http://www.ynetnews.com/articles//0,7340,L-3052074,00.html
So playing D&D is a bad thing according to them? Sigh.
The site doesn't necessarily think poorly of gamers, they're just reporting that the Israeli military does. I want to know if the IDF applies the same "detached from reality" label to people who write fiction in their spare time, or watch a lot of movies. What about people who do community theater? They're pretending to be somebody else, aren't they?
I happen to personally know several gamers in the military, and they seem pretty grounded to me. Heck, one of them was a full time recruiter for years until he requested a transfer back to his old infantry unit upon reenlistment. Another I helped teach the game to (I was DM for his first game) and he was more than eager to learn it, having been a long time DragonLance reader.
The conclusions narrow minded people jump to about so many things, RPGs and RPG players included, really disappoint me. In general these are people who's definition of "reality" is just what they want, not what the world is acually like. In my experience, such opinions are often shared by people who notably cringe away from me in public just because I'm a big guy wearing a wallet chain and a black trenchcoat. Like I'm going to pull guns out of my coat and start blasting away at any moment. Gimme a break. Who's really detached from reality here?
Heck, I am in the military. I've been playing D&D since I was 8 (21 years ago), which means, that half the people I just joined with are younger than my gaming experience.
Well put, Flush. That's an interesting article, Callidore.
Intersting...
One of the things I love about D&D, and gaming in general, is the social aspect. For the most part, if you have an interest in the game, you can easily call up or E-mail perfect strangers and be invited to their game. I have made so many friendships over the years, and even my fiancee is a gamer that I met through playing.
In my experience, race, creed, and social class are irrelevant issues, and it doesn't matter what you look like or how you dress. Granted, there can be plenty of yelling and screaming, but it's almost always about the game.
I should be thick-skinned about this stuff by now, but it still bothers me to read articles like that, where a random reporter tries to "explain" what D&D is.
On a side note, if someone in a job intereview asks YOU about hobbies or personal interests, do you mention that you play D&D? I usually haven't in the past, because I believe it would have a negative effect on my chances of getting a job. Am I perceiving discrimination, or is it paranoia?
Anyway, interesting article. . . thanks for sharing.
Hell, I always tell them I play D&D, I'm involved in several sword fighting clubs, various medieval recreationist activities, writing, castle stomping (visiting castles). Heck if it's a hobby that i enjoy and love I don't want to work for someone who will be discriminative against me, cuz it WILL eventually come up in conversation regardless.