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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

You're All a Bunch of Lemmings! (or so I've been told and some choose to believe it)

but I know they're wrong, wait and see...

It seems to come up with annoying frequency these past few months.

Apparently, I exert too much influence in our corner of the hobby to be entitled to my own opinions, at least not the negative ones. Yes, it seems I've hit that point where my readers can't think for themselves.

Yep, you, my readers, are apparently a bunch of "Fucking Lemmings!" Which, needless to say, surprises the shit out of me as disagreeing with my posts seems to be a full time job for some of you folks - as well it should be. Nothing breeds discussion more than disagreement.

Now, I'm not one of those "everybody that plays should get a prize" type of people. That is not real life. That's not this blog. I can guarantee you that if The Tavern was that type of blog, the vast majority of you wouldn't be reading it. Shit, I probably wouldn't be bothered posting.

But there are folks that are of the mind set that negative opinions and observations shouldn't be made by those that exert undue influence - and under their definition, I am one that exerts undue influence.

So be it. If you are lemmings, you are some of the most opinionated, independent thinking lemmings I know. If I were to jump off a cliff, I expect you'd all tell me to fuck off as you went your separate ways.

I'd expect nothing less.

Long Live the Lemmings!


As an aside, all Kickstarter posts will now be labeled as either The Good, the Bad or the Ugly ;)




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21 comments:

  1. Scott AndersonJuly 15, 2014 at 4:29 PM

    Free speech is only for those who articulate the approved opinion. ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  2. TheShadowKnowsJuly 15, 2014 at 4:34 PM

    Personally I wouldn't hesitate to tell you to fuck off. It just hasn't come up yet.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJuly 15, 2014 at 4:52 PM

    I'm not sure what to think about this. Could you tell me please?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Moe TJuly 15, 2014 at 4:57 PM

    I don't have a big fancy blog with a bunch of lemming followers, though I do have a bunch of people who read my small crappy blog and follow me on g+ and I get accused of the same shit.

    Every time I say something negative it's taken way to heavily. I get a ton of backlash. I'm told I'm what is ruining the hobby etc.

    ReplyDelete
  5. mattruaneJuly 15, 2014 at 5:08 PM

    BTW, I do have a cliff for sale, if any of the lemmings need one. On the other hand, I am glad you seem to have inherited the mantle of old James Mal* as one of the "go to places for stuff about the OSR." I mean that as a compliment...I want to thank you for posting as much as you do, every day.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Raging OwlbearJuly 15, 2014 at 5:29 PM

    You are completely and utterly wrong. Or possibly exactly right. I'm not sure because I don't have my own opinion and only follow the mob.

    ReplyDelete
  7. OrcStompRunnerJuly 15, 2014 at 6:18 PM

    Your readers aren't lemmings, but your opinion carries a lot of weight with them. That is often assumed to come with the responsibility to make a good faith effort to be well informed before sounding off. (Not something that is required, but it is often expected of those with popular media outlets.)

    For the most part, I think you are good about this which is I'm sure a large factor in the value your readers assign your opinions.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gothridge ManorJuly 15, 2014 at 6:22 PM

    Erik, I know you're full of shit. Never follow anyone full of shit or you'll get poop in your face.

    They have been harping on you lately. And the interesting thing was I didn't think you said anything mean or horrible, like you do to your Friday night gaming group. It's interesting to watch them complain though. But to me, seems like they're just pissing on electric fence.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John MiddletonJuly 15, 2014 at 6:49 PM

      Was he mean to you on Friday, Tim?

      The power...straight to his over large head.

      Delete
  9. mattJuly 15, 2014 at 6:31 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. John MiddletonJuly 15, 2014 at 6:48 PM

    I, for one, base every important decision in my life based upon the posts you make Eric.

    Stuff like whether I should shave in the morning or skip it til tomorrow.

    Or whether it is blackberry or apricot on my English muffiin.

    Frankly, I'm a bit disappointed since that info is hard to glean on here.

    ReplyDelete
  11. ravencrowkingJuly 15, 2014 at 6:53 PM

    Keep calling it as you see it. People telling you what to post is bullshit. You have no obligation to be nice; you only have an obligation to be honest.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Tony T.July 15, 2014 at 8:34 PM

    Erik and this blog is what brought back my interest in RPG's, OSR, etc when I first stumbled across it a year or so ago. I immediately dug out all of my old D&D stuff from the late 70's and early 80's and begin to read again. (Thankfully I had saved all of my original stuff).
    I hadn't played since the mid 80's and had no idea what the heck OSR was.lol.
    Anyway, discovering this through this blog and all of the other great people I've "met", my interest to write and create like my younger days have been sparked again. And to teach and pass on to our children and younger generation the valuable lesson of roleplaying and how it interacts with daily life.
    I do my best with my extra $ to support the small and independent publishers of the OSR and purchase their products. Maybe one day, my daughter will have her a nice collection to share with her family.
    So, keep on Erik and pass me a shot of that kool-aid.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Doctor FuturityJuly 15, 2014 at 8:51 PM

    Nice, you know you're doing something right when people get their panties in a twist and have to tell you how bad and wrong you are for making all the people think badly. I'm guessing someone somewhere needs an excuse to explain away their Failstarter, or maybe someone just doesn't like the fact that you manage to call it like it is without somehow becoming a creep like certain other online personalities.

    Keep it up, whatever you're doing. And I'll keep dropping by to see if there's something I can bitch about.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dr. Mike DesingJuly 15, 2014 at 9:14 PM

    I think that you have different criteria that you apply to different situations - you don't judge everything the same way. You hold large corporations or 'professional' business people to a certain standard, and you hold the enthusiastic gamer who is bringing his first 12 page adventure to market as PWYW to a different one. You have taken on the role of cheer leader for someone who needs an 'attaboy', and the line of defense against scammers trying to bilk people out of cash. This hobby/industry has a whole slew of different people in it, at different levels of buy in and personal investment, and you judge each of these where he or she is, based on that unique set of circumstances.

    That can tick people off when they feel you are holding some people to one standard that you don't hold others to. Tough for them. Keep doing what you're doing.

    Your readers know when you are giving a sincere critique, when you are letting off steam, and when you are giving someone a shout out to encourage them to keep up with their labor of love. There's no reason you can't continue to do all three and mix and match as you will.

    ReplyDelete
  15. TenkarJuly 15, 2014 at 10:34 PM

    This is why i do the voodoo that i do. Or something like that. Comments like these, which move me between spitting my beer on my keyboard and saying shit like "shit, yeah, I do do it like that. Imagine how much better it would be if I realized that on my own years ago and actually put conscious effort into it."

    Then I realize I'd probably just fuck things up if I overthought what it is i do.

    Thank you all. I respect and appreciate your words of... words ;)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Nathan IrvingJuly 15, 2014 at 11:29 PM

    What a bizarre thing to accuse someone of.

    ReplyDelete
  17. (M)EFGJuly 16, 2014 at 7:58 AM

    I almost never post here, although I read every day. But this made me want to say "Please Erik, magnificent bastard that you are, don't ever stop on calling people out for their products/kickstarters/stuff they themselves put up for the public."

    ReplyDelete
  18. Doc SavageAugust 1, 2014 at 3:58 PM

    I just find your blog entertaining. Don't agree with plenty. Who cares? I ain't at your game table. You ain't at mine. Heck, I think D&D generally sucks when compared to games that I enjoy.

    ReplyDelete

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