| World of Warcraft is based on Azeroth, a setting | | | | policies in World of Warcraft to punish those who |
| in a fantasy universe with some distinct similarities | | | | threaten others, but the hatred for the opposing |
| to our world. Some of the coincidences are | | | | faction is never sated, always mounting. |
| kitschy, funny even. But at the heart of these | | | | World of Warcraft's races have a great deal of |
| japes lies something a bit darker. Blizzard sets up | | | | similarities to those of our world, stereo types |
| a world where it is easy to hate the players on | | | | included. The Dwarves, who speak with a Scottish |
| the other side of the game. From that hate can | | | | Irish accent, have a lot of beginning quests |
| spring the hate of people and races existing in our | | | | concerning obtaining, delivering and making liquor, |
| World. Blizzard was not always kind to the people | | | | implying that the fine folks from the Emerald Isles |
| they represent with the races in their game. | | | | are drunkards. The Trolls speak with a Jamaican |
| There are two sides a player must choose when | | | | accent, and the dance the males perform is |
| beginning to play World of Warcraft. The Horde is | | | | Capoeira, a martial art devised by slaves in the |
| made up of Orc, Trolls, Tauren and the Undead. | | | | Caribbean islands and South America. Blizzard |
| The Alliance consists of Humans, Dwarves, | | | | portrays the trolls aa island folk, like those of |
| Gnomes and Night Elves. From the very beginning, | | | | Jamaica, and they actively practice various forms |
| players are set opposed to each other. The | | | | of voodoo, witchdoctors being the most |
| players of the alliance share a common language, | | | | important officials in their society. The peaceful |
| as do the horde. Interaction between the two | | | | Tauren, with their totemic and harmonic lifestyle |
| factions is limited to 'emotes' some visual, some | | | | are representative of Native Americans in their |
| purely textual motions or gestures the players | | | | naming practices and garb. Aside from potentially |
| can make such as cowering, waving, and spitting | | | | insulting members of these nationalities, Blizzard |
| on the other gamers. Often times in such | | | | sets them against other players, furthering hatred |
| encounters, there is no time for even | | | | for the people of the real world by spurring hate |
| rudimentary communication, as players are | | | | for the digital representations of them in their |
| encouraged and rewarded for slaying members of | | | | game. |
| the opposing faction on sight. | | | | Walking the line between what is allowable in |
| Most people can see the game for what it is, | | | | depiction of a group of people and what is |
| entertainment. Yet some of the players are | | | | offensive; World of Warcraft inspires its players |
| absorbed by the game and lose perspective on | | | | to hate one another. From that hate, the more |
| reality. After repeatedly being killed by members | | | | impressionable, or inclined players would not have |
| of the opposing faction, the rage can build to a | | | | a far leap to transfer their hate from the player |
| point where a player may begin threatening | | | | to the race they play, then to the real life ethnic |
| another with real physical attacks. Blizzard set | | | | group from which they are modeled. |