D&D in the Public Spotlight
Since the early 1980s, not even a decade following the game's conception, Dungeons & Dragons has been under constant scrutiny in the public eye. Though today the game's reputation is not nearly as tainted as it once was, stigmas still exist concerning different aspects of the game. D&D's heavy reliance on concepts involving evil creatures and magic often incites discontent over so-called satanistic or Wiccan themes, which encourage impressionable youth to research the occult. At one point in its history, D&D was blamed for causing psychosis and suicide in its players, but these claims were discounted after a study discovered that role-playing games held no correlation with emotional stability. All stigmas aside, D&D generally suffers from a host of misconceptions. Though popular media has contributed to the spread of the game, in many instances it encourages the propagation of misnomers. The guides below offer some insight on the reputation that D&D has accumulated over the years, whether it's positive, negative, or just plain "no idea".
It's been covered on the internet, television, comic strips, and even scientific journals. Between the transfer through so many different media outlets and then word of mouth, it's a wonder the game of Dungeons & Dragons hasn't become more mangled and distorted in the public eye.
Several individuals chosen at random were interviewed on same basic questions concerning D&D. Though some had the general gist of the game down, for the most part the responses demonstrated a clear lack of knowledge concerning game mechanics, as well as the actual essence of D&D.
As the game which kicked off the fantasy genre of magic, monsters and other mystical elements, Dungeons & Dragons is often coined by radical individuals and organizations as the root of evil in these topics, coercing youth and other impressionable individuals into dark practices.
This section explores the source of some of these accusations within the context of the game, as well as the arguments against them.