Why is Broad-Minded a Quirk?

[Ragitsu]

I've always wondered this, especially in a "normal" TL8 type setting (such as our Earth).

[David Johnston2]

It makes you rather oblivious concerning intolerance as a motivation. You'll be taken by surprise if you go into a place where your skin colour isn't welcome and will invite a stigmatized minority into places where they wouldn't be welcome.

At the same time, however, it is certainly possible to say that a given quirk isn't quirky in a a given setting.

[whswhs]

There are lots and lots of societies where not being broadminded is the norm. An ancient Greek who didn't hold barbaroi in contempt would have been unusual. So it's a good example of the kind of thing that a quirk can represent.

And as David says, the GM is free to define certain traits as being so standard that you don't get points for them in certain settings. My current high fantasy campaign, based out of Atlantis, defines Heterosexual as a quirk and Bisexual as not worth points, being normal.

Bill Stoddard

[Agemegos]

"Broadminded" is presumably a quirk because it is a minor feature that sets the character aside (sic) from others, though not necessarily a disadvantage.

[Harald387]

On the mundane side of things, a broad-minded character is likely to earn a reaction penalty from intolerant people (for instance, a restaurant proprietor in 1950s Missouri who welcomes people of color), and can be expected to react well to people different from himself. This last is less a mechanical issue than a roleplaying one.

It may help to consider Broad-Minded to be a quirk-level Xenophilia; situations where that disadvantage could get you in trouble are good opportunities for the quirk to cause some issue.

[nik1979]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

I've always wondered this, especially in a "normal" TL8 type setting (such as our Earth).

because, everything tends to have a "side"?

I mean we see so much intolerance in the news from all sides, sounding reasonable can sound like your tolerating or accepting something the majority does not condone.

For instance, being broad minded means your stance about Sexuality and Marriage fall to the minority - A POV which can get you into trouble and a negative.

or on the flip side, being a Liberal one can be branded conservative by various "broad minded" stances.

[Mailanka]

It's not really the opposite of intolerance

It's an example of a disadvantage reduced to quirk level, Xenophilia in this case. Think of it less like "I'm not racist" and more "I'm actively interested in other races, just not to the point of a xenophile."

[RedMattis]

Originally Posted by Mailanka

It's not really the opposite of intolerance

It's an example of a disadvantage reduced to quirk level, Xenophilia in this case. Think of it less like "I'm not racist" and more "I'm actively interested in other races, just not to the point of a xenophile."

Which can get you in trouble in some settings, the restaurant proprietor being a good example, but also accepting Orcs into your establishment as a tavern owner in a classic Fantasy setting ("as long as they behave"), or being "open minded" about vampires and werewolves in a World of Darkness-like setting (which might prove rather... unhealthy)

[nik1979]

Originally Posted by RedMattis

Which can get you in trouble in some settings, the restaurant proprietor being a good example, but also accepting Orcs into your establishment as a tavern owner in a classic Fantasy setting ("as long as they behave"), or being "open minded" about vampires and werewolves in a World of Darkness-like setting (which might prove rather... unhealthy)

exactly, A single but trivial act of open mindedness can be interpreted a hundred ways and can get pretty much out of control once the knowledge gets into the wrong hands.

Like in modern times, if someone were to say something broadminded that can open to more interpretation and has many of its implied assumptions that were mentioned in previous conversations, can find that piece of information manipulated and blown out of context.

Like "Regulation" which can be interpreted as either Control or Balance. A broad minded person would consider the context of Regulation as Balance/Moderation, but someone can interpret it as Control or ...

So if someone said More Regulation is Good/Bad, the difference of context can get you into some negative reactions.

[vicky_molokh]

Let's not get too far from the RAW description of a trait when discussing the RAW, okay?