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<blockquote data-quote="Bedrockgames" data-source="post: 8865293" data-attributes="member: 85555">The problem is you start closing off any interesting or flavorful language when you perceive a dog whistle in everything. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and I think that is how most people engage media. I mean, obviously if someone is writing something that is blatantly offensive, that is one thing. But I do think we lose out on interesting material, even in RPGs, when we are overly vigilant for hidden meanings. I just don't agree with the idea that if something could possibly mean bad thing X, we should leap to the conclusion that that is what it means in every instant. You have to apply some amount of discernment, putting the work in its context and what the writer appears to be attempting to convey. Otherwise you aren't really communicating with the text in my opinion. I'm not talking about taking time to research. I am talking about reading something with an open mind, with a certain amount of charitableness, and prepared to deal in nuance rather than black and white absolutes. It is about not looking at something at first glance and reaching the worst possible conclusion about it. I think communication is a two way street. On the one hand the author needs to work to convey what they mean, but the reader also needs to be prepared to discern intent. Ultimately this is up to the audience. I think if we are at a point where one can't even include flavor in the PHB because it is too dangerous (which is the point I was responding to), that isn't healthy for any of us. It certainly isn't going to produce the kinds of games I would like to see.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Bedrockgames, post: 8865293, member: 85555"] The problem is you start closing off any interesting or flavorful language when you perceive a dog whistle in everything. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and I think that is how most people engage media. I mean, obviously if someone is writing something that is blatantly offensive, that is one thing. But I do think we lose out on interesting material, even in RPGs, when we are overly vigilant for hidden meanings. I just don't agree with the idea that if something could possibly mean bad thing X, we should leap to the conclusion that that is what it means in every instant. You have to apply some amount of discernment, putting the work in its context and what the writer appears to be attempting to convey. Otherwise you aren't really communicating with the text in my opinion. I'm not talking about taking time to research. I am talking about reading something with an open mind, with a certain amount of charitableness, and prepared to deal in nuance rather than black and white absolutes. It is about not looking at something at first glance and reaching the worst possible conclusion about it. I think communication is a two way street. On the one hand the author needs to work to convey what they mean, but the reader also needs to be prepared to discern intent. Ultimately this is up to the audience. I think if we are at a point where one can't even include flavor in the PHB because it is too dangerous (which is the point I was responding to), that isn't healthy for any of us. It certainly isn't going to produce the kinds of games I would like to see. [/QUOTE]

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