Poll: How do you view dwarves?

[Gildan Bladeborn]

I don't really know anyone who would fit the description, and these days you're increasingly less likely to since we've identified and can treat during development many of the causes of the various conditions that lead to "dwarfism", but I imagine other than needing to angle my head further down than usual to look them in the eye not much would differ from my typical interactions with other people.

Apart from being short and possibly having out of proportion arms and legs, folks with height disorders are pretty damn normal looking really.

 

[Fwee]

I usually view them with a bent neck.
Joking aside, I haven't met many "dwarfs", "midgets", "pygmies", or "little people", but the few I have met were pretty much just normal people with certain everyday obstacles. My step-sister had a friend in the neighborhood who was a dwarf and he was a really funny kid.

 

[urluckyidunbeatu]

They're normal like everyone else but still when I read the title of this thread my first thoughts were "look down"... I belong in Hell -.-

 

[White_Lama]

Dwarves/midgets are awesome!

Just look at Game of Thrones!

 

[Double A]

I view them as mindless slaves who do my evil bidding and a tendency to die in the most idiotic way physically impossible.

Oh, wait, we're talking about those dwarves? Oh, yeah, they're just really short people.

 

[Valkyrie101]

'With difficulty' was my immediate answer. But in all seriousness, the last option. I have nothing against them as people at all, and I wouldn't deliberately discriminate against them, but seeing them does make me feel slightly uncomfortable simply because it's so unusual. Makes me feel bad as well because I know that I shouldn't be thinking that, but it's true.

That was, at least, until Tyrion Lannister. Now I fucking adore them all.

 

[DoubleTime]

Totally thought you meant D&D Dwarves...

As to IRL dwarves or little people, I don't see them as any different to anyone else, except a lot of people treat them differently (both positively and negatively) due to their visible differences and the natural limitations that come with any size or shape (generalizing: short people can't reach stuff, tall people hit their head a lot, fat people get stuck in things, etc.).

Personally I don't run into them very often, and so it can take a minute to get used to, but I don't see anything wrong or different in a bad way about them. If I knew one personally I'd probably just try to take into account any special needs they might have like my friends who have allergies or dietary restrictions.

 

[AvsJoe]

My opinion is the opposite of most of the lyrics in this song.

 

[idodo35]

from above XP
just kidin theyr like us but a bit shorter takes time to get used to sometimes but thats it

 

[The Hero Killer]

Normally I'll spend a half second thinking "oh, he/shes a midget" then go on with my daily life. Its probably the deformity I care the least about.

 

[Minjoltr]

In the face! Although I'm used to being tinier than everyone around me so they make me feel slightly less special.
There's a fellow who I see sometimes around town and he comes maybe up to my hip. He's slightly asymmetrical and always extremely dapper.

 

[ace_of_something]

I had two college roommates one was a full blooded native american, the other was a dude with achondroplasia, and I am a giant.

Pretty sure we could've gone adventuring together.

Anyway, Dwarves are just people with a handicap, some cool some not. When I was a teenager there was this old guy (who had some form of dwarfism) that came into the comic/gaming shop I worked at frequently to haggle over prices of just about everything in the store. He was annoying and just as much a jerk as anyone else.

 

[Argtee]

Usually from above

Oh you!
I bet you beat so many people to the punch!

anyways: When I first read the title, I thought you meant, you know...a dwarf...from Tolkien...or something...but I assume you don't mean that.

I had a "dwarf" in my school when I was in grade 8. He always said Hi to everyone.
He was an alright guy, and I view other "dwarves" as normal people, except...you know, shorter

 

[Sameleon]

I like both the fantasy and the real version just as much as I'd like a normal person, plus Simon from the Yogscast loves both of them so they're aces in my book.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Usually from above

You win: this thread is done. Very well done!

OT: I thought this thread was about Dwarves in the realm of Fantasy. I was going to ask why human dwarves don't often figure into Sci-Fi...like ever. Anyway! real-life dwarves are people, just not tall people. I haven't met any but they seem like really cool people (meaning the ones who I do know of seem like really cool people who it would be great to hang out with)

 

[axeman157]

Dwarves are my favorite fantasy race.

 

[Mrrrgggrlllrrrg]

They are just short and many of them are surprisingly aerodynamic. Velcro midget tossing and midget bowling are honestly amazing sports. The few I've had the privilege to know were amazing people but like everyone else there are the douches among them.


Also dont knock the midgets in those sports by the way, they get all the ladies.

 

[Tiger Sora]

Honestly though this was going to be on Tolkien type Dwarves but still I think of them just like anyone, they're just short. And that can't be helped.