate factory closed down few years ago and it's now imported from Australia (and less popular).

Cadbury got bought out by American company and Americanized the recipe. Our chocolate tradition is more European based.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Personally, I think the D&D fandom is far less toxic now than it was in 2008 - 2012. I largely avoided EN World, even though it was well moderated, just because of the overwhelming negativity of the fandom at that time. About the only forum that seemed to be positive about that era of D&D at the time was the Forge which was in the process of decommissioning through the majority of that era.

People who came on via Critical Role and now are being gatekeepery about the movie is a bit sad, but less toxic than a lot of fan behaviors. It is like all those people discovered "Running Up That Hill" off when it was viral on Tik Tok in 2020 decrying people who discovered it through Stranger Things as Johnny Come Latelys. We get it, you are cool . But it isn't the sort of stead diet of doxxing and death threats that I see going on in truly toxic fandoms.

wait people gate keep that song that is nuts, I found it from an advertisement for a documentary on Gettysburg.

 

[Zardnaar]

wait people gate keep that song that is nuts, I found it from an advertisement for a documentary on Gettysburg.

I found it via wuthering heights 2013 or so along with Babooshka.

That's about all the 3 Kate Bush songs I know.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I found it via wuthering heights 2013 or so along with Babooshka.

That's about all the 3 Kate Bush songs I know.

who is kate bush?