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Debate: Legitimacy of Stereotypes?

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  • Matt Feeney the New Guy
    Member
     
    July 17, 2013

    *This only pertains within the realm of the Elder Scrolls.

    There is a stereotype for nearly every race within the Elder Scrolls; whether it's drunk and stupid Nord, the thieving and sneaky Khajiit, and self-centered and ego-centric Altmer. They get pulled up quite often by human-entusiasts, elven-enthusiasts, and beast race-enthusiasts, but the counter is almost always "Stop stereotyping, they only pertain to my least favorite race(s)!" So do you believe that stereotypes are a legitimate claim in the Elder Scrolls? What stereotypes are most commonly listed? What stereotypes are the most well-supported?

  • Mr.
    Member
     
    July 17, 2013

    I think that the most well-supported stereotype is the one which is placed over the Nords. Their ignorance and insistence.

  • Kynareth
     
    July 17, 2013

    I highly suggest that you support your claims with either in game references, or even lore books.  It simply makes your argument more cogent, and hopefully will keep the arguments focused.  We want to be certain that we do not descend into petty arguments or minor quibbles.  Race seems to be extremely important in Elder Scrolls in general, so this has the potential to be a great discussion.  Thanks for posting, Matt!

  • Kynareth
     
    July 17, 2013

    Why do you think that?  Who do you think puts forth that stereotype...other races or Nords themselves?  What is the advantage to either perspective to put forth that stereotype?  

  • Matt Feeney the New Guy
    Member
     
    July 17, 2013

    One thing I can't help to ignore...no bookstores in Skyrim. This may signify that some or most Nords are not reliably educated (this doesn't mean unintelligent either).

  • Matt Feeney the New Guy
    Member
     
    July 17, 2013

    Thanks for that quote, Jo'Daro. I don't recall any books specifically written by Nords except the Alduin/Akatosh one (he was unintelligent however) and Nords of Skyrim. Reading the Nords of Skyrim again, I found this quote; "...you may be shocked at the strength of my words, and the literacy of a northern 'savage.' Aye, many Nords can both read and write." I can't legitimately counter his claim (he does have first hand experience and I don't see too much reason for him to be boasting, even in a prideful book), though the lack of bookstores is still strange.

  • Vazgen
    Member
     
    July 17, 2013
    Player can buy skooma from any Khajiit caravan which supports the claims of them being smugglers. Furthermore, through a certain quest in Thieves Guild you can get a fence at any caravan which also adds to their criminal nature. That being said there are people not fitting the stereotype of any race in Skyrim. If you go with majority though, I think Khajiit stereotype is the most pronounced in the game.
  • Mr.
    Member
     
    July 17, 2013

    I have a few minutes. I'll be back in one hour.

    1. Windhelm.

    1.1. The Stone-Fist brothers: We have Galmar, right arm of Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm and with a chance to be the future High-King. Galmar, although not so directly and open as other Nords, despises the elves and judge them as a "corruption" in their city.

    We have also, and this is most innapropriate, the brother of Galmar Stone-Fist, again, right arm of Ulfric, who openly despises and agressively judge the elves. This is the typical drunk and stupid Nord.

    1.2. Apparently, the Dunmer are subject to higher taxes, living in the Gray Quarter, and the Jarl can change it.

    1.3. Elda Early-Dawn. The owner of a comercial establishment, who also openly despises the Dark Elves. If you are one, she'll say: "Another Dark Elf. Just what Windhelm needs".

    Firstly, if someone is going to speak to you, and you're a owner of a busisness, the person who went to speak to you is probably going to buy whatever you offer, and yet this is the way you treat a client?

    1.4. The Argonians. They are actually forbidden to enter the city. They work in poor conditions at the docks, and suffer equal, if not more, racism than the Dunmers.

    1.5. Ulfric Stormcloak. This guy thinks that he's going to make Skyrim a better place. Well, oddly, if you kill him before you go to Sovngarde, when you go, he'll admit that all he has done is weakening the Empire and making the Thalmor stronger. He had to die to see the truth.

  • Bryn
    Member
     
    July 17, 2013
    since almost every khajiit you meet is somehow a criminal
  • Mr.
    Member
     
    July 17, 2013

    Although you can stereotype the Nords easily, there are exepctions, like Lady Maven, Erikur, Tolfdir, the Greybeards...and... And...

    And someone else...

    Probably... 

    Balgruuf? Maybe? 


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