ageism?

[Zombie_King]

I was online today and when I turned on my mic and started talking I got many hatful comments for being a kid and quickly got kicked from the game. While I am aware that there are many annoying, rude and racist children on online games I find that a lot of adults are just as rude instantly asume I'm a jerk. Discuss.

There's always going to be some kind of discriminaton against everyone. Be it your age, your supposed race, or that you 'cheated'(because I shotgun Two-Pieced you in Gears does not mean I h@x0red the game, it means you let me run up to you and feed my eight shotun shells into your skull). You'll always meet the occasional nasty or rude player, but you always have the option to mute the most annoying ones and report the most blatent. I haven't met too many jerks during my short time in XBL, but I can tell you there is no correlation between age. I've seen more older people who whined about my 'cheating' than younger ones, but there are indeed the occasional 13 year-old who asks me to stand still to get achievements. Mute button.

It's the maturity that matters, not age. Although there's certainty a link between maturity and age (the reason that age ratings are used to try and prevent certain games from getting into the hands of people who can't handle the content)

I have always advocated that it should be the parent's choice. If mom and pop say 12 year old Jimmy can play Bloodfest 9000 Gears of War 2, then so be it. If there choice is wrong, than also, so be it. It is no one's right to supercede the authority of the parent, besides the parent.

 

[Aries_Split]

They probably thought you were immature.

The fact you're complaining to a group of strangers that some people online were mean to you kind of proves the point.

 

[GenHellspawn]

what does it matter what age I am?

This is what I was trying to say earlier. I played tons of M-rated games before I was even 15. Am I crazy? Well, sort of. But in a good way. Point is, if the child in question has enough mental stability to handle the material, and the parent has no qualms with it, why deny them?

 

[Ace of Spades]

My headset broke a while ago, so I don't bother using speech anymore. I'm sixteen years old, and I am able to walk into gamestop and buy games no questions asked.

 

[Varchld]

Doing things like boldly trying to convince the German clerk that the two Turkish boys who snatched your bag and are now trying to return your pink shirt are not legit even though you only know about 4 words in German.

Bah.

Hehe, that sounds like an interesting trip.

Reading some of these posts really does sicken me. This viewpoint that age ratings = undeniably right and must always be followed is something which I find absurd.

It's the maturity that matters, not age. Although there's certainty a link between maturity and age (the reason that age ratings are used to try and prevent certain games from getting into the hands of people who can't handle the content) the link isn't that strong and there are plenty of exceptions. I see age ratings more as recommendations than rules. That's why parents are able to buy games for "underage" kids. Instead of viewing it as "he's too young to play that game. End of story", I consider it better to view it as "Although age ratings exist, they're really only recommendations and this kid's parents, the people that know him/her best have decided that this kid is able to handle the content in this game. Therefore, there's nothing wrong with this kid playing this game".

It's not that people don't like little kids playing with their toys. Only when you're older do you really realise how immature a 14 year old mind is, and even then you don't fully know how far you have to go. You may think you are more mature then many 18 yearolds, I certainly acted more responsible than most, but like it or not you're not ready. People mature until the day they die, some much slower than others but there really is so much more to learn.

As for the actual topic, I don't really care if they're 12 or 22, if they're being retarded they should be kicked, other than that so long as they're not mashing the keyboard/controller like a 6 yearold then there's no problem.

 

[Ago Iterum]

Unless you're over 16 don't play M rated games online

I'm sure you never watched an R-Rated movie, played an M-Rated game, or even dared to smell beer untill you were of age? If so, your life must have been pretty darn boring.

Personally, unless the kid's really annoying, I am indifferent.

Well he's complaining about people being dicks to him because he's 13. You wouldn't go into a strip club at 13 then ***** when they throw you out

Yeah. I was doing all of these things underage, but discreetly.

A big part of being a young teen is doing these things to act mature, but if you're talking on mic on an M rated game, the hosts will kick you/ban you because the law says they have to.

All the time on CoD4 there were little 13 year old squeaky voiced american kids using the voice changer thing, that made them sound stupid. They fooled nobody, and wondered why they got kicked off.

 

[Ago Iterum]

They probably thought you were immature.

The fact you're complaining to a group of strangers that some people online were mean to you kind of proves the point.

Oh, and bingo.

No group of adults likes a kid listening in on their conversation. It means they have to moderate their tone.

 

[thiosk]

My children will be kept in a basement, and will be raised to believe we are living in the aftermath of the apocalypse. They will be strictly prevented from getting on the internet or attending public school.

The things ive seen on the internet scar me at my age. I will kick a 13 year old from my online gaming group without hesitation because I don't want to say anything you've never heard before.

Oh the agonies of WoW raiding...

"sry guys, its 8pm, parents say i have to go to bed..."

 

[Bowstring]

They probably thought you were immature.

The fact you're complaining to a group of strangers that some people online were mean to you kind of proves the point.

Oh, and bingo.

No group of adults likes a kid listening in on their conversation. It means they have to moderate their tone.

On the Internet? Pfft. You have far too much faith in the consideration of people.

 

[Yuriatayde]

I met a 10yo playing Left4Dead earlier... Where are the parents? They bought it for him. *headdesk*

I'll accept the possibility that kids can be mature, but I also accept that they USUALLY aren't, and ALL kids without fail will try and tell you that they're mature for their age.

You are complaining about being kicked out of a place for not following the rules, that's pretty much the subject of conversation here. Simple solution: Don't use your mic. What people don't know, won't get you kicked.

But yeah, I can't play gorey bloody killing sprees with children, that's just... no, I'm sorry, play something more age appropriate.

 

[Ago Iterum]

They probably thought you were immature.

The fact you're complaining to a group of strangers that some people online were mean to you kind of proves the point.

Oh, and bingo.

No group of adults likes a kid listening in on their conversation. It means they have to moderate their tone.

On the Internet? Pfft. You have far too much faith in the consideration of people.

Haha. Quite true.

But you know what I mean. If a kid's in the room, it kinda... Kills the atmosphere. You're playing an M rated game, you should be able to talk to an M rated degree, and shouldn't have to lower your tone in case a kid hears.

But that's just me. I don't like swearing and using any adult references in front of young'uns. It feels wrong.

 

[NeedAUserName]

You could always just adjust the voice on your mic. I annoyed my friends for about a month, by switching my mic from extremely high pitched, to so low you could barely hear it... Ah good times.

 

[Xojins]

As someone who doesn't like playing with little kids, it's not simply because they're young. It's because I don't like having annoying, squeaky voices in my ear all the time while I'm playing games. In addition, whenever I happen to be in the same server of whatever game I'm playing as a pre-pubescent child, they never know when to shut the hell up.

Before anyone says I'm making generalizations, I am saying all of this from personal experience. So, until I encounter a little kid on XBL or Steam that doesn't annoy me, my opinion stands as is.

 

[Jursa]

Ok here's an example, if a 14 year old playing co-op left 4 dead talking on the mic is good I will let it slide... but if he sucks I will personally put 10 shotgun rounds in his character's skull. Dunno why I wouldn't treat somebody of adequate age like that but I guess it's just on of those things: If you don't belong here don't be here and if you are here, do what you're supposed to do.

 

[thiosk]

But yeah, I can't play gorey bloody killing sprees with children, that's just... no, I'm sorry, play something more age appropriate.

Animal crossing!

 

[Xojins]

I met a 10yo playing Left4Dead earlier... Where are the parents? They bought it for him. *headdesk*

I'll accept the possibility that kids can be mature, but I also accept that they USUALLY aren't, and ALL kids without fail will try and tell you that they're mature for their age.

You are complaining about being kicked out of a place for not following the rules, that's pretty much the subject of conversation here. Simple solution: Don't use your mic. What people don't know, won't get you kicked.

But yeah, I can't play gorey bloody killing sprees with children, that's just... no, I'm sorry, play something more age appropriate.

Very true. I started playing CS:S when I was about 12 or 13, but I didn't have a mic so it was all good. Luckily, my voice changed very soon after that, so it wasn't a big deal when I actually did get a mic.

 

[neoman10]

I have never been labeled as young through online but if you can play well just go to different server/game, if your doing bad however just take an hour long break, does wonders for me

 

[Ago Iterum]

Ok here's an example, if a 14 year old playing co-op left 4 dead talking on the mic is good I will let it slide... but if he sucks I will personally put 10 shotgun rounds in his character's skull. Dunno why I wouldn't treat somebody of adequate age like that but I guess it's just on of those things: If you don't belong here don't be here and if you are here, do what you're supposed to do.

I guess this could be some kind of migration metaphor, also.

 

[geldonyetich]

But yeah, I can't play gorey bloody killing sprees with children, that's just... no, I'm sorry, play something more age appropriate.

Animal crossing!

Oh, so gorey bloody killing sprees with children are out, but perpetual wage slavery under the despot Tom Nook is in? Say it isn't so!

 

[Cahlee]

Restrictions are put on games for a reason, just like with movies or anything really. I dont think that game age restrictions are monitored at all and this is a problem. It's one of the reasons that we arent allowed 18+ games here in Australia,