Why Kids Break the Rules in RPG Play

Why do kids act like that? I have noticed that one of the first things that many new players do is try to break the world by being anti-social in a way they never could in real life. They do naughty things like slap guards in the face, flirt with the mayor's husband, or tell off the sheriff. After all, it can be good fun to discover the boundaries of the new playspace, work through learning how to play a character, and stick it to the man at the same time.

During gameplay people behave in a way that they find entertaining, even if everyone else does not! If you have ever played Breath of the Wild I would be surprised if you haven't made Link fall all the way down the mountain a few times, just because you can. And who amongst us hasn't driven over a bunch of pedestrians, or taken out a playground in Grand Theft Auto for no reason other than it is sometimes fun to watch the world burn? Doing something beyond the bounds of decent behavior is scandalous, funny, and an easy way to affect the game. It is low-hanging fruit for when roleplay still makes you a little uncomfortable or when all you really think about is that cute girl in your science class.