Those who engage with Dungeons and Dragons will understand the importance of diversity. And those who are new to the game, outsiders looking in for the first time, will learn this as well. The reason for this is that, in addition to there being several different class types, there are also several different races that one can be within the world of D&D. “The core races are dwarf, elf, gnome, half-elf, half-orc, halfling, and human. Each race, and each culture and/or region of geographical origin, brings with it its own pros/cons and unique perspective that affects the character role chosen by the adventurer” (Richie, 2020).
In order to combat segregation or the reluctance to choose one race over another, the game does a great job in promoting a diverse set of characters in that “no one knows what race of being the party may encounter that leads to the next stage of the adventure. If the party cannot be represented by someone who can be seen as friendly to that individual, the adventure may end prematurely” (Richie). Due to this, it is learned that every race has merit and importance to the world being built, much like society in the real world. Everyone has a place, purpose, and role.
The game also promotes conversation through in-game dialogue, sidebar discussions/debate, and interactions with other characters played by the dungeon master (DM). Through this exploration and exchange of thoughts and ideas in the game, there is a transference of this into the real world.
“Mechanically and philosophically, the flexibility of D&D continues to allow participants the ability to negotiate issues of conflict, violence, and moral uncertainty.” In other words, between the dialogue that develops amongst the adventurers during gameplay and the outside-the- game conversations that inevitably take place during breaks, D&D is a vehicle that allows for people to discuss and navigate their way through the real life problems presented in the game. D&D gives some the opportunity to voice their objections to certain situations, and others the opportunity to combat stereotypical judgments while in the safety of a game environment” (Richie).
With this ability to mirror situations in one’s life into a game setting, besides just personal questions of morality or ethics, there can also be lessons taught such as cultural appreciation, racial appreciation, and empathy towards others who are different from oneself.
“Without knowing it, the characters we embody in Dungeons & Dragons are often reflections of our own flaws[.] […] We created them, through our own knowledge of our own experiences, and the experiences of our friends and family. […] This not only allows us to inhabit our characters with realism and purpose, but also holds a mirror up to ourselves, and to our fellow adventurers, allowing us to examine and understand our own flaws in the reflections of the flaws we create for our characters around the table” (Ashby, 2019).
Being able to not only evaluate ourselves, but others, illustrates to us that we all have similar things that happen in our lives, or have experienced. The human experience is something that we can all relate to, regardless of culture or race, which allows us to see past those constructs and appreciate what everyone can bring to the table.
In looking at the analysis of D&D and all that it teaches through play, one may ask “how can this be applied in order to meet goals set for yourself?” The first thing that I would suggest is to be cognizant of your world. Consider what makes the world around you rich and full of life. Pull from things that are happening around you and use it for inspiration. The second thing I would suggest is to be open to feedback from many different perspectives. Through the running of materials, such as writing, through numerous different opinions, you can glean how your work may be construed by others. Through collaborative efforts such as this, you may be able to deepen your world further making it more believable and ensuring that you are highlighting diversity in the right ways.
The ability to be open and cognizant to the world around you will assist in the understanding of popular culture because popular culture is made up by the majority of people in the world. This means that it is not niche to those of the elite, who are few when it comes to the whole of the world, and therefore, are going to be culturally and racially diverse. Which will lead to cultural and racial acceptance, appreciation, and collaboration. Popular culture is meant to bring like-minded people together under umbrellas of things we all find joy in, which can only happen if we are open to others different from ourselves.
Works Cited
Richie, B. (2020, September 11). Dungeons & Dragons-A life changing experience. Mount Tamalpais College. https://www.mttamcollege.edu/dungeons-dragons-a-life-changing-experience-by-brian-richie/
Ashby, C. (2019, July 10). Why playing dungeons & dragons can teach you to be more empathetic. Medium. https://medium.com/creative-scatterbrain/why-playing-dungeons-dragons-can-teach-you-to-be-more-empathetic-5dc94ae59c1d
Elysian Creative Writing 
Leave a comment