Raggi is not the most eloquent speaker..."semi-eloquent" is the term I'd use. And his need to "fuck all y'all" defensiveness is...well, not the best method of turning folks onto his position.
But I don't disagree with anything he's saying here. And I think he's taking the right track. And I think there's a lot to be gleaned from this non-manifesto manifesto.
I don't think that's the point. From the video he states (whether true or not) he doesn't want to change people (other than to have them stop "killing" him).
The point is to turn himself to his position. Stop appeasement, stop caring about perceived or real commercial impacts. Start being himself again.
Mm. Sure, yeah. But he seems to believe that people will dislike this stance he's decided to take. And if one takes the time to listen to his message, I think people would actually appreciate his position.
But it's hard when the "fuck you" rhetoric keeps getting in the way. Doesn't bother me. But for other folks, that's an invitation to shut down and shut off. A self-fulfilling prophecy.
I'd be happy to explain it, Jeff. Raggi has chosen a certain kind of content for RPGs that hardly fits with the "we want to sell to children" model. He doesn't care. Everyone else should change their minds. He's not at all responsible for the people who won't work with him, or won't accept his intentions, which are good and perfect and absolutely beyond reproach. And because they won't accept that his intentions aren't this way, they can go F themselves. Everyone who doesn't understand that James Raggi is a person with wonderful, sincere, free-minded ideals can go F themselves. Everyone who didn't agree with James can go F themselves. Everyone who thinks differently from James can go F themselves. And so on. James is flawless. James is responsible for none of the hate against James. James is Jesus.
He needs a hairshirt because then he could truly feel that he's the martyr he believes himself to be. And as for me, and my willingness to judge him, which I absolutely shouldn't do, because no one should ever judge anyone else (he says so at length), I can go F myself. And that, dear friends, is in no way a "judgement" cast by James Raggi.
And Alexis knows this, too. Combing through evidence last month I saw an old interaction where Alexis claimed Caroline Pierce (one of the witnesses in the case) was a photo clipped from a magazine. Then she popped up on twitter and was like "Hi, I'm a real person". Alexis disappeared.
Now, no doubt Alexis has some withering remark that Alexis wants to pretend is meaningful--but there's no justification for that level of blatant disingenuousness.
I don't see it that way at all. Raggi isn't suggesting that everyone who doesn't understand him go fuck themselves, he's suggesting that everyone who condemns what he's doing should go fuck themselves. I have no problem with that attitude in general, whether it's Raggi or anyone else who isn't attempting to be mainstream and isn't harming anyone by so doing. And no one ever defended themselves without saying their attackers were wrong - how would that even work?
Sad and powerful and true.
ReplyDeleteProfound and awesome! As predicted, the tide hath turned...
ReplyDeleteFor one man at least.
DeleteThat point about crushing people's potential for anything other than their crime, is particularly powerful and well received.
ReplyDeleteI wish him nothing but the best, and I look forward to seeing what's coming next.
ReplyDeleteRaggi is not the most eloquent speaker..."semi-eloquent" is the term I'd use. And his need to "fuck all y'all" defensiveness is...well, not the best method of turning folks onto his position.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't disagree with anything he's saying here. And I think he's taking the right track. And I think there's a lot to be gleaned from this non-manifesto manifesto.
Thanks for posting this, Jeff.
> turning folks onto his position.
DeleteI don't think that's the point. From the video he states (whether true or not) he doesn't want to change people (other than to have them stop "killing" him).
The point is to turn himself to his position. Stop appeasement, stop caring about perceived or real commercial impacts. Start being himself again.
Mm. Sure, yeah. But he seems to believe that people will dislike this stance he's decided to take. And if one takes the time to listen to his message, I think people would actually appreciate his position.
DeleteBut it's hard when the "fuck you" rhetoric keeps getting in the way. Doesn't bother me. But for other folks, that's an invitation to shut down and shut off. A self-fulfilling prophecy.
Bad people do bad things, you can't talk to them. You can only inspire better people to take action.
DeleteJames Raggi: "I am a saint. Don't judge me."
ReplyDeleteHe's only lacking a hairshirt.
I do not understand that reading at all, Alexis.
Delete???
DeleteI'd be happy to explain it, Jeff. Raggi has chosen a certain kind of content for RPGs that hardly fits with the "we want to sell to children" model. He doesn't care. Everyone else should change their minds. He's not at all responsible for the people who won't work with him, or won't accept his intentions, which are good and perfect and absolutely beyond reproach. And because they won't accept that his intentions aren't this way, they can go F themselves. Everyone who doesn't understand that James Raggi is a person with wonderful, sincere, free-minded ideals can go F themselves. Everyone who didn't agree with James can go F themselves. Everyone who thinks differently from James can go F themselves. And so on. James is flawless. James is responsible for none of the hate against James. James is Jesus.
DeleteHe needs a hairshirt because then he could truly feel that he's the martyr he believes himself to be. And as for me, and my willingness to judge him, which I absolutely shouldn't do, because no one should ever judge anyone else (he says so at length), I can go F myself. And that, dear friends, is in no way a "judgement" cast by James Raggi.
Alexis lied about abuse so nothing Alexis says matters.
DeleteAnd Alexis knows this, too. Combing through evidence last month I saw an old interaction where Alexis claimed Caroline Pierce (one of the witnesses in the case) was a photo clipped from a magazine. Then she popped up on twitter and was like "Hi, I'm a real person". Alexis disappeared.
DeleteNow, no doubt Alexis has some withering remark that Alexis wants to pretend is meaningful--but there's no justification for that level of blatant disingenuousness.
I don't see it that way at all. Raggi isn't suggesting that everyone who doesn't understand him go fuck themselves, he's suggesting that everyone who condemns what he's doing should go fuck themselves. I have no problem with that attitude in general, whether it's Raggi or anyone else who isn't attempting to be mainstream and isn't harming anyone by so doing. And no one ever defended themselves without saying their attackers were wrong - how would that even work?
DeleteAlexis, you have chosen to write a certain kind of RPG content that virtually no one wants! 😉
Delete