RPGNow

RPGNow

Saturday, April 23, 2011

What I Hope You Won't Find on This Blog

I assume that patrons of this fine establishment expect certain things when they walk thru the tavern door and pull up a barstool.  RPG talk, some personal thoughts, rarely comments about a current newsworthy event, maybe some updates in the personal life (adult beverages you must supply on your own - this is a BYOB tavern).  Going to the tavern is supposed to be a good time.  I try to leave my Rants that aren't game related off my bog.  (Yes, you will still suffer from my occasional Gaming Rants)

I don't think anyone really wants to hear my political views on my gaming blog.  I could be wrong:  Screw the Libs, F' the Conservatives, damn leftist Democrats, evil Right Wing Republicans - maybe if I could write a balanced article turning the above into OSR devils and demons it might be post worthy... otherwise, does anyone really want to hear that kinda shit from me?  Holiday dinners start going downhill the minute someone mentions politics in my family.  The last thing I want to do is bring that kinda crap into the tavern.

Same thing goes for religion.  For the most part, I'm going to try to avoid discussing anything resembling real life religion, unless its good wishes for a Holiday or something else in passing (oh, or if I can find some good gaming mileage out of it - gaming mileage = less offensive).  When I stumble across a post dealing with real life religion on the gaming blogs I read, it's never a positive post.  It's always lambasting one group or another.  You don't go to your neighborhood pub expecting or looking for such and my intention is you will never find it here.

I'm the last person that thinks a gaming blog needs to be 100% game related.  I do think there are certain topics that don't fit comfortably with the rest.  Each will do with their own as they see fit, which is the beauty of blogging.  I'm just voicing my opinion of what fits on my blog and what doesn't.
Posted by at
Labels:

31 comments:

  1. baronzemoApril 23, 2011 at 10:34 AM

    I have gone down the same path as you have. I've left my rant's of whatever the news is crying about off my blog as well.

    So have a happy and fun holiday weekend everone!

    ReplyDelete
  2. vizApril 23, 2011 at 11:05 AM

    I never discuss politics online, and am especially careful at places like Facebbok.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A Paladin In CitadelApril 23, 2011 at 11:50 AM

    I view my fellow bloggers as people, who have interests and thoughts beyond the latest game session or game release.

    I appreciate posts about their newborns, weddings, vacations, hopes and fears, work and medical challenges, and yes, even their politics.

    It reminds me that even though we are D&D bloggers, we also have lives and loves outside of D&D; are human beings; a community; and maybe even a family.

    On this very special and significant holiday weekend, hopefully people will take a minute to think about what it means to be part of a community, and will come back with a refreshed and reinvigorated perspective.

    Love your blog, keep posting whatever you want on it, and a very Happy Easter to you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. TenkarApril 23, 2011 at 11:57 AM

    My problem with the politics and religion posts on gaming blogs is that they are NEVER positive. It's always "look at these idiots! Anyone that believes XXXXX is a XXXXX!" Every XXXXX is a XXXXX!

    Literally every time I've stumbled across a post on these subjects it's overwhelmingly negative - and insulting to a number of readers, I'm sure.

    Why insult the folks that want to read your blog? Why polarize people on topics that aren't game related but extremely personal? I never understood that.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bree Yark!April 23, 2011 at 12:04 PM

    This is something I think every blogger should think about: what do they want their blog to be?

    I have very strong opinions on religious and political matters, but that isn't why I created my blog, and I have made the decision to keep my blog focused on fantasy/gaming related stuff only. I follow political blogs for political things, religious blogs for religious things, etc.

    If I do come across a political/religious post on a gaming blog, then sometimes I will say something. If you make political posts on your blog, and leave it open for comments, you're inviting people to make political comments on your blog, whether agreeing or disagreeing.

    Some people can discuss these things, and some people can't without blowing up. If one does not have self-control, they're probably better off not going there in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
  6. TenkarApril 23, 2011 at 12:07 PM

    Another pet peeve... if you are going to make such a post, let people that disagree on some level with your post actually leave a comment. To do otherwise is BS.

    If I call out the blog in question, I'll be violating my own guidelines. The amazing thing is, I think my response was non-political and non-religious.

    Since it obviously isnt going to get posted (as a later comment did and this didn't) i'll post it here:

    Every Christian denomination has members that take their faith to the extreme and the words of their faith very literally.

    Expressing their beliefs, even protesting at events and such, are their right as Americans.

    The only time we as individuals give an F’ is when their protests interfere with or offend us personally.

    Freedom of speech is a great thing until it gets in someone’s way.

    (ah well - if you're comments don't fit the agenda, they won't get approved)

    ReplyDelete
  7. mikemonacoApril 23, 2011 at 12:43 PM

    Dude, I was not stifling your comment. Wordpress lets some posts thru without moderation and others I have to sign off on, and this morning I was at the gym.

    ReplyDelete
  8. A Paladin In CitadelApril 23, 2011 at 1:02 PM

    Sorry for stirring the pot.

    Again, enjoy this very special and significant holiday, all about redemption, love, respect, friendship and forgiveness.

    ReplyDelete
  9. A Paladin In CitadelApril 23, 2011 at 1:15 PM

    Tenkar said...
    Literally every time I've stumbled across a post on these subjects it's overwhelmingly negative - and insulting to a number of readers, I'm sure. Why insult the folks that want to read your blog? Why polarize people on topics that aren't game related but extremely personal? I never understood that.

    They probably feel very strongly about it. The question is, why? The answer to that question is usually pretty illuminating.

    ReplyDelete
  10. TenkarApril 23, 2011 at 1:16 PM

    mike - I stand corrected then, and I see my response is posted. Thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. ZanazazApril 23, 2011 at 2:14 PM

    I went and read the post in question. As a firm supporter of Free Speech, I do have one caveat, and it's similar to the concept of not yelling fire in a crowded theater. If you are using your right to Free Speech you had better not have an ulterior motive, trying to achieve something other than voicing your opinion. I won't name the group I am thinking about, but their intent is financial gain plan and simple. Also I'm not talking about someone getting paid to protest, but suing whoever they can if they get attacked, or their demonstrations shut down. It's abuse of the Freedom of Speech, and is wrong in my opinion.

    It's sad that there can't be positive posts about gamer's personal beliefs. I for one would like to see a post about how someone reconciles their religion with their gaming activities, or more accurately how they reconcile their belief and faith with certain aspects of the gaming hobby. I know there has to be gamers of all Denominations out there, and it would be interesting to hear from them.

    ReplyDelete
  12. mikemonacoApril 23, 2011 at 2:53 PM

    Tenkar -- no worries.
    However I can't help but post some political, religious, or even edition war rants sometimes and make no apologies.

    ReplyDelete
  13. PadreApril 23, 2011 at 2:57 PM

    Thanks for the post. For the most part I stick to gaming stuff, but as a priest I do occasionally post something on religion, faith or spirituality. I do try to avoid inflammatory comments on religion and politics. I don’t think that I have encountered the level of vitriol that you have described on many if any of the OSR blogs. I rarely make repeat visits to sites I find insulting or filled with trolls and flamers. Thanks for having a quality site.

    ReplyDelete
  14. TenkarApril 23, 2011 at 2:58 PM

    eh, you riled me up with the "imaginary fiend" line. that's the damn thing about religion, it's much easier to offend other beliefs then it is to offer them praise.

    i know your intent was to direct that comment at a limited subgroup, but that shotgun splatter effect went outside the intended target i think ;)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Bree Yark!April 23, 2011 at 3:01 PM

    Zanazaz, despite all the stereotypes out there, there seems to me to be a disproportionate number of people in the OSR that are involved in Christian ministry. I think most people would be surprised at how many there are.

    ReplyDelete
  16. PadreApril 23, 2011 at 3:09 PM

    Community and adventure - That is where my faith and my gaming hobby intersect the most. Perhaps I'll babble about it some time on my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  17. TenkarApril 23, 2011 at 3:14 PM

    Padre, welcome to the Tavern. I like your approach, and you are added to my blogroll. :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. limpeyApril 23, 2011 at 5:08 PM

    I make posts with political content on my blog. I usually leave contrary opinions up unless a) the poster of contrary opinions says things like, "Your opinions are typical of someone who believes in X," or b) if they only seem to visit my blog for political posts where they weigh in several times an hour demanding I 'respond' to their 'points' on the matter or change my wrongheaded opinion but never contribute to any other post on my blog. I'm not interested in the opinions of people who just hunt the internet for something they don't agree with so they can log in and bitch about it.
    I also have a hard time understanding what constitutes a 'political' post sometimes. I live here in Detroit, and, if you have not heard, the Koran burning Pastor Terry Jones is in town trying to stir some shit up, I posted about it. It is happening in the town where I live so I thought it was perteinent. But suddenly someone else (who never visits my blog except to complain about 'political posts' when I make them) shows up and wants to make this a 'liberal versus conservative' issue.
    I've had the blog for a while with over 300 posts. Of those, less than 25 have any 'political' content. The same posters who log into my blog to bitch about 'political content' and say they resent it's prescence in a gaming blog never log in to bitch (or praise) the other ~84% percent of the content --- so I could actually conclude that political content does not drive these readers away --- it attracts them! How perverse is that?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Bree Yark!April 23, 2011 at 5:42 PM

    The question is, would limpey delete the comments of someone who only comments on political posts IF they happened to agree with him?

    I think the answer to that question is obvious.

    So then, he deletes posts because he doesn't agree with them.

    I haven't posted on any of your gaming posts, limpey, for the same reason I haven't posted on a bazillion gaming blogs and topics - because I am not personally interested in them. I'm not saying they are bad, I am saying they aren't generally of personal interest to me. That is why the number of blogs on my blog roll is low, because I only list those blogs that I personally find interesting on a regular basis.

    Now if I am the political monster that limpey makes me out to be, why are the vast majority of my comments on gaming blogs non-political? And why is every post on my own blog non-political?

    Nay, what limpey cannot stand is a contrarian viewpoint, especially one firmly supported by the facts that exposes his hypocrisy. Which is why he insisted on getting the last word in, locking future comments, and deleting my previous comments. Because they expose him for what he is.

    As tenkar says, we appreciate free speech, until we hear speech we don't like, isn't that right, limpey?

    ReplyDelete
  20. A Paladin In CitadelApril 23, 2011 at 6:16 PM

    That's not entirely true. Limpey has deleted several of my comments, where I had strayed into troll-like behaviour. He was right to do so, and I applaud him for being a responsible blogmaster.

    Also, your blog about fascism in the OSR was definitely political.

    People are free to monitor their own blogs, for innapropriate comments, and delete them as necessary.

    Likewise, we are all free to write whatever we like on their own blogs (within the bounds of the law).

    No one, but yourself, is preventing you from expounding your political views on your blog. I don't think (contrary to the some wholy imaginary injustice) that someone determining what is appropriate content and commentary on their own blog is hypocritical.

    Bree Yark, I encourage, and look forward to reading your political writings on your blog. It's yours, after all!

    Happy Easter!

    ReplyDelete
  21. PadreApril 23, 2011 at 6:45 PM

    A Paladin In Citadel said... "People are free to monitor their own blogs, for inappropriate comments, and delete them as necessary. Likewise, we are all free to write whatever we like on their own blogs (within the bounds of the law)." Amen. (I’d say Alleluia, but haven’t entered Easter just yet.) ;-)

    The blogs I enjoy, on whatever topic, I visit and from time to time offer comments. The blogs I don't care for, I don't visit. To argue with a person I have never met and probably never will, seems like a waste of time, emotion and effort. More often than not it is. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I am a fool, but I try not to gain any more experience in foolishness than I already have acquired.

    ReplyDelete
  22. A Paladin In CitadelApril 23, 2011 at 7:50 PM

    Have a meaningful Easter, Padre!

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. limpeyApril 23, 2011 at 8:04 PM

    Bree Yark: I don't think its good form to log into Tenkar's blog to bitch about what happened to you on mine. If you read my response to Tenkar's original post, it is on target. It references matters involving you, but only tangentially (and I don't use your name). Your response to my response is an attempt to 'get me back' or continue the argument. I think we both owe our host on this blog (Tenkar) the courtesy of not doing that here.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Bree Yark!April 23, 2011 at 9:33 PM

    @ Paladin, my post was Fascism In The OSR post was not political. But if you would like to make your case, I recommend you do that on my blog. Now maybe you did act like a troll in some of your posts, I don't know. But I do know that I wasn't trolling.

    And I have never said people deciding what they do or don't want on their own blog is hypocritical. But if you make inflammatory posts, and claim to be open to other sides, and yet delete posts because you don't agree with them, then you are policing your blog hypocritically, as tenkar explains here. That is an important distinction.

    @ limpey, how am I to correct your misrepresentation of what happened without naming you? You're the one to bring up this specific incidence here, not me. The truth is, what happened to me on your blog is exactly the kind of thing tenkar's post is about. If you are so conscientious about soiling tenkar's blog with this stuff, then why did you bother to post your response here? "To get me back" by pretending to take the high ground?

    I find it ironic that limpey is all of a sudden concerned towards me about what is and isn't respectful, given all of his juvenile name-calling directed at me.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Bree Yark!April 23, 2011 at 9:46 PM

    @ Padre, I agree with you if one is looking at converting the person you are debating, that generally is a waste of time, as people actively engaged in the debate are seldom converted in the heat of debate.

    However, there are more people involved than those actively engaged in debate. The majority are silent observers, and they sometimes can be won over, by hearing things they have perhaps never heard before.

    ReplyDelete
  26. TenkarApril 23, 2011 at 9:51 PM

    Kids, play nice. I'm stuck in a 2 hr Easter vigil, batism, confirmation mass. No refereeing from me ;)

    ReplyDelete
  27. baronzemoApril 23, 2011 at 11:41 PM

    WOW Tenkar, I think you kicked the bee's nest on this on!

    ReplyDelete
  28. TenkarApril 23, 2011 at 11:48 PM

    Sure seems that way, don't it bz?

    Truth is, if all the political and religious posts in our blogosphere weren't always so negative, I doubt I'd even notice them.

    ReplyDelete
  29. PadreApril 24, 2011 at 1:09 AM

    "However, there are more people involved than those actively engaged in debate. The majority are silent observers, and they sometimes can be won over, by hearing things they have perhaps never heard before." Very true Bree, ya never know what comment or post may resonate with some unknown reader in ways never intended by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Bree Yark!April 24, 2011 at 7:00 AM

    @ Padre, that wasn't my point at all, but of course you knew that.

    Look, I'm done here. If people want continue to accuse me of stuff, twist my words, criticize me for responding (by responding themselves) etc., I'd appreciate it if you would move it to my own blog post about Fascism In The OSR. I apologize for the mess, tenkar.

    ReplyDelete
  31. A Paladin In CitadelApril 24, 2011 at 12:19 PM

    Happy Easter to all. Keep on posting what you like Tenkar, you have a great blog here.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Tenkar's Tavern is supported by various affiliate programs, including Amazon, RPGNow,
and Humble Bundle as well as Patreon. Your patronage is appreciated and helps keep the
lights on and the taps flowing. Your Humble Bartender, Tenkar

Blogs of Inspiration & Erudition