Subject: RE: Women in Magic, et al. AND Other important issues... Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 12:58:19 -0400 From: "Heaven, Zachary" To: "'Novosel, Martin'" CC: "'fkusumot@ix.netcom.com'" [ DISCLAIMER ] WARNING: This is a very long message. Comparable to a short story, even. Reminds me of reading a "Wakefieldian Article" (TM). ========== Martin, I understand that you would be buried in letters by now. I completely sympathize. It was rather bold to state very clearly about women, biologically, the differences between us, and use it for analysis in why we are so different in Magic. It was a learning experience for me, but I did see you get flamed quite a bit. Specifically by women... they don't take it to well when guys talk like they know them. Ever noticed that? Physical characteristics only weigh so much, so you can't say "this is why...". I think that is why you have gotten so many responses. Especially when you almost blatantly say "because men are better..." or "because it's a guy thing". That's extremely dangerous, and you WILL be proven wrong. Society weighs down more than anything in this case. You were right in the sense that women are raised differently. They're daddy's princesses, queens of selfishness and sweetness. Boys are little monsters, playing, messing things up, and competing with each other. While all along the girls play house and dolls. Well, unfortunately, other than the earliest 8+ years, times are drastically changing. Once the hormones start to kick, it seems as if girls are being given a healthy dose of testosterone themselves. It leads to women in sports, politics, and a ton of rainbow sticker posting raging lesbians. In the earlier 1900's, things would have been different. How often do you see women in dresses, submissive to their husbands, and good house keeping mothers? HA HA HA HA. As a male, I wish it were that way sometimes (not really, but sometimes). Since the human race is also so adaptive in nature, more than likely the male and female brains will start to develop into a more similar structure. The reason it has been developing differently (until recent times I assure you) is because as men were hunting, they needed to use problem solving skills to develop methods of trapping food and catching their meals. This naturally develops a sense of mathematical superiority, and communication is done through team work. Women gathered, maintained the home, and took care of the men and children. The communication was done on a one-to-one basis, or in groups, where women would communicate between each other, and learned about feelings and emotion and language on a more personal basis. This probably has carried on throughout time, since the dawn of man. Men develop stronger physical structures, analytical skills for hunting, and group cooperation, while women developed a more softness, wider hips for child bearing, and better with communication on a personal basis. This has been very important throughout time, until recently. Role playing has all but disappeared. Remember that at the beginning of this century, women couldn't vote... couldn't play sports... and couldn't do a "man's job". You can't say the same now. Since the sexes are starting to merge in activities they do, you will see changes develop in the human structure. Men will become more soft and lazy, since hunting only requires "Sending your wife to the grocery store" (sexist comment, I know -- but it was a silly example). Women are becoming more analytical and athletic, while men become ... well... more pathetic. This applies to Magic, roughly in the same sense. While it seems to be a guy thing, there is no reason what so ever that women shouldn't be able to play, or just as good (if not better) than men. Physical differences hold no merit in this game. This is not American Football, where strength is the initial factor. This is a simple card game turned greedy. With ample practice, determination, and confidence, any and all women will do just as well, and hold equal footing on the game. I think one problem is that since Magic is a game, rampant with testosterone ridden teenage boys, who are unbathed and unappealing for the most part, women have no real reason to become interested in the game. I think if Wizards fixed Magic up a little, made it more of a test of skill and sportsmanship, rather than having it run through with luck and cheaters, women would have much more interest in the game. Until then, however, I don't blame anyone - male, female, or other - for not wanting to get into the game to the same degree. The other issues are more speculation, and opinion.. It seems to me that women tend to dwell more in the literal, in reality. Men love to dwell in the fantasy fiction(RPG, Sci-Fi). Magic is a fantasy fiction game. You are a mage, casting spells, competing with the other mage, in a battle of wits and intelligence, where only one stands victorious. There are contradictions here that make the game seemingly difficult for women to get into. The battle of wits and intelligence, I can see a woman doing very well with, given enough time and exposure. The fantasy fiction appeals to a much smaller crowd of women though. Men are also more power hungry. They want to be the leaders. Look at politics! Ever seen a woman president? Not yet. Here in Atlanta we have a case where a woman is making a bid for a seat on the Senate. The men in the same race are trying to buy her out and intimidate her into backing out. She refuses, and I probably will vote on her specifically for that (I saw this on the news, by the way -- don't know how much public exposure it's getting). With Magic, I see it being easier for the power hungry male to dominate the game early in the stages like it is. They want to be the ones who make it, who control the flow, and who win the money. A learned woman is probably a threat to the male ego, subconsciously. So, on that type of level, you're probably going to see women who start to get interested in tournament play being intimidated and run out by the males. I think these are the main problems with "Women in Magic". Of course, this is just my opinion, and I am not perfect so don't take my word for it. As time passes by, naturally more and more women should become good at Magic. For now, we have no role models or figures for women to base themselves after. We have no women's rights movements, in Magic. Around here it seems that the women spend more time writing about Magic or organizing events (registrations and judging) than playing. But beware, a new generation of women will always succeed the first, and another after that... eventually the probability of this new generation being the one that plays, more than caters to Magic will get pretty good. It will be a slow process, but the history teaches us that the merging of the sexes is inevitable, in life, and I'm sure in Magic as well. There is a more immediate problem with Magic itself that needs to be addressed way before women can become figures themselves. Wizards of the coast has benefited highly from Magic, as a game, and somewhat as a sport. They've captured the hearts of hard core gamers, and continually gain more capital through the expansion of their game and minimally through marketing channels (more by word of mouth than anything). The life cycle of Magic is unstable, as far as I can tell. There are only a certain amount of cards you can make before you start to overlap previous ideas and cards. Right now they are trying to fix what mistakes they made with cards earlier in the life of Magic, and that is good. Once Magic grows up, however, it stands the possibility of dying, quickly. For now, they're putting out 4 new sets a year, and every once in a while a "basic" set is redone. When this dies, which I assure you will going at this pace, Wizards will have no new ideas and sets to print, because they are trying to produce at such a rapid rate (because they're greedy sons of bitches), they will end up being their own demise. Why would anyone want to join a serious game where you have to spend $200-$500 every three months just to stay competitive. Don't you think Wizards is aware that we have to do this? It's because of people like me, who are obsessed with the game and spend too much money on product, is why Magic is still around today. One day, things will change... and unless Wizards plays an active role in slowing down their production, spending more time making sure they fix and balance the colors and cards they print, Magic will die. Since you have apparently stated that women can figure things out a lot faster than men, but don't know why, by deduction you would have to assume they know this as well. Why join up with a fleeting fantasy game that has no real merit and costs a lot of money, when it doesn't even better me as a person? Over all, your points were pretty valid. There are always exceptions to the rule, and seemingly, they are the ones who let you know it. I'm sure your e-mail is flooded with head-strong women right now. Good luck. I'm going to post this to the Dojo, and hope that everyone reads it with an open mind, to help cut down on the amount of e-mail that is being thrown around. The last thing we need right now, in Magic, is dissension in the ranks. Instead of worrying about the game itself, we have people constantly posting issues that they feel must be dealt with among each other. Cheating, Strategy, Sexism, Scrubs vs. PT Players... don't we understand that in order to better the game, we must first better ourselves? It's like getting married. How can you possibly commit yourself to a man or woman for your "entire life" (as a wedding is SUPPOSED to represent) without knowing yourself and your limitations first? The problem with Magic, is that regardless of race, sex, or talent, we need to better ourselves as individuals within the realm of the game. Wizards needs to realize they are not perfect, and can never make the perfect game. Given enough time we might grow up to the point where Magic can be taken serious enough to draw anyone, male or female, into the game. Zach Heaven