07-08-2017, 07:12 PM
I’m into role playing games. A while ago, I was part of an online role play group that specialized in Star Trek. I was trying for a fairly sophisticated android character, with some strengths, but she did not handle racism and sexual harassment well. Shouldn’t have been a problem, as there were rules against that sort of thing. If one is trying to run a nice friendly Federation space ship, you don’t do that.
Except they did. Some got the idea that if they were Klingon, it was OK to be violent, a Ferengi, it was OK and even funny to be racist and sexist. It was like in the old days, when an actor put on black face makeup, it was OK to exploit racism to the max. Ferengi makeup became the equivalent. You could be as uncivil and un-Federation as one wants.
Somehow, the Ferengi player got to decide if interactions were fun and in good spirits or not. Of course, to the oppressor, it is all in good fun. To the person being dumped on, not so.
Your line, ‘Just relax and enjoy the show” reminds me of that attitude, that dumping on people is so much fun. It also reminds me of the line allegedly used by rapists to their sexual ‘partners’.
There are two perpendicular problems in modern US culture. People don’t agree on the fixes to a lot of political and economic problems. People are also busy alienating each other as to not communicate. I’m often more worried about the second problem than the first. You can’t get real about the true problems if you’re having too much fun alienating the other guys.
It is clear you are so for into the blue that you don’t understand or care significantly about the discord you are sowing. It’s like you are wearing Ferengi make up, the rules of civility don’t apply to you. Civility isn’t part of your values. And, yes, by today’s culture’s standards, it often isn’t. It seems like every cultural subgroup creates some convoluted rules that it’s OK to dump on other folks, but no one is allowed to dumps on them.
Not that you’re the worst actor. We have posters who switch into all out expletive insults at the first sign of significant opposition. You may be among the worst blue. If I go after a red with intensity, It would be shrugged off as partisanship as usual.
But while you are dumping on others, expect to be dumped on. Hey, you are a long time contributor. You should have figured that much out by now.
Though we have discussed the point to a stalemate comparable to our gun policy differences. I’m not sure that another time around the block will be useful.
Except they did. Some got the idea that if they were Klingon, it was OK to be violent, a Ferengi, it was OK and even funny to be racist and sexist. It was like in the old days, when an actor put on black face makeup, it was OK to exploit racism to the max. Ferengi makeup became the equivalent. You could be as uncivil and un-Federation as one wants.
Somehow, the Ferengi player got to decide if interactions were fun and in good spirits or not. Of course, to the oppressor, it is all in good fun. To the person being dumped on, not so.
Your line, ‘Just relax and enjoy the show” reminds me of that attitude, that dumping on people is so much fun. It also reminds me of the line allegedly used by rapists to their sexual ‘partners’.
There are two perpendicular problems in modern US culture. People don’t agree on the fixes to a lot of political and economic problems. People are also busy alienating each other as to not communicate. I’m often more worried about the second problem than the first. You can’t get real about the true problems if you’re having too much fun alienating the other guys.
It is clear you are so for into the blue that you don’t understand or care significantly about the discord you are sowing. It’s like you are wearing Ferengi make up, the rules of civility don’t apply to you. Civility isn’t part of your values. And, yes, by today’s culture’s standards, it often isn’t. It seems like every cultural subgroup creates some convoluted rules that it’s OK to dump on other folks, but no one is allowed to dumps on them.
Not that you’re the worst actor. We have posters who switch into all out expletive insults at the first sign of significant opposition. You may be among the worst blue. If I go after a red with intensity, It would be shrugged off as partisanship as usual.
But while you are dumping on others, expect to be dumped on. Hey, you are a long time contributor. You should have figured that much out by now.
Though we have discussed the point to a stalemate comparable to our gun policy differences. I’m not sure that another time around the block will be useful.
That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.