Exploring Themes in RPs

[Myroxylon]

I have been writing for many years, and for most of those years I have been roleplaying. I am most fond of telling a good old fashioned story, but I am at the point in my writing where I have started to explore different themes and ideas while writing these stories. I guess this is all the hogwash our teachers in middle/high school went on about when they talked about what outside ideas writers were trying to bring in to their own works of fiction.
My question is whether or not roleplaying is an adequate place to explore these ideas or not? For the most part role plays will be populated by people from both very experienced writing backgrounds to very novice writers. So would they all be able to explore more complex themes? Would roleplaying someone who shares the same problems as you have make you understand them better? Would taking part in a conflict you don't understand make you more adept at handling it? Would taking the role of a character who is like someone you dislike/disagree with let you see their side of the story?

tldr: Are roleplays a good place to explore deeper meaning and understanding through writing? Or is it just a place to tell a good ol' story?
Sorry, I get really reflective late at night ^_^"

 

[Hades]

I love these questions and thoughts, and my personal answer is: absolutely!

An RP has potential to be whatever you want it to be, much like a novel, whether that's a fun narrative or something exploring deeper meanings! The only difference, really, is that RPs are collaborative. I'm always one to encourage experimenting in writing— whether that's in themes, styles, whatever. And if those themes and conflicts can help build rapport and understanding between people? Well, all the better!

I particularly like your question on conflict and it's place in learning to handle real things. One of my favorite types of history classes are the ones that let you discuss, that encourage it. Whether I'm going through this historical event as myself or in a role, it really helps with understanding. Rather than having ideas fed to you, you go through this discussion based on laid out information (facts in history class, canon things in your RP!) and can really build your own ideas. Cool discussion thing: questions! I love questions, because they make you think. Sometimes you overlook a detail about something, and somebody says "Well, what about that thing? What's the point of that?" or something of the like, and it's wonderful. You never would've questioned it or thought about why you chose it. Whether it's IC or OOC, discussions about the conflict in your narrative are great! You'll learn about not only the motivations and thoughts of your characters, but of each other.

Anyways... Those are my two cents :5

 

[Nilum]

Every story has themes in it. Themes that are consciously there, themes that are subconsciously there, themes that are small or large. Whether you intend to or not, when you write a story, you are more than likely going to put some message in it. Even if it's a basic moralism, like "murder is upsetting and bad" or "love can overcome social barriers." Being able to explore complexity or simplicity comes with any medium that allows you to tell a story. The very idea of art is messages--emotions, or ideas, conveyed through images, sounds, and words. Role plays (coherent ones anyway) have themes by their nature--they have a point to exist, an idea that a person wants to explore. Even if it's something as simple as "what if high school girls had magical powers?" Believe it or not: That is a theme.

I know in my own role plays, I explore themes ranging from "what measure is a non-human?" to "just how powerful is love anyway?" I intentionally put themes into my role plays as I design their stories and the NPC's that come with them, each having an intended purpose or message. Something that's at least vaguely interesting so players can have some sort of emotional investment in it beyond "what the fuck am I looking at?"

It doesn't have to be deep, it doesn't have to be complicated. Simple messages can be rather profound. The very act of creating art is to create meaning, often through themes and messages. Storytelling is an art form, role plays are a medium of story telling.

So to answer your question: Any form of storytelling is a good place to explore deeper meaning and understanding.

FN: Specifically thinking about particular themes and ideas while creating my worlds has helped to keep them coherent, and even justify the occasional conflict within them.

Spoiler: Example

In The Last Bastion: Bunker Chicago, there's an overrunning theme of "what measure is a non-human?" This applies both to technological adaptations and biological mutations in the world, though it applies more to the latter. Those possessing mutations in the world are called listeners. A group of overly powerful versions of them, shapeshifters, are powerful enough to stop tank shells and take on physical disguises, appearing as anyone they wish to be. This rightfully terrifies normal people, and creates a conflict in the universe that directly correlates to player characters. Player characters who are listeners have to choose whether to try and keep their talents in line, knowing that some will never fully trust them, or say "fuck it" and fully embrace their genetic destiny--knowing it could completely consume them.

Some PC listeners have chosen to take any and all risks for power, for themselves or for others. Others have repressed their powers, trying to fit in with normal people, or trying to protect themselves from the potential madness that comes with playing with your own genetics. Some have tried to find a path down the middle. They've all had their own interesting point of view on it, their own story, their own message... Their own themes.