3 ms·

I'm curious. How did the DnD books changed you? Was it the books in particular or the roleplaying "activity"? (or, could any other RPG book have the same effect

by Vaskivo 10y ago

I'm curious. How did the DnD books changed you? Was it the books in particular or the roleplaying "activity"? (or, could any other RPG book have the same effect?)

metaphorm 10y ago
several different ways. I'll try to keep it brief, though each of these could be a whole essay unto itself 1. a presentation of many archetypal themes, characters, monsters, gods, and demons pulling from a wide variety of sources and mythologies that I had not previously been exposed to. this was horizon expanding. encouragement to go out and actually learn about the source cultures that the D&D material was inspired by. 2. a fascinating system for dealing with moral and ethical judgments. the "alignment system" with its two orthogonal axes of Good<->Evil and Law<-->Chaos, and the interesting distinction between various kinds of neutrality (apathetic/passive vs. actively balanced, for example). 3. introducing me to the premise that play and socialization are primarily _creative_ and _imaginative_ activities. being raised on a diet of television and video games made this part particularly important as a counter-balance to all the passive entertainment that was being done to me.
- gknoy 10y ago
  Agree. The lawful/chaotic distinction is something I'd not encountered before, and really helps one look at behavior in a new lens. For example, am I lawful out of convenience, fear, or true belief in it? It was a bit jarring to realize that I was Lawful Good (as far as I can tell) despite having Robin Hood (chaotic good) as a hero for most of my childhood.
  - metaphorm 10y ago
    you may not be as lawfully aligned as you think you are. here's an appropriate, if somewhat forced, test that is relevant in contemporary America: what is your position on adult use of marijuana in states where it has not been legalized? as a followup, what is your position with respect to state vs. federal law disagreeing with each other in states that have legalized medical and/or recreational marijuana?

by Vaskivo 10y ago

I'm curious. How did the DnD books changed you? Was it the books in particular or the roleplaying "activity"? (or, could any other RPG book have the same effect?)

metaphorm 10y ago

several different ways. I'll try to keep it brief, though each of these could be a whole essay unto itself 1. a presentation of many archetypal themes, characters, monsters, gods, and demons pulling from a wide variety of sources and mythologies that I had not previously been exposed to. this was horizon expanding. encouragement to go out and actually learn about the source cultures that the D&D material was inspired by. 2. a fascinating system for dealing with moral and ethical judgments. the "alignment system" with its two orthogonal axes of Good<->Evil and Law<-->Chaos, and the interesting distinction between various kinds of neutrality (apathetic/passive vs. actively balanced, for example). 3. introducing me to the premise that play and socialization are primarily _creative_ and _imaginative_ activities. being raised on a diet of television and video games made this part particularly important as a counter-balance to all the passive entertainment that was being done to me.

gknoy 10y ago
Agree. The lawful/chaotic distinction is something I'd not encountered before, and really helps one look at behavior in a new lens. For example, am I lawful out of convenience, fear, or true belief in it? It was a bit jarring to realize that I was Lawful Good (as far as I can tell) despite having Robin Hood (chaotic good) as a hero for most of my childhood.
- metaphorm 10y ago
  you may not be as lawfully aligned as you think you are. here's an appropriate, if somewhat forced, test that is relevant in contemporary America: what is your position on adult use of marijuana in states where it has not been legalized? as a followup, what is your position with respect to state vs. federal law disagreeing with each other in states that have legalized medical and/or recreational marijuana?