tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post2516295051846106671..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: A Well-Meaning ExchangeAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-18994511396570283702016-09-30T16:08:14.928-06:002016-09-30T16:08:14.928-06:00Archon,
The answer to your question is survival.
...Archon,<br /><br />The answer to your question is survival.<br /><br />Both my mother and father's families were large and I was forced to spend a lot of time among them when I was young. My mother's family were largely physically abusive alcoholics; my father's family were largely mentally abusive racists and bigots. Both sides were pretty ignorant. Given my parents' own dislike of their family, it is strange that we saw these people at all - but then guilt is a great motivator. My parents moved far away from their families and then proceeded to drag us a thousand miles to see them for holidays, cousins' weddings, reunions and other minor events.<br /><br />My parents were emotionally abusive and - as it took me years to unpack - extremely selfish in their needs. There was some physical abuse too. This is where much of my anger comes from; my brother's anger too, as he used to beat me when it got to be too much for him.<br /><br />My childhood experiences at school were also physically and mentally abusive, pretty much up until I graduated high school, despite being part of sports teams and such - most of this abuse was directed at my intelligence and at the intelligence of my closest friends.<br /><br />I'm pretty much the way I am because of all this abuse and the urge to fight it bitterly while not running from it as my parents did. My parents were the sort of people who could put their fingers in their ears and scream na-na-na-na while ignoring the suffering (and the changes) going on around them. This is why they ended their lives without any friends, without any close family, without even their children on their side.<br /><br />That's probably more than you wanted to know, Archon. But it comes down to learning to be a chameleon to survive and then recognizing that lying all the time (as I did as a kid) is ultimately a bad idea.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-69315485334696611902016-09-30T05:24:29.492-06:002016-09-30T05:24:29.492-06:00Well, as I make my way through the back issues of ...Well, as I make my way through the back issues of your blog, what do i find but a conversation about back-comments. At least I'm only 18 months behind now. <br /><br />But seriously, it intrests me how you can be so different when faced with different people. I can never get that. Its probably a lack of practise, or youth, or just a total failure of subtlty, but i always am the same kind of person (or at least i think so - maybe i change more than i think it do). This makes being the kind of person who can talk to teachers, but also go to parties hard. I don't think i have either down right. How exactly did you end up having such different personas - is there anything more to it that that being what you can get away with/what benfits you most?Archonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17718160700690722856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-24719099621725747832015-03-07T01:33:19.791-07:002015-03-07T01:33:19.791-07:00It's all good, Scott. People needed to see th...It's all good, Scott. People needed to see the exchange; I need to enjoin others to spread word of mouth for me if I'm ever to be successful. There's no other practical means at my disposal.<br /><br />I don't know why the internet seems so concerned with 'back-comments.' A comment is a comment. They're appreciated.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-34995987977461356042015-03-07T00:43:33.064-07:002015-03-07T00:43:33.064-07:00(And I don't conflate "acerbic" and ...(And I don't conflate "acerbic" and "rude." I'm fine with "acerbic" and you've never been rude to me.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027050864450321406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-14948303689542434792015-03-07T00:38:38.602-07:002015-03-07T00:38:38.602-07:00Sorry to back-comment so often ... it's not de...Sorry to back-comment so often ... it's not deliberate. I'm not very active online these days, and when I'm online, it's usually when I'm not at my best. I read a bunch of posts at once and it doesn't always occur to me that something I'm just now reading isn't fresh in other folks' minds.<br /><br />I'm looking forward to reading the book and giving my impression in some forum or another. (I'm not a born proselytizer but I tell folks when I like something.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027050864450321406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-80775361059052102192015-02-28T12:57:44.043-07:002015-02-28T12:57:44.043-07:00Damn, guess that makes me a fuckwit?
Still, I fin...Damn, guess that makes me a fuckwit?<br /><br />Still, I find you entertaining and your book really gave me a lot of ideas and a new philosophy as a DM that has already shown positive results despite only some implementation.<br /><br />Congratulations on the sales. Publishing is a tough business.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02846071799831004752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-66239084761492390612015-02-26T09:00:25.061-07:002015-02-26T09:00:25.061-07:00When I first found the blog, and had read your boo...When I first found the blog, and had read your books through, I posted on here like a puppy with a new toy - full of enthusiasm and you had to reiterate the rules to me.<br /><br />I did not find you acerbic and uncompromising in the least, you were kind and patient with me, yet left me extremely clear on what you do and don't want from the comments. That to me was perfect! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00640140513753627174noreply@blogger.com