Splitting this off into another thread because it veers into off-topic territory and because I think the topic is one ripe for discussion.
I am personally of the view that this sort of thing is better classed as 'personality traits' than 'mental illnesses' (hence why I put 'mental illnesses' in quotes), because they are extremely difficult to overcome and change, pretty much in the same way trying to change your personality is extremely difficult especially if you are already a functional adult. I would also much rather people see these traits as endearing rather than as crippling defects that must be cured, because, obviously, the latter is much more damaging especially to my self-esteem than the former.
Indeed, I have seen comments on fictional characters with these traits (for example, Kunogi Ai from Shirobako) to the effect of 'she's insufferable!' and 'I can't stand her!', and that annoys me far, FAR more than those people who find her character to be 'cute' or 'adorable'. I have to wonder how devoid of empathy you have to be to see a character like that and want to shoo them away instead of help them and tell them everything is okay. That kind of mindset is exactly why that anxiety is so hard to overcome - just how many people, especially potential interviewers, are thinking in exactly that sort of way? It's absolutely terrifying.
At any rate, I find playing such characters to be therapeutic and fun, and if they get a positive reaction, it helps me feel better about my condition. Ironically, however, I usually play characters that are the exact opposite of my personality, which can be quite... challenging... at times. I have fun with that too, but it's a very different kind of experience.
I have to ask you - would you rather such traits be played as tragic and pitiful? Because, from my point of view, that's a far more negative track to take, especially if it's a "mental illness" that harms no one but the one who possesses it. I am still a perfectly functional adult, after all - I just can't function in social situations in the same way as others. I can understand why people would want to discourage me from being as asocial as I am - after all, there's a huge number of situations where being so leads to awkward situations and misunderstandings where they could be avoided - but at the same time, those problems can be avoided with understanding and care. And besides that, I live that sort of thing on a daily basis, so why would I want that to be reflected in my RP?
At any rate, a lot of this is subjective, and for me, personally, I would much rather like to be seen as 'cute' because that's a trait that I find valuable and endearing, as opposed to just 'awkward' and 'weird' as people tend to see me now. If, on the other hand, you see 'cuteness' as a negative trait, then we will never see eye-to-eye on this! That's just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.
All that said, there are many other 'mental illnesses' that I would agree should never be romanticized - however, I don't possess those traits myself, so I can't speak for anyone who possesses them. Still, I can see why psychopathy, anorexia, schizophrenia, and so on, would be things you would rather see addressed seriously and with proper respect, since they truly can be debilitating in ways beyond what even my own social anxiety can be. (People calling naturally skinny people - like myself - "anorexic", just because they can see ribs, is particularly grating with how terribly misleading it is.) But this is a very nuanced topic, as each trait is very different and possesses its own unique challenges.
It's all very interesting, really. Do you roleplay any characters with traits that can be classed as 'mental illnesses'? If so, how do you treat them, and how would you rather they be addressed? If not, how do you deal with other characters that do? I would imagine that this is something most RPers have had to deal with at one point or another, simply because so many RPers play characters with traits that qualify as such. Which makes sense, really, since these are qualities that help make people interesting relative to 'normal people' (and really, does such a thing even exist?).
(05-14-2015, 08:13 PM)Nako Vesh Wrote:These are both things that I do IRL (though I don't stutter as much as I just go silent, which can be even more awkward).(05-13-2015, 08:39 PM)Zyrusticae Wrote: Suffers from pretty severe social anxiety. Avoids eye contact. This only makes her cuter.
...
Stutters. A lot. Can be very grating at times, but also very endearing at others. She doesn't have this problem with people she's close to.
These traits are kind of a pet peeve of mine. Seeing mental illnesses being played a "cute" is frankly kind of disturbing. However, a lot of people here have made sarcastic entries, so if yours is as well, kudos!
I am personally of the view that this sort of thing is better classed as 'personality traits' than 'mental illnesses' (hence why I put 'mental illnesses' in quotes), because they are extremely difficult to overcome and change, pretty much in the same way trying to change your personality is extremely difficult especially if you are already a functional adult. I would also much rather people see these traits as endearing rather than as crippling defects that must be cured, because, obviously, the latter is much more damaging especially to my self-esteem than the former.
Indeed, I have seen comments on fictional characters with these traits (for example, Kunogi Ai from Shirobako) to the effect of 'she's insufferable!' and 'I can't stand her!', and that annoys me far, FAR more than those people who find her character to be 'cute' or 'adorable'. I have to wonder how devoid of empathy you have to be to see a character like that and want to shoo them away instead of help them and tell them everything is okay. That kind of mindset is exactly why that anxiety is so hard to overcome - just how many people, especially potential interviewers, are thinking in exactly that sort of way? It's absolutely terrifying.
At any rate, I find playing such characters to be therapeutic and fun, and if they get a positive reaction, it helps me feel better about my condition. Ironically, however, I usually play characters that are the exact opposite of my personality, which can be quite... challenging... at times. I have fun with that too, but it's a very different kind of experience.
I have to ask you - would you rather such traits be played as tragic and pitiful? Because, from my point of view, that's a far more negative track to take, especially if it's a "mental illness" that harms no one but the one who possesses it. I am still a perfectly functional adult, after all - I just can't function in social situations in the same way as others. I can understand why people would want to discourage me from being as asocial as I am - after all, there's a huge number of situations where being so leads to awkward situations and misunderstandings where they could be avoided - but at the same time, those problems can be avoided with understanding and care. And besides that, I live that sort of thing on a daily basis, so why would I want that to be reflected in my RP?
At any rate, a lot of this is subjective, and for me, personally, I would much rather like to be seen as 'cute' because that's a trait that I find valuable and endearing, as opposed to just 'awkward' and 'weird' as people tend to see me now. If, on the other hand, you see 'cuteness' as a negative trait, then we will never see eye-to-eye on this! That's just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.
All that said, there are many other 'mental illnesses' that I would agree should never be romanticized - however, I don't possess those traits myself, so I can't speak for anyone who possesses them. Still, I can see why psychopathy, anorexia, schizophrenia, and so on, would be things you would rather see addressed seriously and with proper respect, since they truly can be debilitating in ways beyond what even my own social anxiety can be. (People calling naturally skinny people - like myself - "anorexic", just because they can see ribs, is particularly grating with how terribly misleading it is.) But this is a very nuanced topic, as each trait is very different and possesses its own unique challenges.
It's all very interesting, really. Do you roleplay any characters with traits that can be classed as 'mental illnesses'? If so, how do you treat them, and how would you rather they be addressed? If not, how do you deal with other characters that do? I would imagine that this is something most RPers have had to deal with at one point or another, simply because so many RPers play characters with traits that qualify as such. Which makes sense, really, since these are qualities that help make people interesting relative to 'normal people' (and really, does such a thing even exist?).
