D&D 5E Toxicity in the Fandom

[Umbran]

Etc., etc., etc. It is easy for difference to lead to judgment, and for judgment to lead to anger for both parties.

Yeah, I added a bit to the post above, to show the point.

 

[MGibster]

It’s definitely ugly out there! I feel like the same applies to most fandoms — Star Wars fandom has a lot of toxicity, and Tolkien fandom is currently showing an unpleasant side. I guess part of it is social media — it permits you to behave in ways you just never would anywhere else, and there are no real social consequences.

I do believe the anonymity of online interactions is fertile ground for ugly behavior. One of the obvious reasons is that we're largely free from the social consequences of our bad behavior. But I think another reason is that it's easy to forget that we're typing to other human beings. We can't hear the inflection of voices, observe body language, or get all the other social cues we do from face-to-face discussion.

But there are other social changes as well. Growing up in the 80s, I don't remember any blacklash against women characters like Ripley from Alien/Aliens or Princess Leia from Star Wars. But the backlash against Rey in the episode VII was pretty heavy. At least the backlash was pretty heavy online. I can't recall anyone complaining Rey was a Mary Sue in any face-to-face discussion I've had.

 

[MGibster]

Second, the major deleterious effect of social media is that it allows horrid people to easily find each other. And then it amplifies those voices, creating the effect that those people think that their voices are more common that they are. Third, it rewards people for being even more horrid than they would otherwise be. Finally, it normalizes the voicing of those horrid opinions, causing others who might otherwise not be so horrid to become more horrid.

I know what you mean. Now when I hear someone diss elves or bards I don't even bat an eye. I've become jaded.

 

[James Gasik]

I do believe the anonymity of online interactions is fertile ground for ugly behavior. One of the obvious reasons is that we're largely free from the social consequences of our bad behavior. But I think another reason is that it's easy to forget that we're typing to other human beings. We can't hear the inflection of voices, observe body language, or get all the other social cues we do from face-to-face discussion.

But there are other social changes as well. Growing up in the 80s, I don't remember any blacklash against women characters like Ripley from Alien/Aliens or Princess Leia from Star Wars. But the backlash against Rey in the episode VII was pretty heavy. At least the backlash was pretty heavy online. I can't recall anyone complaining Rey was a Mary Sue in any face-to-face discussion I've had.

I do know people who complained, but their problems with how Disney handles the franchise go way deeper than just Rey. Basically, to them, everything was fine and perfect, they had the Expanded Universe, and nothing could go wrong (I still disagree about elements of the prequel trilogy, but what can you do).

But then their great savior, Mr. Lucas, sold everything to Disney, lock, stock, and barrel, and ditched a lot of old canon because they wanted to make new stuff now and their lawyers were probably unclear who owned what. Well that, and the guy they hired to be the lore keeper (his job position is Keeper of the Holocrons, as I recall) apparently doesn't know what Wookiepedia is.

Even now, it takes a lot for them to begrudgingly say anything good about the current era. "It's just a giant cash grab", and I'm like, yes, that's what media empires are about, making money, right? I've learned not to engage them when discussing things like politics, Disney, and Warhammer 40k.

 

[Scribe]

what on earth is there to be toxic about in knitting

Attention.

My wife loves candles, and home decor. There is a community for this on YouTube, instagram, that kind of thing.

The drama would surprise you.

Long story short, social media is terrible.

 

[James Gasik]

Attention.

My wife loves candles, and home decor. There is a community for this on YouTube, instagram, that kind of thing.

The drama would surprise you.

Long story short, social media is terrible.

Yeah, it's hard to wrap your mind around it, but probably every online discussion will eventually fall victim to personal attacks, what about ism, one true way ism, and Godwin's Law.

 

[billd91]

I’m going to echo Umbran. It’s not just us. I think a lot of journalists regret turning comments on for their online newspapers. Articles about crime, parenting, sports… all can get really toxic long before you get into partisan politics.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I do believe the anonymity of online interactions is fertile ground for ugly behavior. One of the obvious reasons is that we're largely free from the social consequences of our bad behavior. But I think another reason is that it's easy to forget that we're typing to other human beings. We can't hear the inflection of voices, observe body language, or get all the other social cues we do from face-to-face discussion.

But there are other social changes as well. Growing up in the 80s, I don't remember any blacklash against women characters like Ripley from Alien/Aliens or Princess Leia from Star Wars. But the backlash against Rey in the episode VII was pretty heavy. At least the backlash was pretty heavy online. I can't recall anyone complaining Rey was a Mary Sue in any face-to-face discussion I've had.

an anti-women movement had been simmering in the background for years it did not surprise me, disappointed me sure but did not surprise me.

I do know people who complained, but their problems with how Disney handles the franchise go way deeper than just Rey. Basically, to them, everything was fine and perfect, they had the Expanded Universe, and nothing could go wrong (I still disagree about elements of the prequel trilogy, but what can you do).

But then their great savior, Mr. Lucas, sold everything to Disney, lock, stock, and barrel, and ditched a lot of old canon because they wanted to make new stuff now and their lawyers were probably unclear who owned what. Well that, and the guy they hired to be the lore keeper (his job position is Keeper of the Holocrons, as I recall) apparently doesn't know what Wookiepedia is.

Even now, it takes a lot for them to begrudgingly say anything good about the current era. "It's just a giant cash grab", and I'm like, yes, that's what media empires are about, making money, right? I've learned not to engage them when discussing things like politics, Disney, and Warhammer 40k.

honestly, it was apparently bad long before that the roots were pre prequel Lucas had a lot of bad mail for years hence his eventual sale as he just stopped loving his product.
a lot of the old expanded universe was equally bad forever thrawn you had utter dreck and it was a nightmare to deal with.

 

[James Gasik]

an anti-women movement had been simmering in the background for years it did not surprise me, disappointed me sure but did not surprise me.

honestly, it was apparently bad long before that the roots were pre prequel Lucas had a lot of bad mail for years hence his eventual sale as he just stopped loving his product.
a lot of the old expanded universe was equally bad forever thrawn you had utter dreck and it was a nightmare to deal with.

I, for one, didn't care for the Yuuzhan Vong, but a lot of people thought they were the bee's knees, so...

 

[Morrus]

I do believe the anonymity of online interactions is fertile ground for ugly behavior. One of the obvious reasons is that we're largely free from the social consequences of our bad behavior. But I think another reason is that it's easy to forget that we're typing to other human beings. We can't hear the inflection of voices, observe body language, or get all the other social cues we do from face-to-face discussion.

I dunno about that. Some of the worst is on Facebook, which is not anonymous, whereas a forum like this, which has far less problematic behaviour, used usernames. I think moderation and size are the two main things driving that.