This is a Yahtzee blog. Obviously. So I discuss Yahtzee subjects. Obviously. As such, the subject I wish to address today certainly comes from a dice based/Yahtzee point of view, but it applies to so much more than Yahtzee... in fact, it applies to so much more than board games. It can apply to pretty much anything in life. It's not often I get serious here... and I will try to keep it light, but this is a topic that, more than most, has a real propensity to curdle my blood! That topic? Gatekeeping.
If I had to explain gatekeeping in one quote, it would be: "We're experts, you're not, so we're going to laugh at your lack of knowledge before we tell you to go away!"
This entire attitude sickens me. Genuinely. It's as if these "gatekeepers" were born experts, and let me tell you, NOBODY is born an expert, unless you consider crapping yourself to be a skill! What makes it worse is that I think most of these people genuinely think that they WERE born experts! This kind of pompous thinking seems to be everywhere these days. Thanks internet! I wish this wasn't the case but there ya go.
Imagine, if you would, you've just stumbled upon the fine game of Yahtzee, or any game, or anyTHING, and you are genuinely excited to learn all you can. You join social media groups, maybe a club or two, all in an effort to learn more about your new interest and meet new people. You ask questions with a natural inquisitiveness that comes with learning. Then, from nowhere some pompous twat rears their hideous troll shaped head, offers nothing in the way of education and just proceeds to mock, demean and talk down to you just because you had the nerve to know less about something than them! But not only that, they're not just content to ridicule you, they seem to just want you to go away in general. But why?
Now, I can at least understand, if certainly not condone, the ridiculing bit... they're obviously starved for attention and they want a great big social media pat on the back, like most people seem to want these days. In all honesty, I do it a bit. But in my defence, I only make JOKES with our members, they know the deal and if they don't know the intricacies of Yahtzee after two years of playing week in week out, they deserve to be made fun of (in our Match Summaries)! My point is, I'm only joking, it's not demeaning and if they genuinely didn't want me to do it, I wouldn't. But what really grinds my gears, chaffes my arse, boils my bunny is when the gatekeeping nobs just seem to do their level best to scare you away, or at least hurt your feelings enough so that you never want to return to that particular hobby ever again! Moronic, ridiculous,it needs eradicating, but beyond all that, just bloody pointless!
In my humble opinion, one of the best things about pursuing a game such as Yahtzee etc. is the fact that you have the opportunity to meet people. People you normally wouldn't meet anywhere else, make new friends, share that one common interest you possess. But for whatever reason, some people seem to detest that idea!
What these gatekeepers fail to understand is that not only is that an extremely miserable way to live your live and totally counterintuitive to how multiplayer games actually work, it's also completely reductive! Let's say the game they're so vehemently defending from fresh interest ISN'T Yahtzee, Catan or D&D... y'know, well established games. Let's say it's a game that has finally been published thank to a long fought and hard won Kickstarter campaign. They could very well ruin a marvellous game into the ground just because all those that decided to donate right at the beginning decided they didn't want it to fall into the hands of us mere serfs that didn't donate at the beginning! Not only would the developers lose money, but the game would end up going out of print too and they would go out of business! Does that make sense to you? And that might seem like an extreme example, but I assure you it is not!
It may sound like I am being hateful towards these people, which in a sense I suppose I am, but really, I just want to know why. What is it they hope to achieve? Why is exclusivity, which doesn't involve leg room and free booze, better in their mind than inclusivity? And I'm genuinely curious. If there is any of you reading this that are self aware enough to admit to themselves that they are one of these people, please, get in touch! I would honestly love to hear from you and try to understand your reasoning! No judgement!
Anyway, regardless of their reasons, I, Christopher Bush, Chairman of the BHO Yahtzee Organisation, does hereby decree that we were, are and will forevermore remain a gatekeeping free zone! You will NEVER be made to feel like you don't belong here, you will always recieve friendly advice, not sarcastic derision, to any query you may have and I will personally pledge to you right here, right now that if one of our members ever acts in such a way that makes you uncomfortable or makes you feel like you don't belong, they will be dealt with by me personally (with fists... joking). I take this stuff seriously. I can't stand bullying and I will not tolerate it, and while I feel gatekeeping falls somewhat short of actual bullying (depending on what is said) it is certainly not the image or behaviour that the BHO wants to be associated with! We are so much more than that! We... play Yahtzee too...
So, if in the future, you notice a question online, or God forbid, an actual human asks you a question, about something you happen to know quite a bit about, even if it was poorly worded, slightly daft or the answer is so obvious a slug would know the answer, just answer it, politely and respectfully. OR, if you can't do that... just scroll on...
... and guys, just be nice to each other in general. Spread a little happiness, because life is far too short!
Comments
Post a Comment