As if the recent South Park episode where the lovable tots descended into World of Warcraft addiction, gained about 100 lbs and had faces that resembled undercooked pepperoni pizzas wasn’t enough … 
Now, one of the “guilds” in WoW is apparently seeking to recruit only other PhDs to join its team. Viz:
Tiger Team One, a medium RP guild on the RP server Kirin Tor (Horde),
has recently received Title IX funds and a N.E.A. grant, as well as a
“Stone Guard’s Stipend,” to recruit members and begin operations.
Besides an advanced degree, applicants should be familiar with Rutger
Haur films. Successful applicants will be expected to integrate PvP
with RP. Chosen applicants will receive up to 5 silver coins in start
up funds and access to a vent server. Future publications should
address Conan-like dialogue and simply morality tales akin to Xena.
Complete discretion assured. Our membership includes a MacArthur
Fellow and
an emeritus of the Institute for Advanced Study.
Oh, this can’t be good. A team comprised only of “advanced degree” Rutger Hauer fans? I imagine chat rooms full of pipe-smoking, suede-elbow-patched ogres and trolls debating whether the promise that was show in the unpleasant “Soldier of Orange” was fulfilled best by “Blade Runner” or “Blood of Heroes.” And banning anyone who mentioned Omega Doom or Crossworlds (where at least we were treated to the sight of Rutger pretending to mutter incantations whilst cracking himself on the forehead with a great big magic stick. Now THAT’S entertainment, folks. Oh yeah – and a very young Jack Black clowned it up in one of his first screen appearances..)
Anyway – the Guild – named, perhaps by the inner 14-year-old set loose from mom’s basement as “Tiger Team One” has its manifesto online:
There will be much woe, and thine heart must endure and thine hands must be strong.
Sheesh. This is what is produced by someone who gets a PhD? Apparently, there are institutes of higher education offering advanced degrees in shitty, overwrought faux-medieval writing.
The message boards have quickly filled with snark from other academics:
ha! I always wondered what people with minimal/no teaching loads who
haven’t published s*** in years had been doing with their time.
It’s not that I have any real problem with professors using their downtime to gather and plan intricate fantasy RPG campaigns.
It’s just that they make the poor graduate student T/As do all the real fighting, while they gather in the Mead Hall trying to figure out how to get in the pants of that hot she-elf co-ed…
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