galaxyscribe

If Battle Brothers is the house described in this analogy, then the bedroom is only lacking a ceiling fan. It's completely functional but is lacking one thing that might make some people uncomfortable. I'll admit, I rolled my eyes when the discussion shifted towards the idea that the lack of diversity and inclusiveness in this game is a bad thing. Is there something inherently wrong with a bunch of white guys doing white guy things in a racially homogeneous setting? Is creating diversity for no other reason than the sake of diversity a necessary moral decision? I'm inclined to say no. If we (white males) are going to cast a critical eye towards Battle Brothers for a lack of diversity are we deserving of the same criticism when we do things strictly with other white males? Am I some sort of crypto-fascist the next time I play golf without a woman or a black guy? That said, while I find the obsession our society has over identity wrongheaded and often times distasteful, I'm more interested in the freedom of producers and consumers to act as they wish, in a truly open and meritocratic marketplace of goods and ideas. If people are demanding diversity in games, fiction, and other media, then producers will be rewarded for it. For example, there's a reason why female authors are dominating the Hugo and Nebula awards as of late. Ann Leckie's 2014 Hugo and Nebula winning Ancillary Justice would have been virtually ignored if written alongside Larry Niven's Ringworld in 1970 when science fiction was a white man's club. If the roles were reversed, I'm not sure if someone like Niven, Heinlein, or Pohl would be particularly well received today in a community that is increasingly demanding, and getting, more than white guys in spaceships. I'd say that the better argument against Battle Brothers, which you also identify, is how unnecessarily crass and vulgar it can be. Filly Fiddler? Really? Anyway, I'm a relatively new listener to the show, but I love it. I have a long commute to work so it's nice to have intelligent and stimulating dialogue before and after a soul-sucking day of retail work. Keep up the good work and thank you!