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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 3 of 5)
Golis Nov 4th 2008 8:32AM
I am on Shadow Council, an RP server, and trade has never been anything remotely RP based.
Trade serves 3 main functions in Shadow Council:
1) Chuck Norris Jokes (yes, those continue here, even after all those months)
2) Looking for Groups
3) If you have nothing better to do... Trade.
It would seem that despite having the RP community status, Trade is where the rules don't apply at all.
and yet, through it all, there was not any talk of politics that I noticed last night... go figure.
Sean Nov 4th 2008 8:33AM
It is appropriate but Blizzard desperately needs to create a default faction wide chat channel for non-game related topics, instead of letting trade chat become a defacto off topic chat. Combined with a better way of reporting someone for inappropriate use of the chat channels, this could go a long way towards clearing them up.
Radiophonic Nov 4th 2008 8:35AM
/leave Trade
Oh, btw peeps: VOTE!
Will Nov 4th 2008 8:37AM
I don't mind political discussion as long as it doesn't descend to the "you're a stupidhead" level. Sadly, this is where Trade chat always seems to end up... with some homophobic slurs thrown in for good measure.
/sigh
Ruzan Nov 4th 2008 8:39AM
Your link redirects to CNN...
yuck.
Tuhljin Nov 4th 2008 11:12AM
What would he link to instead? Fox News? Don'tcha know Fox is eeeevil and totally biased (even though every single year studies prove CNN is more biased than Fox) ?
Tuhljin Nov 4th 2008 11:22AM
To be fair, though, linking to Fox is "asking for it" with the Internet kiddies these days - the hate is strong and never far from the surface with them.
KenMo Nov 4th 2008 8:45AM
If I want to hear mindless dibble about politics online I go to DIGG or DailyKOS. I get in WoW to enjoy the game and get away from "life" for a while.
Garfunkel Jenkins Nov 4th 2008 8:56AM
I think the political chat within your own group/guild is OK, but Trade chat is for Trade!
I agree with almost all posts here, and sure, as a Canadian I'm a little worried that John McBush and Bible Spice could win, but we all venture into Azeroth for fun, for an escape of the real world perhaps.
If the discussions were constructive, with some real arguments going back and forth, that might be ok, but I have yet to see a political trade chat discussion that didn't lash out and criticize race/orientation/etc
I vote no "outside" politics in our WoW
And for all our neighbors to the south, Please get out and vote today - Your vote counts! the world is watching
SBKT Nov 4th 2008 8:56AM
On my server, the politics come first, and it's the idiot zealots mocking things like the opponents name. I've only seen one written argument against it, and that was why NOT to vote.
I tell people to vote for me. I say "All government funding will go to help WoW be better than perfect. Oh, and red bull."
Houldlum Nov 4th 2008 8:58AM
What Blizzard needs to do is create a World Chat for all the crap that clogs trade and give us back TRADE chat.
Trilynne Nov 4th 2008 8:57AM
I don't mind politely chatting about politics with guild-mates... I never hang out in Trade, anyway, because the conversation is usually not something I would want to hear/see IRL, let alone in WoW.
Gnosh Nov 4th 2008 9:03AM
No politics in-guild. That's the rule.
Shanic Nov 4th 2008 9:12AM
Trade: Trading insults instead of goods since 2007.
Wymori Nov 4th 2008 9:15AM
If I thought it was possible for several hundred people to all yell at the same time and still have any kind of intelligent or coherent conversation (i'm not picky, i'll take just one), then i would pay attention. Instead, it becomes a shining example of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwins_law; i laugh at it for a minute and then move on.
Stormgaard Nov 4th 2008 9:21AM
Joe the Plumber!!
http://t-a-b-a.blogspot.com/2008/10/ask-trade-channel-7-joe-plumber.html
dirtydeeds Nov 4th 2008 9:21AM
vote Quimby.
Izzy Nov 4th 2008 10:02AM
Amen
joshbuddha Nov 4th 2008 12:47PM
Well most of the trade chat polotics are kind of moronic, whether it is the alts named mcainsux (it is McCain btw I know) or ObamaBinLaden (although I did laugh at that one when he said baklavajihad), or the completely uniformed as the people that commented after someone said the president isn't solely responsible for the problems with the country that congress is a big reason for the state of the nation, "the senate and the house have nothing to do with making laws." There are simple solutions get out of Shatt or /leave 2.
Speedmonkay Nov 4th 2008 9:23AM
Its kind of funny that this was posted.
Last night when we finished up in BT, a couple people started talking politics in raid chat and vent and a few of us at the same time said "Hey bring that crap to Trade Chat where it belongs!"