Why asking whether or not DnD is colonial is a silly question
How is it that while pretty much everyone in roleplaying believes the satanic panic to be an outrageous case of moral panic with no basis in reality, but when the claim is made that DnD/Dungeons is colonial that claim is taken seriously both by those that agree with it and want to decolonize roleplaying as well as those that deny the claim and want to defend their hobby from the accusation.
I am not here to deny that DnD through its history heavily featured colonial motifs but so were all kinds of magical rituals.
Why is it that players intellectual capacities are entrusted to disregard a blood ritual as some silly fiction?
But when it comes to the violence their characters apply to the denizens of the world, some colonial thought pattern is at play with an allure capable of bypassing rational thought and reinforcing some colonial mindset.
When DnD is a colonial, racist or imperialist fantasy, as it is for many not just in the past but also in the present, the logic that is at play works exactly from the opposite direction.
Precisely because many players bring a world view to the table where people are of different qualities, separating between different races in the world is simply a logical extension.
But for a player not convinced of the false worldview, those aspects of the world are as fantastical as the magic in it and as such it is as likely for them to take on racist thoughts from playing as it is for them to attempt a magical ritual in real life.
I the spirit of "Criticism is for friends to your enemies give nothing but mockery" I want to adress some final thought to the blogs that inspired me to write this one.
the default dungeon is colonial
[Anti-colonial Dungeon
I want to say that while I hope to have shown the error in some of the consequences that where drawn I still very much apreciate the work of highlighting the racist logic that is at play at many tables and highlighting ways for those that want to play a different kind of game(While the thought of propagating colonialism through DnD is false I can sympathise with the feeling of disgust at common motifs and mechanics in DnD and wanting to play something different)
I am a clown and have no clue what imperialism is
And well what a suprise that the apologist for racism and colonialism is an officer in the #1 genocidal army in the world.