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Dungeons and Dragons - Stigma of the game.

To be blunt, Dungeons and Dragons is associated with nerds. The stereotype claims the Star Trek loving, computer game playing, Internet surfing, comic book reading, science fiction loving, Dungeon and Dragon playing, computer programmers are nerds and are somewhat lesser people than they "ought" to be.

I am not going to defend nerds, there is no need. I enjoy the above activities and am a nerd myself (though my last girlfriend claimed I was not and she did not want me to say that I was - because of the mysterious stigma).

I am simply asking you, if you feel that Dungeons and Dragons is only for kids (overgrown boys), and not for a mature person, to consider the following:
  • Women often get together to play bunko. Having played bunko myself I realize it is a childishly simple game, no more complicated than checkers. Yet people don't feel there is shame in weekly bunko groups. How is this different from Dungeons and Dragons?
  • People often get together for "murder mystery" parties (I joined in one recently myself). Currently this activity appears to be socially acceptable and desirable on societies list. Yet it is like taking Dungeons and Dragons to the extreme. In the murder mystery party, people actually dress up as their characters, and they move around and act out in animation some activities of their characters. This should be far more embarrassing than the Dungeon and Dragon players who simply sit around the dining room table in their typical wardrobe eating pizza, potato chips, and soda.
  • If you can supply a good recent, or even a poor reason, why Dungeons and Dragons should be stigmatized when bunko and murder mystery parties are not, please send me an e-mail. In the meantime, please re-assess your stereotypes!


    • On a similar note, Star Trek conventions seem to be stigmatized, yet "Home" shows, "Outdoor" shows, or attending the Academy Awards are not. Once again I ask you, what is the reason for stigmatizing one specific type of show? I suggest it is a weakness of your character if you do! (Yes, I am taunting you!)