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Is it ableist to role play as someone with mental health issues? I haven't played the game. Was interested by the positive reviews here but then the central th

Is it ableist to role play as someone with mental health issues? I haven't played the game. Was interested by the positive reviews here but then the central theme jumped out and I felt a bit uncomfortable. Can anyone who played the game say if it comes across sympathetically to John's issues or are they othering in their effect? Does it feed at all into negative perceptions of mental disorder? I know social issues are a bit frowned on here so apologies if this question is inappropriate.

joelanman 3y ago
Yeah it is ableist, it's hard to imagine a game making fun of any other illness or disorder these days.
- AlecSchueler 3y ago
  Thank you, I think that's a good way of framing it and you're quite right. Though you've also sparked an idea in me. I think a game focused sympathetically on an issue could do well to help in people's empathy. The vision that came to me was a Wheelchair Simulator where one would have to play to overcome the actual access restrictions wheelchair users face every day.
dibujaron 3y ago
DID (multiple personality disorder) is far, far more common in media than real life. This game gave me a greater sense of empathy for someone experiencing (a cartoon version of) DID. I don't have DID but I have a comparable condition, and I think I would appreciate it if more people could experience something like my daily experience through a game, to better understand what I'm going through, and so I wouldn't have to explain it. Sadly my condition has far less entertainment potential.
- beardedmoose 3y ago
  I also see the value of the humor added to a game played with a group of friends and don't see it as a negative towards someone with a comparable or even exact condition. I believe that a person can play a game which exaggerates some aspects for gameplay/comedic value and still empathize with serious mental health issues. As someone that is always curious and worried about mental health would you mind explaining what a typical days experience is like for yourself?
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brandonnicks 3y ago
I've always chosen to just introduce the game as you're a bunch of evil spirits possessing this poor fellow - sidesteps any of those issues and just gets to the fun.
wcerfgba 3y ago
It made me uncomfortable too, and it is ableist to talk about someone as if they are "totally insane", and to trivialise serious mental health issues. Fortunately, it is easy to reframe EiJ as an android controlled by a bunch of aliens. That's much more lighthearted, and means you can extend John with useful or amusing augmentations! :)

joelanman 3y ago

Yeah it is ableist, it's hard to imagine a game making fun of any other illness or disorder these days.

AlecSchueler 3y ago
Thank you, I think that's a good way of framing it and you're quite right. Though you've also sparked an idea in me. I think a game focused sympathetically on an issue could do well to help in people's empathy. The vision that came to me was a Wheelchair Simulator where one would have to play to overcome the actual access restrictions wheelchair users face every day.

dibujaron 3y ago

DID (multiple personality disorder) is far, far more common in media than real life. This game gave me a greater sense of empathy for someone experiencing (a cartoon version of) DID. I don't have DID but I have a comparable condition, and I think I would appreciate it if more people could experience something like my daily experience through a game, to better understand what I'm going through, and so I wouldn't have to explain it. Sadly my condition has far less entertainment potential.

beardedmoose 3y ago
I also see the value of the humor added to a game played with a group of friends and don't see it as a negative towards someone with a comparable or even exact condition. I believe that a person can play a game which exaggerates some aspects for gameplay/comedic value and still empathize with serious mental health issues. As someone that is always curious and worried about mental health would you mind explaining what a typical days experience is like for yourself?

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brandonnicks 3y ago

I've always chosen to just introduce the game as you're a bunch of evil spirits possessing this poor fellow - sidesteps any of those issues and just gets to the fun.

wcerfgba 3y ago

It made me uncomfortable too, and it is ableist to talk about someone as if they are "totally insane", and to trivialise serious mental health issues. Fortunately, it is easy to reframe EiJ as an android controlled by a bunch of aliens. That's much more lighthearted, and means you can extend John with useful or amusing augmentations! :)