I was struggling to think if I should reply to this thread because I was worried I was going to go off on an angry tangent. The original post here is framed in a way that is pretty presumptuous about people's politics. I'm not even going to get into the statement that most of the internet is "liberal". Moreover, there is the stated notion that prejudice is a "conservative" notion. That's frustratingly simplistic and naive. I don't want to start a huge argument over this, but trying to frame this argument while drawing comparison to modern politics (modern western-centered politics, at that) is a recipe for disaster.
Anyway, on to the subject at hand. Eorzea as a setting is full of bigotry, hatred, and hardship. These things exist and are very real. They do in fact tend to be the norm, for varying reasons depending on the specific instance in question. Should this necessarily be reflected in people's characters? No, not necessarily. Adventurers are often defiant of norms. That said, I feel the darkness of the setting should not be ignored.
So perhaps your Ishgardian isn't especially wary around the Au Ra, or perhaps your character feels the mistrust of Duskwight is wrong. That is perfectly fine. However, as a writer one should ask "why?". What makes this character different? What about their experiences or beliefs causes this deviation from the norm? This can help build a further understanding of your character and make them more alive.
Similarly, players of commonly persecuted characters should consider that public opinion may well be against them. Perhaps your Duskwight is becoming rather prominent within the Conjurer's guild. Is she making any rivals? Are the common folk rallying against her promotion? These sorts of things can also enrich a character and their ongoing experience. These are not, of course, mandatory, but it can exist to add some conflict to a story that might otherwise not be there.
In closing, prejudice certainly exists and there are cultural norms. A player need not necessarily have their character embrace them, but should be aware of them and may wish to think about the role they play in their life.
Anyway, on to the subject at hand. Eorzea as a setting is full of bigotry, hatred, and hardship. These things exist and are very real. They do in fact tend to be the norm, for varying reasons depending on the specific instance in question. Should this necessarily be reflected in people's characters? No, not necessarily. Adventurers are often defiant of norms. That said, I feel the darkness of the setting should not be ignored.
So perhaps your Ishgardian isn't especially wary around the Au Ra, or perhaps your character feels the mistrust of Duskwight is wrong. That is perfectly fine. However, as a writer one should ask "why?". What makes this character different? What about their experiences or beliefs causes this deviation from the norm? This can help build a further understanding of your character and make them more alive.
Similarly, players of commonly persecuted characters should consider that public opinion may well be against them. Perhaps your Duskwight is becoming rather prominent within the Conjurer's guild. Is she making any rivals? Are the common folk rallying against her promotion? These sorts of things can also enrich a character and their ongoing experience. These are not, of course, mandatory, but it can exist to add some conflict to a story that might otherwise not be there.
In closing, prejudice certainly exists and there are cultural norms. A player need not necessarily have their character embrace them, but should be aware of them and may wish to think about the role they play in their life.
