Little Fears = Child Abuse! Heh! What?

[Ian O'Rourke]

I've heard quite a bit about Little Fears over the last 5 months or so - as people have discussed it here and in other places. I've heard even more since it's been released - and rpg.net now seems to have this whole CHILD ABUSE (they way they put it not me) focus going on.

Why is that? I've scanned through the book in the store, and I'm going to buy it next time I see it, but my impression was it has nothing to do with those issues. It's like the book IT or Silver Bullet - hell even like that Cats Eyes movie in which the little girls trying to stop that evil looking gnome creature from sucking her life force.

It's about a world in which the fears/monsters of children are real and them dealing with the issue.

What's that got to do with parents abusing children and the like? Have certain people who normally have sensible opinions can insane? I mean the latest thread is how to sell Little Fears or Promote it as it cries child abuse?

I can't help thinking the game is being unjustly represented. Of course, I may have it wrong.

[jburneko]

Even though I have not even SEEN the book yet I'm going to jump in here and give an answer and Jason can correct me if I'm way off base.

It's my understanding that Jason makes references to real life horrors, such as child abuse, in a places in the book.  I've come to interpret this to mean that there is a suggestion that the game could be played as sort of an abstract metaphore for these real life horrors and I personally think that's brillant and bold.  It's how I intend to play the game.

You metioned Stephen King's Masterwork (in my opinion) IT.  I don't know if you've actually read the book but to me that book is how I intend to run Little Fears.  If you think about it, IT is the least scary thing in the book.  I mean, yeah, it will kill you and eat you for dinner but that's nothing compared to what happens to the other children in the book.  One has to suffer the smothering of an over protective mother.  The girl is at the oposite end of the spectrum with an abusive father.  There are bullys who beat the fat kid up every day at school.  And there's that weird creepy kid with his killing refridgerator.  All these things are REAL.  They really happen in todays world.  IT is just a supernatural manafestation of all the fear produced by this real horror.  The book is brillant in this regard and if Jason had the resources should be bundled with every copy of Little Fears.

Okay, I'll stop rambling.

Jesse

[Ian O'Rourke]

I've read it, though it was some time ago, and I rate it as one of my favourite books. The trouble is, you having put it that way, makes me think the people saying it's about child abuse may actually be right. After all, that's exactly what the kids in it were suffering - the fact it was all caused by a malevolent 'creature' is to some people, I suppose, beside the point.

Still not saying I'm in their camp - but I may sympathise with them a bit - I'll find out when I eagerly get my hands on the damned thing.

[Jason L Blair]

The trouble is, you having put it that way, makes me think the people saying it's about child abuse may actually be right.

In that statement, I hope you meant Stephen King's "It." Because, Little Fears is NOT (and trust me on this, I wrote the damn thing) about child abuse.

[Ian O'Rourke]

I was referring to Little Fears - but only in the context of the above posts. I've not read the book (I should have picked it up when I first saw it, so I'm keeping neutral), but I'm conscious of all the statements being made.

As a result posed my original post, as I suspect it's not really about Child Abuse, not even remotely so. As a result of this Jesse replied, and my follow on post is just meant to show that I don't think Jesse's post helped your cause any.

His interpretation of it gives some credence to the arguments from some quarters?

My take on the issue is my original post - it's not about Child Abuse.

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Ian O'Rourke
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[ This Message was edited by: Ian O'Rourke on 2001-08-13 19:24 ]

[Clinically Insane]

Little Fears is a wonderful role-playing game. It has nothing to do with child abuse.

Welcome back Jason

[Laura Bishop]

Firstly, let me go on record as saying I'm a drooling minion to Little Fears. Everything I say is going to be colored by the fact that a) I find it to be a fabulous game and b) have no problem with its content, even the more squicksom of it.  Take what I say with that grain of salt.

That said, yes, Little Fears has elements of Child Abuse -- as an option.  But, really, it has no more Child Abuse Options than most other Roleplaying Games can have when children are PCs.  The decision whether or not to include Child Abuse in Little Fears, like any other roleplaying game, falls on the shoulders of the GM and her players.  If those are elements they don't want to explore, they don't have to.  The Theme Police aren't going to bust down your door.  Honest.  Little Fears is made no less a rich or vibrant game because of it, it simply means one optional facet wasn't used.  It's similar in that no one uses ALL the optional rules from GURPS.  That doesn't make your game suck, or be half of what it could be, it simply makes it tailored to the wants and needs of its players (as a good story should be, IMNSHO).

The problem, I feel, is that because Little Fears is a game where the PCs are children, people get defensive if anything "bad" or "nasty" is perceived.  At its root, Little Fears is a game about over coming the fears inside us all -- just in Little Fears case, 'all' of us are children.  Some children are, unfortunately, exposed to the terrors of Child Abuse.  These are very real dangers to them, and Little Fears gives you the option to work through those emotional situations  from the saftey-net of roleplay.  

Little Fears also gives you the chance to work through issues of Faith, with separation anxiety, with divorce and/or the addition of new step-family; with foster-care, with adoption, with bringing a new sibling into the family; Little Fears allows you an opportunity to explore the aftermath of losing a parent/losing a sibling, and depending on the situation, can give you the opportunity to take control into your own hands and reclaim them.  How often are we allowed to do this in real life?

It is a powerful game filled with extraordinary potential.  It's really a terrible shame that so many people have latched onto ONE thing and refuse to look around it.  It's like not wanting to play AD&D because it has the option of being Chaotic Evil.  Or, not wanting to play Changeling because they have Unseelie.  These are both options that can lead to some very nasty and vile results (the -least- of which can be child abuse), but they're only options and ones you can easily not incorporate.

My best advice when debating the Little Fears Issue is to read the book yourself.  Of late, I've seen reviews and opinions on Little Fears based on pure speculation; few of these people have actually read the book, and fewer still have sat down and played it.

I've done both with fantastic results.

[Edited because I apparently need to learn the Bold Off tag. ; ) Sorry early readers!]


[ This Message was edited by: Laura Bishop on 2001-08-13 19:43 ]

[Laura Bishop]

On 2001-08-13 19:40, Laura Bishop wrote:

Little Fears also gives you the chance to work through issues of Faith, with separation anxiety, with divorce and/or the addition of new step-family; with foster-care, with adoption, with bringing a new sibling into the family; Little Fears allows you an opportunity to explore the aftermath of losing a parent/losing a sibling, and depending on the situation, can give you the opportunity to take control into your own hands and reclaim them.  How often are we allowed to do this in real life?

I forgot to mention:  All this?  On top of running after/running from Monsters.  Real Monsters.  Monsters - with the Big M.  They want your Innocents like there's no tomorrow.  This isn't just a squishy-feely game -- this is a game where you can get into so serrious trouble if you're not careful.

[Laura Bishop]

On 2001-08-13 19:40, Laura Bishop wrote:

Little Fears also gives you the chance to work through issues of Faith, with separation anxiety, with divorce and/or the addition of new step-family; with foster-care, with adoption, with bringing a new sibling into the family; Little Fears allows you an opportunity to explore the aftermath of losing a parent/losing a sibling, and depending on the situation, can give you the opportunity to take control into your own hands and reclaim them.  How often are we allowed to do this in real life?

I forgot to mention:  All this?  On top of running after/running from Monsters.  Real Monsters.  Monsters - with the Big M.  They want your Innocents like there's no tomorrow.  This isn't just a squishy-feely game -- this is a game where you can get into some serious trouble if you're not careful.

[Cyanide]

I'm somewhat suprised of the uproar coming from the gamers.
Remember back in the 80's all the hoopla on D&D that it warps kids mind and makes them go insane.(Remember the tv movie Mazes and Monsters with Tom Hanks :smile: ) Granted Child abuse is a horrible thing, but that is NOT the main focus of Little Fears, not by a long shot. It is tastefully mention in parts of the book, yes. It also suggests some tactful ways on how to use it in a game.Its just a way you can add "true Horror" into a game or none at all. Has anyone ever played Kult? I think some people are missing the point. They just see the word Child Abuse and thats it, they don't hear the explanation. I can understand that people are very sensitive towards the subject, and they feel that it should not be exploited. Which by any means Jason is NOT doing that.

But to call the game dangerous because of it, that's non-gamers 80's talk.