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Games As the Great Unifier
OGX writes "In this racially divided world, who or what can step up and bridge the gap among people? Oddly enough, the answer comes from pop videogame technology. The anonymity of online gaming has made personal characteristics secondary to a game skill set. Michelle Dalrymple explores how online gaming vaults the issue of race in this editorial at OGX." From the article: "The computer/video console acts as a filter, extracting out any issues of race and placing emphasis on how quickly one can respond by selecting the correct button. Let's take a look at how this plays out in the online gaming world. As with any MMOG - character selection is core to the game play, and while one may have a skin color choice, usually appearance is tied to some imaginary 'race,' an arbitrary figure generator pulled from fantasy and folklore. It gives the idea of race a whole new meaning. What do fellow gamers care what race you the player really are, as long as your elf ranger or human mage can complete the task?"
If this was really the case, why do I see so many racial slurs being thrown around in an average game of Counterstrike, not to mention the nearly ubiquitous use of "gay" as a pejorative.
I had a Human Warrior in WoW named "Rick James" (after my favorite musician), and everyone kept calling me "bitch." :(
Execute? [Y/N] _
I can't stand the smell of Orcs.
Disclaimers:
Don't just pigeon-hole this into an American phenomenon - the internet spans the whole world. And this decrease in patriotism that you are percieving isn't necessarily a result of information abundance, but perhaps simply because we lack strong leadership. You are mistaking correlation for causation here, a dangerous proposition.
There is no mod option "-1: Disagree" for a reason. "Overrated" is not an acceptable substitute. Post something instead.
I just fail to see the significance of this in regards to games online. I would venture to say it is a non issue because:
1) You know the person as they present themselves to you online and
2) It does not matter since you are judging by skill, not race or anything trival like that
Invexi - a Phoenix, AZ based web design and web development company.
That's odd... from my experience there's MORE racial slurs and degredation in online games than elsewhere in society.
There also seem to be a disproportionate amount of schoolgirls...
In this racially divided world,
Which world is the submitter in, exactly? The one I'm in seems fine.
It's really hard to read and process an article like this when you disagree with the very first phrase in the very first sentence...
Comment of the year
need to be bigger than they are...they want to be this movement that somehow changes the world. Hint, it just isnt gonna happen. Gaming is not some noble endeavor that is unlike anything else that has ever happened. it is pure enjoyment, leave it at that
The phrase "more better" is acceptable English. suck it grammar Nazis
Personally I think that online games seem to foster racial discrimination in all types. In fact, they even encourage people to go out there and hurt others simply because of their race. This, "PVP" mode where humans are pitted against Orc's and Gnomes against Taurans is to be abhorred. I say that all races should be free to coexist in peace and tranquility while we fight the real enemies: Ragneros.
Ira
While the "filter" of anonymity allows people to associate and congregate who might otherwise not (due to race, culture, religion, political inclination, gender, sexual orientation, whatever), it also serves to dissociate you from your online avatar. You play someone else online, but you are still pretty much the same person when you leave the computer. Just because your characters and avatars online can fight side by side or even competitively in a friendly manner does not mean that you are a more tolerant and compassionate person when you stop playing and go back to "real life". You'll still be relatively the same person, with the same prejudices, same cultural upbringing, and same outlook on life. I'm not claiming that personal change can't happen due to gaming, and I think it can bridge the gap to understanding one another in a few extraordinary cases, but so can any other means of communications with a level of anonymity and neutrality.
I've played a few MMORPGs in my time but, generally, my experience is that there are three player types. The offensive, who's lack of identifiability makes them think they can do what they want.
The passive, who keep to themselves or their guild. They tend to accept people who accept them. The vast majority of people lie in this group.
The aggresive. They are active. Tend to help people whenever they can. And they really do find ways to be involved.
The real reason people seem to 'get along' so well? There isn't even a fraction of lifes 'drama' running around in the virtual world. The worst thing that can happen to you within the confines of an MMORPG is that you miss out on some kind of loot, or you're late for/miss an event. If you can get worked up over that then you really must learn to chill out.
This sig isn't original enough, it's time to come up with something witty...
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19
#1) MMORG designers work carefully to balance each of their races. It's not like a MMORG would design a "KALB" race where the characters automatically get aggro'ed by the town guards, earn a half share from all kills and are randomly barred from the forums for bullshit reasons.
#2) Show me a 1/2 elf, 1/4 dwarf, 1/8 orc and 1/16 sprite and 1/16 centaur character and then we'll be a little closer to an apples to apples race discussion. (Is the character stronger because he's part orc or is it just chance?)
He has struck out with black chicks, asian chicks, white chicks, latina chicks, almost scored with a person pretending to be a chick. He is the model gaming citizen!
Monstar L
As far as I'm concerned, the world would be a much better place with a little less nationalism.
Patriotism has served its purpose, but maybe internet gaming will bring about a new sense of humanism which I personally believe is the next evolution of patiotism. We must realize that regardless of our nationality, race, sexual preference, etc, in the end we are all humans and we must treat each other as such. If it takes the virtual world of a computer game for us to realize this then so be it. I see this as the evolution Man's thinking rather than a step backwards.
I'm not discounting patriotism, but I do believe that is an old mindset that as we grow more connected as a human species will have to go away like so many mindsets of the past have.
but your sig says...
You seem a little confused. I think your another crazy redneck who jumped on the "I love America! Never talk bad about our President no matter what he does" bandwagon. Think for yourself. America is supposed to mean freedom (although its really just limited priviledge) which means I can choose for myself whether I want to be anonymous when I want and I can hate the country if I choose.
Freedom is a state of mind. A mind is a state of being. Stay the fuck out of my mind and my being. - Corporate Avenger
Diversity is way overstated. In America, if you go into an immigrant family's apartment, you're likely to see a PS2, a Dell computer, etc. Some people go to bars and drink with the good ol' boys, and some people go to coffee shops to blog, but there's not any crucial difference in what people want to do and buy.
The most crucial differences I have seen is what people in these groups are afraid of. Conservative Christians are afraid of Muslim terrorists and declining morality; young liberals worry about global warming; moderates worry about polarization; the underemployed worry about immigrants. I think it's important to understand that while the groups may find each others' fears unreasonable, all of these fears came about as a result of real concern that these problems would destroy the America that everyone basically wants.
It's hard for politics to be united since everyone wants government to solve problems, so it's natural to argue about our fears, but I think it's short-sighted to believe that this political split is indicative of a really fundamental split. We still have plenty in common, at least until the rising geek girl population leads to speciation, but that's another topic.
As for the statement that people are less and less willing to sacrifice for our country, I don't believe that's true. I do think that the political leaders on both sides have done a poor job of asking for sacrifices that the population is willing to make.
I have seen the future, and it is inconvenient.
I don't really see how you can consider the anonymity of the internet a factor that is making the country's population more diverse. In my opinion, it is more of a common factor that is binding the people of the United States.
It also seems that the type of anonymity you are thinking of is concealing your actions behind a screen, rather than screening things that causes prejudice from your actions.
I abuse commas, I cannot help myself.
If somebody defames your country or fellow citizen, sacrifice your time to address them, ask why, and work something out.
If somebody threatens your country or fellow citizen, sacrifice your time to contront them, and prevent the threat from being followed thru.
If somebody harms your country or fellow citizen, sacrifice your time to capture and bring to justice the guilty party.
With no sacrifice, we have no sense of one-ness. We see that today with many examples because it seems like if our country or fellow citizen is defamed, threatened, or harmed we just seem to shrug it off. If we don't unite, Hugo Chavez will be right in his recent flames, and America will crumble, much much sooner than we expect.
After starting your first two points with "I said no such thing", you follow up with this.
If only we could convert irony into electricity. That comment alone would keep L.A. lit up for two weeks.
XBL has really unified the world...For just $49.95/yr people of all races, creeds, and colors can now come together and treat each other like total shit.
No, you didn't specifically say that this was an American phenomenon, but your vernacular heavily implied it, specifically the "our great country" and "sacrifice for our country" bits (esp. without prior reference to your country of origin - seems a little pompous to me, but whatever). However, why shouldn't you be concerned about the global implications of a percieved problem? You're also living on this planet, I assume?
I made my reference to information abundance after reading your "increasingly becoming so diverse that we have nothing in common" bit. We don't become more diverse by just sitting at home in a pool of intellectual stagnation, we become more diverse by learning, which requires new information, new opinions, new points of view. Anonimity does not cause diversity. Anonimity protects you from any number of attacks on your person. It allows you to share and retrieve information without risk. It also allows you to be an asshat without fear of reprisals. True, anonimity allows you to detach yourself from ties to a region, but that's only if you chose not to share those interest about yourself - a personal decision. The tie to locality may be lost, but it is being lost in favor of a tie to ideals or shared interests or goals, which to me is more important and significant than being tied to, say, "Podunk, Mississippi".
Further, I didn't blame Bush by name for anything. Bush isn't the only leader. If you're a member of a community, then you have leaders on the local, regional, state, and national levels - and not just the President at the national level. We also have Congress and the Supreme Court. I see failures and lack of leadership ability at all levels of government.
And for the record, I'm not one of your "liberals", my values tend to allign more with the Democratic Libertarian party. Trying to dismiss me by labeling me is the height of ignorance and arrogance. I'm not some party-line spewing drone, I'm an individual with my own ideas and opinions about things.
There is no mod option "-1: Disagree" for a reason. "Overrated" is not an acceptable substitute. Post something instead.
Nations are becoming less and less important as the information age gets going.
Similarily, extended families became less and less important with the industrial era.
Before that, the hometown/village.
Before that, the clan.
Each been the central social group everyone identified themselves by, each had seemed a natural constant in the lives of people and still each was replaced by the next. Currently, nation states are being replaced by continent-size cultural zones; most obviously so in Europe and South America.
You can call this unfortunate, like you can call any natural process unfortunate. Or you can realize that identifying yourself as a citizen of your country is a cultural habit, not a necessity, so the value you are losing was virtual in the first place. Other social reference groups (say your family, or your race, or mankind) may be used interchangably. And some choices give you more options than others.
blow your mind already
So respec shadow and go melt faces in PvP. (or roll as a Dwarf like I did)
Do Or Do Not, There Is No Spoon, There Is Only Zuul. Everything in the above post is probably opinion.
...now if there were no correlation between race and the likelihood of being in a high enough economic class to afford an online gaming habit, the world's problems would be SOLVED!
If a dwarf and a night elf only had cosmetic differences and had the capacity to perform the same tasks equally well, then it would be racist to choose dwarves over night elves. But that's not the case, so this gets tricky.
If in real life, practicioners of a certain profession who are of a certain race have two magical skills unique to their race that members of other races cannot learn, is it racist to make hiring decisions based on those magical skills?
Sacrifice for their country? You mean there's fewer and fewer jingoistic people willing to die for a war that should never have been fought in the first place? This is a good thing. Patriotism is not- its an idea that a certain group of people are more important than everyone else because they happen to live near you. With the global scope of the internet, people are realising that all people are equal, and that there's nothing special about being American, Canadian, English, etc. This is a good thing.
I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
I would write a witty responce, but I'm too busy laughing.
Bravo, AC, bravo.
There is no mod option "-1: Disagree" for a reason. "Overrated" is not an acceptable substitute. Post something instead.
More and more people are less and less willing to sacrifice for our country.
You say that like it's a bad thing. People shouldn't be willing to blindly sacrifice for their country (whichever country that happens to be) they should be willing to sacrifice for what they believe is _right_. Most people are citizens of a particular country entirely by accident - it's where they happened to be born. Why should I hold any specific allegience based on a geographical and biological coincidence?
Hypothetical example - people refusing to participate in a forced draft because they disagree with the conflict they're being drafted into _are_ sacrificing - usually their freedom - to do what they feel is right. I respect them much more than someone who goes along and signs up, because although in disagreement, they don't have the conviction to stand up for themselves.
---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"
In WoW, you start by choosing a race. It's race that defines what faction you're aligned with (Alliance or Horde) and what classes you have access to. Even though they're fantasy races with no (direct) relation to real-world ethnicities, you're still forced by "genetics and culture" into certain roles in the overall story.
In CoX, you start with a simpler choice: Hero or Villain. A far more fundamental conflict than anything that arises from ethnicity. From there, you choose your archtype, origin, and powersets. These provide diversity strictly within the confines of game mechanics. It's only after you've chosen the CoX equivalents of faction, class, weapons, and skills that you get to that amazing character creation sandbox.
Now, anything goes. (Within the bounds of good taste and Marvel's copyright lawyers, of course.) Here, you can adopt any image you like. Project your fantasies, tell a story, show your sense of style, or just hit Random All and take whatever obnoxiously silly costume you get. You can even contradict the game-related choices you made before. There's nothing to stop you from speccing a Magic Stalker (think Night Elf Rogue), then creating an 8' tall industrial-looking robot for a toon. Or you can just stay in character and make a ninja.
In any case, you don't get any preconceived notions of race or racial stereotypes. (see also: Rastafarian Trolls.) In CoX, you're as likely to see green, blue, or metallic gold skin as you are white or brown. In CoX, you are what you do, not how you look, moreso than any other prominent MMORPG out there.
This sig intentionally left blank.
Well said, and I agree with you 100%. The only real racism I see is people declaring other people racists.
Comment of the year
Those arguments are moot, actually, because only [slur]s play Doom 3.
I have freaks! I did something right...
You wanna see great unification? Visit a PvP WoW server. The only great unity is that the hundreds of skeletons laying on the ground after a huge world PvP event look alike (mostly).
Characters die messily and unfairly dozens of times a day because they're the wrong race in the wrong neighborhood. It's no more unified than real-life race relations, except that there's less social inhibition on race murder and hate crime, because "it's just a game".
Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
Holy crap - you are probably the strangest person I've ever seen. Let's take this step-by-step:
...With no sacrifice, we have no sense of one-ness.
... We see that today with many examples
... because it seems like if our country or fellow citizen is defamed, threatened, or harmed we just seem to shrug it off.
... If we don't unite, Hugo Chavez will be right in his recent flames, and America will crumble, much much sooner than we expect
"One-ness"? Uh...
Too bad you didn't cite any of them.
Huh? 'Defamed' is nothing, 'threatened' is something for authorities to look into, as is 'harm'. And, unless I'm mistaken, The United States hasn't exactly been 'not' invading countries lately.
What?! "[S]ooner than we expect"?! When exactly do you expect your "great country" to crumble?
You are a crazy asshat.
Whoo, signature!
DesireCampbell.com
I think your another crazy redneck who jumped on the "I love America! Never talk bad about our President no matter what he does" bandwagon. Think for yourself.
/.
It's funny how I've never really been referred to as a "redneck" except for on
I do believe I'm thinking for myself, unless of course you're blaming GW for brainwashing Americans, which I wouldn't put past you.
Since when did it become a bad thing to jump on the "I love America!" bandwagon? I guess I'm supposed to buy into this global, we're all human beings, we should all get along, United Nations mentatility. But, you are then being ignorant to the fact that a certain branch of a religious group that has said over and over again that they will kill and destroy the western civilization. There is no negotiating with this group, they simply flat out refuse to live with us, and they will not stop until we have all been destroyed.
And you believe it's ok to destroy an entire country killing millions of people over a small percentage of that country? Using this mentallity, America should have started a war with Montana because a terrorist lived in the state.
Freedom is a state of mind. A mind is a state of being. Stay the fuck out of my mind and my being. - Corporate Avenger
we have no sense of one-ness.
... We see that today with many examples
... If we don't unite, Hugo Chavez will be right in his recent flames, and America will crumble, much much sooner than we expect
... within GW's lifetime. Thus, if we don't stand up and do something, we going to be in a "nightmare" within the next 50 years. Does that answer your questions?
"One-ness"? Uh...
Did you not just prove my point?
Too bad you didn't cite any of them
Groups protesting an American soldier funerals instead of paying their respects. Immigrants burning our flag at rallies in San Fransisco. American citizens calling for the assasination of our president. Slashdot posters constantly making references / jokes about moving to Canada. I guess I just see the examples and you don't.
What?! "[S]ooner than we expect"?! When exactly do you expect your "great country" to crumble?
Directly from Chavez's speech in which he referred to GW as the devil: "I have the feeling, dear world dictator, that you are going to live the rest of your days as a nightmare".
Groups around us are preparing to act now, as we speak to destroy our country. They won't pick and choose, Democrat, Republican or Independant it won't matter. They're coming to get us, and according to Chavez's threat, it'll be soon
I should really jump on the "GW is always wrong, we should worry about Global Warming, not terrorism", Slashdot bandwagon. It would help my karma.
Well, the irony is that while a lot of people believe that internet anonymity allows people to be "assholes" (without ever really explaining WHY people's behavior heads south without supervision), I'd argue a more subtle point: with true anonymity, people have much more of a chance to behave AS THEY REALLY ARE.
In that sense, it reinforces theory of implied social contract; without the immediate coercive ability of the group (through the simple mechanism of individual recognition and following consequences), people may act in any way that they want. Without the 'smoothing' of one's egoist impulses by the compulsion (actual or implied) of the society around them, people feel free to shout "FAG" in circumstances where in real life they'd face at least ostracism if not outright punishment.
But the moment that the character begins to have some intrinsic value, that is, once the investment in the character and the character's relationship with the community has some value - you see less unjustifiably bad behavior. In WoW, this has proven itself out - by the time characters reach 60, you see much less dicking around. Who remains the main antisocialists at 60? Rogues, who as a particularly solo-capable class arguably LEAST need the goodwill of other players in endgame. Hunters, for the same reason but perhaps a lesser degree.
-Styopa
We would have, if GWB had called the governor of Montana and told him he was sending the FBI to arrest a terrorist and the governor told him to piss off. Not only piss off, but we, the people of Montana support this person and everything he stands for. So, if you come in here, better come armed with more than just sun-glasses and cheap suits.
Then, GWB sends in a) the National Guard, or b) the Marines. In Afghanistan, he sent both. In Iraq he sent bombers first, then marines and army, followed by National Guard troops to help setup infrastructure. Of course, he got criticized for going into Iraq, for hitting Iraq as hard as he did, and for sending in National Guard troops to help setup infrastructure.
Ira
Most players, especially those in the MMO markets, have long ago stopped caring what "skin" the player is wearing and worried about their skill level.
Heck, many of the female toons you see in games are played by guys who are either A) titilated at playing a female toon and dressing it, or B) tired of looking at a guy's ass in third person view.
So it isn't like this story is anything close to a new viewpoint on the subject.
We are increasingly becoming so diverse that we having nothing in common, nothing that binds us.
I thought the supremely American definining characteristic was diverity itself.
We are a nation of immigrants from across the globe.
And what binds us? Well the defining binding document of the United States is the Constitution... and the most revered part of the Constitution being the Bill of Rights. And the very first thing the Bill of Rights does, the highest thing it stands for, is for protecting and revering and reveling in Diversity itself. The highest protection and value for Religious diversity, the highest protection and value for diverity in speech and ideas. And in a broader sense, cultural diverity and cultural freedom.
The strength of diversity. The UNITY in embracing diversity.
In the sort run a monoculture is easier and "stronger" - a brittle static strength. Diversity and tolerance produces a vibrant dynamic strength and growth. I don't tell you how to live and you don't tell me how to live. And the long term strength of harnessing diversity and embracing the best of each, and the expectation that that which is good and valuable will be embraced and spread on its own merit.
Teh American Dream - the ideal that anyone of any color and any religion and any culture can be accepted and thrive here on the merits of their hard work and intellgence and their valuable ideas and contributions. That if you contibute to the strength of America as a whole, that your diversity will be accepted and valued and you will be rewarded for your contribution.
Of course America is not perfect, and we do not always perfectly live up to these ideals. But the greatness of America is in striving for these ideals. Embracing freedom and diversity, eliminating opression and prejudice and discrimination.
It seems there are many people in America today who think the definition of "Patriotism" means defending and supporting the nation/government, right or wrong.
I have a different definition of Patriotism. I say it means loving the ideals the country stands for, loving and supportign the nation and the government when it lives up to those ideals, and fighting your damndest to BETTER the nation and the government when it fails to be all it should be. A perfect example of that is the current arguments over torturing people in the War On Terrorism. Being the Good Guy is not easy. Many times being the Good Guy is a pain in the ass. Somethimes being the Good Guy just plain sucks. In teh sort run torturing someone for information might help win a battle. Might help thwart an attack. Might even save lives. It's oh so EASY to slip down to the Bay Guy's level when fighting the Bad Guys. But I believe America is better than that. That America SHOULD be better than that. That in the long run the best way to win is to BE the Good Guy. We might win a battle and thwart an attack by stooping to their level, by being brutish and inhuman, but we Win The War by being Idealists and Noble and Above Such Tactics.
We Win The War by being the Good Guys. We Win The War by getting a dirty hit from the Bad Guys and getting the support and respect of the world and our own population by richeously beating the Bad Guys without getting dirty ourselves. By being BETTER than they are.
It's easier to fight terrorists if you you are free to torture suspects - even if that suspect happens to be innocent. It's easier to fight crime if the police are free to search our homes and seize our property without warrants. It's easier to fight crime if the police are free to tap our phones without court orders. It's easier to prosecute and imprison the guilty if courts don't throw out illegally obtained evidence. We can have a more tranquil society if the government prohibited my neighbors (or your neighbors)from saying things that offend me (or offend you) under penalty of prison. Society would be so much simpler if the government forced all of my neighbors (or your neighbors) to follow the same religio
- - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
..."Groups protesting an American soldier funerals instead of paying their respects."
..."Immigrants burning our flag at rallies in San Fransisco."
..."American citizens calling for the assassination of our president."
..."Slashdot posters constantly making references / jokes about moving to Canada."
..."I guess I just see the examples and you don't."
..."Directly from Chavez's speech in which he referred to GW as the devil..."
..."Groups around us are preparing to act now, as we speak to destroy our country. They won't pick and choose, Democrat, Republican or Independent it won't matter. They're coming to get us, and according to Chavez's threat, it'll be soon ... within GW's lifetime. Thus, if we don't stand up and do something, we going to be in a "nightmare" within the next 50 years. Does that answer your questions?"
"Paying respects", like, not flying the flag at half-mast? Or "paying respects" by not giving them proper equipment in combat? How about "paying respects" by sending them into a war without a clear, if not totally false, reason to? How exactly do you want people to "pay respects"? Perhaps some people are focusing on the fact that these soldiers died invading another country that had not, would not, and could not make any serious threats to your "great country". Perhaps these people are focusing on the fact that your "great country" has been wiretapping their own people, subverting all manor of personal freedoms, and using scare-tactics to control the very people they claim to protect? Perhaps these 'protesters' are angry about the fact that your "great country" has kept people prisoner in facilities outside the United States - some of them 'secret camps' - where these people are tortured. Tortured. Some of these people have committed no crime, most haven't even been charged with a crime.
So, why should these people treat the dead better than you treat everyone.
Moving on...
That line's so chock-full of ignorance and hate - it actually startles me.
The use of "immigrants" and "our flag" shows you don't consider these people to be "American". They are Americans. The only difference between them and you, is their ancestors probably came here from Europe before yours.
Really? Then the American people must want to be liberated. Some kind-hearted country should go in, "shock and awe" style and topple the regime. Oh wait - that would be going outside of legitimate methods of change, and that would make them terrorists. I'm glad only "islamofacists" do crazy stuff like that.
I live in Canada, it's better than the 'states, but the current PM is the worst we've ever had (even more than the actually insane one). We don't lower our flags to half-mast anymore either. Thanks for that, by the way.
You mean those examples I just refuted? Yeah, they were hard to see before - because you didn't write them out. *sigh*
Not that I think Chavez is a good leader, but perhaps he's still a bit miffed about Pat Robinson saying, on national television, the US should assassinate him. I assume he actually threatened your "great country" somewhere else in his speech, and you just didn't quote it... because it's cool not to quote what you're talking about? The line you quoted is not a threat - it's a warning. The US is not seen in a good light in many countries. What, with the "saying one thing, and doing the completely opposite, evil thing" going on, people don't like that so much.
Was my question "are you a paranoid nutbag?" If it was, then yes; my question has been answered. Are you serious? You actually think that "nightmare" line was a threat of war? Chavez was referring to the fact that your "great country" is degrading it's own citizens. The "nightmare" will be a dystopian America, brought on by
Whoo, signature!
DesireCampbell.com
Side note: "race" in the context of fantasy games really boils down to what we would call "species" in reality. I suspect the main reason for using the term "race" is because it sounds more old-fashioned and less scientific.
So really, the whole RPG race = RL race (ethnicity/nationality/ancestry) is somewhat silly. As you say, it's apples and oranges.
Erotic is when you use a feather. Exotic is when you use the whole chicken.
"Or you can realize that identifying yourself as a citizen of your country is a cultural habit, not a necessity"
Unfortunately claiming to be a "citizen of the world" doesn't seem to help when trying not to pay taxes.
Sometimes my arms bend back.
I salute you, sir. I hereby burn Karma offtopic style in your honor.
In all my travels as an adult, I have never been to a place more laden with racial slurs than in online gaming. We all wear different skins and are anonymous, but such anonymity causes some people to feel they can spit out whatever racial bullshit they feel like saying.
It is really sad and reduces the quality of gaming.
"There is one avenue of harmony that seems to pervade all people, regardless of race, color, creed and ethnicity. It is a unifying factor that calls to it men and women, young and old, from every stretch of the nation and the world beyond. It is the world of games - particularly video/online games."
Except the vast majority of gamers are white males. I like how the article writer's counter to this is that IN ADVERTISEMENTS AND MOVIES, there are a lot of non-whites playing video games... interesting metric there.
And except that most online gaming communities are fuller of racist swears than any real-world place I've seen - probably mostly from bored preteens trying to get a rise out of people by saying Something Naughty, but still.
And except that as soon as any actual evidence of race or ethnicity comes into the mix - as soon as people find out someone is gay or female or black or whatever "IRL" - you're stuck with the same old racial stereotypes and assumptions again. Usually amplified because of the aforementioned intolerant attitude of gaming communities.
On a serious note, I don't think your example of picking dwarfs over night elves even comes close to being a case of racism. Just because someone picks dwarfs over night elves (or vice-versa) doesn't mean that he/she is a racist. What if he has a dwarf fetish ? or a Nightelf fetish ? or he likes how the term 'night elf' somehow sounds like 'sexy female elfs walking in night' or.. erm.. you get the point right.
How about a same race scenario, mario and luigi can both stomp over ducks and stupid sliding thingies with equal ease but I would prefer to play with mario rather than luigi if given a choice. Does than mean I hate plumbers wearing stupid fuckin white jump-suits and trying to act like they are as cool as their twin brother...hmm
Politicians and Pedophiles: Two groups of exploitive bastards who are most dangerous when they're thinking of children.
What do fellow gamers care what race you the player really are, as long as your elf ranger or human mage can complete the task?
They don't care because the elf rangers and human mages apparently pay $15 a month to be stunlocked for hours at a time.
I honestly cannot understand the fascination with a game where the player is beset with a chronic lack of basic control over their own character.
Business isn't willing to pay for products, innovation and careers, so we get brands, mortgage commercials and layoffs.
Side note: "race" in the context of fantasy games really boils down to what we would call "species" in reality.
The common definition of "species" merely requires that different species can't interbreed to have kids which themselves can have kids. So the case of a "1/2 elf, 1/4 dwarf, 1/8 orc and 1/16 sprite and 1/16 centaur character", would at least imply that dwarves, orcs, sprites, and centaurs are the same species. If the character in question can have kids, elves join said species.
However, the fact that only a small percentage of the country and world are playing video games makes this a very inaccurate sampling of data.
The real dividing line is money. Only those with enough money to afford a gaming system or a PC (plus internet connection, software, subscriptions, etc.) are able to enter this idyllic utopia of faceless, raceless, borderless virtual worlds. Granted that nearly all races are represented in the gaming world, but many of them may be exceptions of typical members of their race. This points to where the real racism occurs -- in the workplace.
Growing up in Texas shortly after integration, my small town had its own share of strife and tension. Now in Dallas, a black person is warmly welcomed compared to someone of Hispanic decent. Indian and Asian peoples are ostracised in the technical community because of offshoring, though the people here have nothing to do with that. This is most apparent in workplaces (who gets what jobs), and less apparent in personal settings (shopping, restaurants, sporting events, fairs, etc.). People don't seem to care about race; businesses do.
When the people doing all the cooking, cleaning and landscaping can afford to have a computer and get into World of Warcraft, then maybe we can start talking about the great melting pot of MMO's.
Exactly: OF COURSE he got criticized for going into Iraq, because none of the conditions you described in your first paragraph applied to Iraq. Maybe that was your point, but it sounded like you were trying to conflate Afghanistan and Iraq to "prove" that the invading the latter was justified.
I'm not quite sure I believe this to be the case as most people have experienced in forums, games, comment threads and other such internet environments, the internet seems to relieve people of their moral burdens. I have been called every name in the book for every race. Some people feel that if they are uncertain of what race you belong to they will call you derogatory names from each race until they get a reaction from you. Its one of the main reasons I stopped going online for Xbox live (Xbox). I got tired hearing 6 year olds calling my friends and I a random racist comment + swear word all while asking for some chocolate milk (This really did happen, I though it was just a cliche) when you beat them.
My dad also has experienced this same thing on Everquest. A group member, whom he played with for more than 6 months, asked him his race and he answered truthfully. From that point on this other player has gone out of his way to avoid my dad and will not talk to him. Maybe thats my dad's fault for even thinking about divulging that information but its a shame when they were truly a good team. Its also a shame that we might have to think about not saying who we are because we may suffer for it.
One of my Dad's characters is a Erudite. a black mage like character (I don't play EQ so I'm not sure). When he created the character he was greeted by people with such choice phrases as "N***** lover", "Look at the coon", and such. This wasn't expected from people who routinely play as elves, cat people, ogres, trolls,etc. Lets not even get started on creating a character with an Arab sounding name.
Has this situation gotten better. Yeah it has, as companies force real world consequences on these virtual accounts people have second thoughts about abusing online anonymity. We the player may not know who you are but Sony and Microsoft do. I think that we see less of this action as people get banned for saying inappropriate things. I personally have had a much better experience with Xbox Live on Xbox 360 than on Xbox but that may be due to not wanted to get the serial number for your $300-$400 dollar console banned from live.