Boycott Atlus

[rpgdemon]

Originally Posted by Pip Boy

So my proposed hypothetical homophobic story characters are only acceptable if I also include a soap-box PSA about it? Nope. Realism is realism. Its not everybody's job to be Aesop in all places and all things and all times. I've read plenty of stories that took place in an older America where there was abundant racism and never a deliberate slap on the wrist about it. Doesn't mean I think racism is just peachy, it just means that this particular author would rather deliver a realistic narrative than be preachy.

Was Mark Twain preachy in his books? He delivered a realistic portrayal of America back then, but as it turns out, racism being correct isn't realistic! So, he showed all that racism, but also showed, "Hey, wait, those dudes were actually wrong." If you're delivering a realistic portrayal of the world, your portrayal WILL show that the bigotry was wrong, because realistically speaking, it is.

You don't have to beat your reader over the head while standing on a soapbox to do it. Again, look at Mark Twain. TONS of rampant racism going on, but he just demonstrated it to be wrong by the facts of the story, without going, "LOOK AT RACIST JOE GET STABBED THROUGH THE EYE WITH A RUSTY SPORK!"