What the hell is Roleplaying anyway?

Some who come to this space may wonder:

“What in hell is he talking about? Roleplaying game? Isn’t that kinda kinky?”

Well, yes, if you do it right.

Kidding, kidding. Mostly.

But more seriously, for the moms out there who have wondered what their offspring was wasting their time with for the last 30 years or so:

Roleplaying is creative, interactive, communal storytelling.

If you went out and did improv theater, parental units would get it, right? Oh, my son/daugher is an actor.


And everyone smiles and nods, and they knows whats goings on.

But they never say “my daughter, she creates a world vivid enough for six to eight other people to take up roles, and pretend to be part of that world. She then has to interpret all their actions, create a narrative, and play every other person in the universe. And it all has to be believable, internally consistent, and be part of an arc, without being too heavy handed.”

And everyone frowns, and thinks: “I wonder if that kid is going to go postal one day. After all, twice a year he dresses up in tights, puts on a weapon, and wanders around saying ‘thee’ and ‘yea, verily’ all day.” On the flip side, we usually get props for knowing Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Homer T. Greek, rather than Homer J. Simpson.

Why is that, do you think?