Attention, everyone, we can cool down and go home: It’s confirmed that Orson Scott Card likes the game, and he’s got ‘Card’ right in his name. Let’s see you beat that qualification.
2 Likes
Freep is totally Not Politically Correct, I bet there’s some great jokes there. Much better humor than all the Stuffy McStiffersons here, surely…
And that’s a great article. Note how it does not attack Nielsen as being a tool of the patriarchy, get into the racial makeup of the decision makers at Nielsen. Tell Nielsen’s customers that they are evil for doing business with them or liking them? It’s straightforward, it calls attention to a problem without any bullshit. In short, its not a propaganda hit piece, its not preachy. I would happily take that article and hold it up next to this one as a prime example of what has changed. I would also note, its not in fact calling out problematic media, not a single piece of media is called out in that article. Its a bias in a rating system that is being looked at, not a any kind of artistic work, game, song, movie, etc.
And thanks for the history lesson, but I’ve been reading boingboing since the late 90’s.
1 Like
Then why are you so wrong about its very core?
The nature of social media has put timely discussions of womens issues interspersed with nerdry. Nerd-dom has become more inclusive.
Boingboing hasn’t become “propaganda” so much as discussed the changing nature of society, which is natural and good.
It’d understandable that someone might not want to hear about these topics, but to say that it’s un-BB, that makes no sense. Discussing wonderful things is sometimes discussing bad people in the interest of being better people, which is a wonderful thing.
And the idea that these discussions don’t belong in discussions of life and all its wonders, that’s not itself a form of harmful thought policing? People sure are selective about the thoughts deserving of protected status.
3 Likes
I guess we have different opinions about what is at the core. What you are describing sounds more like “A litany of depressing things” to me. Discussing the changing nature of society would be great. But calling this piece a discussion is laughable, its just an attack, plain and simple. Do you really think the people who made a card game you do not like deserve to be labeled “bad people”?
1 Like
This an article by Leigh Alexander, who’s also a progressive pop culture critic. She made countless articles criticizing the exclusivity of the geek culture, especially when it comes to feminism and LGBT rights. I’m not surprise that she’s criticizing the tasteless edgy humor such as CaH, even though my sister still have the set for said game.
full discloser: I’m African American with a hint of Native American, and currently my sister have cancer.
4 Likes
I was referring to general issues of feminism discussed here that you were handwaving-away as out of sort for the site.
I play CAH and don’t mind more thought-provoking aspects of where it could get problematic, and apparently have the capacity to read things and not agree with them fully, and not get angry about it.
1 Like
Why is it people who freak out about “Political Correctness” are the biggest thought fascists around? The world is a wonderful and terrible place, and you can be cheerful without Stalin’s Airbrushing everything into a rictus.
8 Likes
I am privileged to have been raised by my strong, feminist mother and father to be a feminist man. For my Mom, my grandmothers, my wife, and my daughter, happy IWD!
11 Likes
12 Likes
If the article looks like Two Minutes Hate, quacks like Two Minutes Hate, and feels like the mandatory Two Minutes Hate…
…okay, sleep for me now, hopefully…
I never hand waved away general issues of feminism. And I did not say general issues of feminism where out of sort for the site. You might want to read what I have written a little more carefully. And as for anger, I’m not the one telling you what you think, that you are an outlier, or inventing what views you have.
Take a moment, and imagine the person you are talking to is not some monster, but just disagree’s with you slightly. Is on boingboing, and has been for a long time, and probably has largely the same tastes as you. Imagine the points where you disagree are probably pretty small, and then re-read what I have written. When you see me write feminist propaganda, read both words. With propaganda being the word I do not like. If the site had been increasing pushing one sided hit pieces for any other issue I would be just as annoyed. No matter how good your cause, pushing it with repeated one sided hit pieces is not going to make me happy.
Getting late for me here, hope you are a happier mutant next time we talk.
Previous comment deleted, I’d missed your sarcasm 
1 Like
People for whom this is true don’t use the words “feminist propaganda” and certainly don’t use them to discuss rational critiques done in a reasonable way of current society, culture, games, etc.
7 Likes
Ummmmm, I didn’t actually say any of those things. I also started by guessing that I couldn’t possibly be talking about you, since you have no interest in defending CAH or your enjoyment of it. I’m actually kind of confused why you think I’m accusing you of anything. You told me yourself that you see no need to defend your enjoyment of CAH. I took that to mean that you thought no one has to defend their enjoyment of the game.
If you don’t want to talk about how you feel about CAH, or do so specifically in public, that’s fine by me. The key words here are “If you don’t want to do it… that’s your business.” This sentence is the exact opposite of condemning your choices. I assumed that your response was directed specifically at me because you thought it was somehow wrong for me to express my thoughts on the game, and specifically my thoughts of the weak defenses leveraged by supporters of the game.
I also never purported to have the only acceptable opinion on the subject, but merely poked a couple of the most obvious holes in the arguments in favor of CAH and it’s type of humor. If you reread my first comment, you’ll see that I defined specific defenses of the game, and then explained why I thought said defenses were weak.
1 Like
That’s what happened to my set’s “passable transvestites” card, among others. Although apparently the makers have come to the conclusion that “yeah, that crossed a line” and it’s not included in CAH any more.
1 Like
In this case I would suggest you take a look at some of their other work. It’s less “we decide what games are and are not to be enjoyed” and more “these are mechanics that are done better elsewhere”
They do speak from a position of some authority in the gaming world. They have reviewed a metric crapton of games, and their reviews are insightful and useful. Few things get to me to buy a game as quickly as a positive SU&SD review.
When they review a game poorly, as they’ve done here, they always contrast that with a game they feel has done that particular mechanic fairly well. Even in this case the games they suggest as an alternative are quality products: Funemployment if it’s the Apples-to-apples style you’re looking for, but with more reliance on the players to actually create the jokes. Skulls if it’s the simple party-game mechanic you’re looking for. Telestrations as well if you’re more interesting in carrying on conversations outside the game.
And games like Monopoly and Risk and Life have ruined so many people’s idea of what board gaming can be. They are objectively bad games in very many ways and those shortcomings have fueled a wealth of replacements that are so much better.
4 Likes
I think I’ll quote you on this: “I see you trying to attribute motivations to me. Please stick to things you actually know about and don’t, effectively, try to put words in my mouth or tell me what I care about or whether I’ve thought about things.”
Perhaps its as simple as your idea of a rational critique and mine differ. I do not see the linked article as a rational critique.
But if you prefer to unperson me and treat me as a monster based on your fantasy of what I am and what I think, nothing I can do about it I guess.
I’m not “unpersoning” you, citizen. I’m saying that in my world no good faith actor uses the phrase “feminist propaganda” with a straight face as part of a legitimate argument. By doing so, you’ve outed and self-marginalized yourself. I associate that phrase with people like Bill O’Reilly and Fox News commentators, not rational humans arguing with good intent.
I’m judging you by your own choice of words.
12 Likes
Y’all are welcome to come play Boing Against Humanity aka @waetherman’s
The rules have kinda’ degenerated and one is competing against robots, so I don’t know how fair it is…
4 Likes
