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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Too much politics in your WoW?
by Robin Torres 
Nov 4th 2008 at 8:00AM
I am on record in preferring no outside world topics in my MMO chat and that particularly applies to politics, but what with a major real world political event happening today, politics have been a hot topic in Azeroth. Cinnabunz writes in that he's tired of politics taking over Trade Chat and I can totally empathize with him, even though the Trade Chat in my server has mostly been filled up with "I put my [insert link here] in your mom's [insert link here]" for the past couple of weeks.
Last week, I got an invite from a complete stranger to a guild of Ron Paul supporters. Regardless of my opinions as to who should be running the country, I don't want to deal with it in my favorite form of escape. But I know that many of you consider WoW part of your social circle and look forward to chatting about real world topics with your guildies and server-mates.
So does political chat belong in Trade Chat? Does it ruin the immersion too much for you or do you feel that something this important should invade even the virtual world? How long do you think it will last after today?
Last week, I got an invite from a complete stranger to a guild of Ron Paul supporters. Regardless of my opinions as to who should be running the country, I don't want to deal with it in my favorite form of escape. But I know that many of you consider WoW part of your social circle and look forward to chatting about real world topics with your guildies and server-mates.
So does political chat belong in Trade Chat? Does it ruin the immersion too much for you or do you feel that something this important should invade even the virtual world? How long do you think it will last after today?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 5)
Vellas of Shadowsong Nov 4th 2008 8:21AM
I don't mind the politcal talk as much as the as the other trend in trade. I don't know if it has hit most/all server yet but the "anal [insert 'hilarious skill link' here]" that seems to happen once a day and go on for hours is far more annoying and spammy than the politcal talk. Yes, yes, I know. /leave 2 I guess I'm one of those antiquated people that, you know, uses /trade for...trade.
alway Nov 4th 2008 9:19AM
Indeed, political chat may be bad... But its not quite as bad as the skill linking...
things like:
"I USED [ARCANE EXPLOSION] ON YOUR MOM LAST NIGHT. LOLOLOL"
ginka Nov 4th 2008 8:28AM
I relish the opportunity to read what people really think, especially when they're released from a sense of personal responsibility by internet anonymity. From what I've read on Trade channel, we're a far more barbaric nation than I thought.
Either that, or the inner life of the average adolescent male resembles pre-Roman Gaul.
Nizari Nov 6th 2008 1:54AM
Let me make an analogy: If you're walking down a crowded city street, several hundred people visible on each side for several blocks, and there's one dude at a crosswalk holding up a sign, dressed up like colonel sanders, and screaming about martians infecting our brainwaves, are you going to notice him, or the few hundred normal people?
Same thing applies with trade: normal people just go about there business, selling goods, wares, etc, while the attention whore nutters scream on and on, making themselves look much more populous than they really are.
Ariel Nov 4th 2008 8:27AM
I've honestly had enough politics talk. It's crazy enough as it is around here without bloody discussions breaking out in party or guild chat.
Axolotl Nov 4th 2008 8:23AM
With over 80% of Europe Rooting for Obama (the other guy is just too much of a hotheaded warmonger to us), elections in the States concern us too. Just imagine someone that triggerhappy throwing the biggest army in the world on top of everyone that doesn't agree with him ... that would make America the bully of the world.
Only selfish people would vote republican, the every-man-for-himself way of doing things is not very European, we believe in strength by union, even if that means supporting the weaker in our society ... and that does not make us communists (where even lazy drunks would get a nice paycheck)
Cyanea Nov 4th 2008 8:30AM
Room for an American soon-to-be-college-educated liberal who's sick of American politics in your union? T___T
Tailchaser Nov 4th 2008 8:35AM
Well some of us over here work 12 hours a day and don't want to support the Lazy ass sitting at home or who just wants to work his 8 hours and go home. Not like people from Europe know any thing about a hard days work.
Max Nov 4th 2008 10:29AM
I shall be moving to Canada or Europe if McCain wins.
Naix Nov 4th 2008 10:34AM
"Well some of us over here work 12 hours a day and don't want to support the Lazy ass sitting at home or who just wants to work his 8 hours and go home."
/facepalm
Do you also believe the email about a king that wants to give you his money?
Tuhljin Nov 4th 2008 11:09AM
"Only selfish people would vote republican"
*automatic burial of Tailchaser's comment for being anti-socialist*
THIS is why politics shouldn't be discussed in WoW: Certain people are incapable of debate without restorting to name calling and burying opposing opinions. Despicable.
Phoenix Nov 4th 2008 8:24AM
On an RP server I could see validity in an argument against that sort of thing, but not on normal realms.
Regardless of your political preferences (even preferring not to hear about politics), people are going to get worked up in Trade Chat and with guild and character names. People are going to disagree, and the quality of chat will degrade to the point where people not actually selling anything will turn it off.
Someone on the forums actually suggested making /1 general chat citywide among all the cities, so that it could be talked about there rather than in Trade chat, which actually might be a good solution
Krugeroff Nov 4th 2008 3:11PM
YES!
I wholeheartedly agree with this. Then I can keep the /1 off in cities (and most other places) and use trade for....well, omigosh: TRADE!
Tithehga Nov 4th 2008 8:24AM
I definitely agree. My guild is a very laid-back on almost all topics, and guild chat frequently jumps from puerile to intellectual and back again. Two topics are completely forbidden, however: Politics and religion. There is no good way to ensure a decent conversation on these two, they just cut too close to the bone for anybody invested in them. Thankfully, everybody has been adhering to this rule quite easily and willingly. With the ubiquity of the election in the media, I've been thoroughly enjoying that my chosen form of escapism is allowing me to escape from the election as well. Now if only i could get those -ers i work with to adopt a similar rule.
T
Patrick Nov 4th 2008 12:45PM
Well, exactly...
The discussion of religion and politics often results in a highly emotional state because they are important and involve what people do with their lives and how they think other people should be treated.
It is easy to have conversations about unimportant things, because no one really cares about them. People play games because, no offense intended, they are bothered by more serious things, and are avoiding them to feel good. Naturally bringing up these serious things in this demographic is going to cause conflict.
Bunyipee Nov 4th 2008 8:28AM
I dont care, am not on an rp server and most of the stuff that is in trade or general is far worse rubbish. It doesnt bother me that much as I usually dont spend that much time in the cities, but politics frankly I couldnt care less whether its there or not.
The only things that bother me is the racist and homophobic stuff that keeps getting posted though there doesnt seem to be much that anyone can do about it.
Cyanea Nov 4th 2008 8:27AM
I'm just glad that it's soon going to be over, and we can return to the normal bullshit and immature insults. Last night in Trade, I tried for fifteen minutes to find a rogue to open a few lockboxes I had taking up space in my bank, and had to listen to a bunch of people arguing about California's Prop 8 instead. Some winning quotes from that "debate": "why u defnding fags?" "lol _____ is probaly givin a blowjob rite now", etc etc. It pretty much deteriorated from there.
I got so annoyed at both my "Looking for Rogue to open _____" messages being buried in five lines of homophobic screed that looked like the writer had banged their head on the keyboard a few times as well as the general immaturity that elections bring out on both sides of the fence that I logged onto my Engy alt and spent three gold collecting mats to make explosive charges.
Stumble Nov 4th 2008 8:33AM
When the political "wisdom" on the trade channel gets too angry or obnoxious, I simply type in "Elect Hogger. He's the President we deserve." That's usually good for a few "lol's," and sometimes it even sidetracks the polemicists entirely.
Foss Nov 4th 2008 8:37AM
Why don't blizz implement a new channel for non game-related chat? That way you can choose to join or leave it as you see fit. Of course you can already join/leave the trade channel, but it's meant to be for trading!
As for the elections - Axolotl's right. Your choice affects the world. I certainly hope you vote for Obama today - He has the potential to become one of your greatest leaders. McCain, on the other hand, is an old douchenozzle.
Natalie Nov 4th 2008 8:30AM
I don't really see a problem with it being discussed in trade. What I do have a problem with however, is that 99% of the time it is initiated by someone throwing out an insult out to get a rise out of people. So instead a real discussion its just a big flame contest.