In my experience, all that matters is willingness, & welcome. Would the person like to play? Have you made them feel welcome? That's it. Pensioners learn Bridge & Mahjong. Kids I teach on creative writing retreats learn boardgames & Pathfinder (first edition, for goodness sake!) in moments.
Thanks for speaking up Tim. I totally agree—the original thread sort of engages in the common narrative that people are too meager-minded to play games. Even when I’m “selling” at a con or a table, I’m always just trying to make connections with the people I’m talking with.
Even selling is so much more than an exchange of commodities. Both parties should feel engaged and brightened by the end. Don’t hold any expectation that they will receive you. People can tell when they’re being targeted for a sale. They can also tell when you’re connecting with them as a person.
Just so, they can feel your genuine personal excitement when you offer to show them something cool. Honestly, it’s just about treating people decently. All people play. We can’t help it. And gaming is so normalized now—on phones, computers, iPads, etc.
And almost everyone has an experience playing games as a child as cards, marbles, pawns, or otherwise. I think most times when people try to sell a game to someone (and even make a game for them), they aren’t nearly as empathetic to the context that person belongs in as they ought to.
Most people have rich lives, and the time and place maybe an average bgg-checking gamer has to play a game isn’t nearly the same as someone else. It’s important to think about that context, when and where a game is played and with who, when making any recommendation of a game to someone.
If I were stopping people in Norwich City Centre & offering to teach them A Feast for Odin I'm sure I'd struggle. But my wife learned Agricola: All Creatures Big & Small in minutes despite having never played a worker placement game before. How? Because she's an adult & was up for it.
Your mileage may vary on this. Remember I'm autistic so if I've snagged any invisible social tripwires by speaking my mind please don't hear what I didn't say.
FWIW I don’t think you’ve snagged any invisible social tripwires. You’ve spoken your mind and what you say makes lots of sense.
The problem I encounter is that although I’m not trying to sell people a game in a transactional sense, I am still trying to sell it to them. I need people who don’t think they’ll enjoy something to be willing to spend their time trying. How do I do that?
You can't make them, you can only make them welcome.