A bit of American history


Racial Issues In World Of Warcraft

World of Warcraft is based on Azeroth, aof Warcraft to punish those who threaten
setting in a fantasy universe with someothers, but the hatred for the opposing
distinct similarities to our world.faction is never sated, always mounting.
Some of the coincidences are kitschy,World of Warcraft's races have a great
funny even. But at the heart of thesedeal of similarities to those of our
japes lies something a bit darker.world, stereo types included. The
Blizzard sets up a world where it isDwarves, who speak with a Scottish/Irish
easy to hate the players on the otheraccent, have a lot of beginning quests
side of the game. From that hate canconcerning obtaining, delivering and
spring the hate of people and racesmaking liquor, implying that the fine
existing in our World. Blizzard was notfolks from the Emerald Isles are
always kind to the people they representdrunkards. The Trolls speak with a
with the races in their game.Jamaican accent, and the dance the males
There are two sides a player must chooseperform is Capoeira, a martial art
when beginning to play World ofdevised by slaves in the Caribbean
Warcraft. The Horde is made up of Orc,islands and South America. Blizzard
Trolls, Tauren and the Undead. Theportrays the trolls aa island folk, like
Alliance consists of Humans, Dwarves,those of Jamaica, and they actively
Gnomes and Night Elves. From the verypractice various forms of voodoo,
beginning, players are set opposed towitchdoctors being the most important
each other. The players of the allianceofficials in their society. The
share a common language, as do thepeaceful Tauren, with their totemic and
horde. Interaction between the twoharmonic lifestyle are representative of
factions is limited to 'emotes' someNative Americans in their naming
visual, some purely textual motions orpractices and garb. Aside from
gestures the players can make such aspotentially insulting members of these
cowering, waving, and spitting on thenationalities, Blizzard sets them
other gamers. Often times in suchagainst other players, furthering hatred
encounters, there is no time for evenfor the people of the real world by
rudimentary communication, as playersspurring hate for the digital
are encouraged and rewarded for slayingrepresentations of them in their game.
members of the opposing faction onWalking the line between what is
sight.allowable in depiction of a group of
Most people can see the game for what itpeople and what is offensive; World of
is, entertainment. Yet some of theWarcraft inspires its players to hate
players are absorbed by the game andone another. From that hate, the more
lose perspective on reality. Afterimpressionable, or inclined players
repeatedly being killed by members ofwould not have a far leap to transfer
the opposing faction, the rage can buildtheir hate from the player to the race
to a point where a player may beginthey play, then to the real life ethnic
threatening another with real physicalgroup from which they are modeled.
attacks. Blizzard set policies in World



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