Gaming isn't a life style, its a hobby.

[Trolldor]

life style: a manner of living that reflects the person's values and attitudes

Explain to me why this is not so for gaming, please.

 

[ENKC]

Any activity can be a lifestyle if you choose to make it so. Any contention like this is always baseless unless it starts from the dictionary definition and proves itself on that basis.

 

[Sansha]

I agree.

You'll find many, many hobbyists declaring their interest as a 'lifestyle'. Look at model train 'engineers' for example, some of those men are lunatics.

 

[Rusty pumpkin]

Depends on the context. Saying I'm a gamer implies that I play games, how they state this is the question. If they say something like "You're wasting your life playing video games." Then no, that is not my lifestyle. If they say "Hey, I heard you like video games." then that is my lifestyle.
Hell, getting haircuts is a lifestyle. I know people who never get hair cuts, and that's a different lifestyle.

 

[Weaver]

Can't it be whatever you want to be?
If someone wants to wander the streets playing guitar all day it's their lifestyle.
If they want to just practice a bit after work in their spare time it's a hobby.

 

[lacktheknack]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifestyle_%28sociology%29

The point of which you actively track down other gamers/websites about games/news sources with a gaming perspective is the moment it's become a lifestyle choice.

<notices I'm on The Escapist>

Well, look at that.

 

[Mosesj]

Well, a lot of people have jobs and lives that revolve entirely around video games, and there's online for a lot of systems so people can chat and play games with each other while they play. so I would say yeah there is

 

[DeadlyYellow]

It's okay, I didn't vote for the webby either.

 

[Sejs Cube]

So if gaming is a lifestyle then I guess that makes movie-watching a lifestyle, or enjoying sandwiches a lifestyle.

Good god this whole idea is so stupid.

 

[Shia-Neko-Chan]

"Gaming isn't a life style, its a hobby."

I'm glad that's how it is for you, but I'm sure there are people who consider it otherwise in their case.

 

[Goofguy]

Yeah, I find it kinda silly, too, along with the whole concept of being a "gamer".

I can concede the lifestyle point but pray tell, what would YOU call a person who plays lots of video games and is very much immersed in the culture if not "gamer" (apart of the obvious "nerd")?

 

[NightlyNews]

This seems like semantics to me.

I wouldn't consider any activity to be a lifestyle because it's more of an overarching theme than a single activity.

Rich white Floridian lifestyle would involve boating and stuff, but boating itself isn't a lifestyle.

 

[JET1971]

It is both a lifestyle and a hobby. motorcycle enthusiast, lifestyle and hobby. car enthusiast. lifestyle and hobby. sports enthusiast. again lifestyle and hobby. it all matters in the degree you are into it. take the local biker who has 2 harleys, dresses the part, acts the part and near verything he owns has the Harly brand on it. is that a lifestyle? yes it is. now somone across town that has a harley and a pair of jeans, loves the bike and rides on the weekends and has a few collectible items but works at kinkos and doesnt pretend to be a biker. thats a hobby. how many of you know the jock that wears jerseys and when its **** sport season they wont talk about anything else? thats a lifestyle. we all know gamers who do that same thing when the latest and greatest game release is in 2 days and years later will vehemently argue in a forum for whatever game. thats taking it to lifestyle.

the majority of game players its a hobby, they can answer some trivia, they play a variety of games for fun and entertainment. but there are plenty who go whole hog and make gaming the end all end of what they truly enjoy and then it becomes a lifestyle. its the same with any hobby.

 

[Romidude]

Op was destroyed by the first reply, it all depends on how you look at it.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Second, you sound like this guy.


And who are either of you to tell me what the center of my life can be?

Wow, I was checking out the comments on that video, and it is telling. This guy has a pretty clear stance on the subject, and it is influencing people in the comments. People with disagreeing opinions are being bashed by people who agree with the video. Its sad that we live in a world where people think they can make decisions for everyone that only reflect their views.

And for the record, I found the video pretentious and obnoxious, but I'd never say that in the comments since I'd get eaten alive by angry fanboys looking for a fight.

 

[Nieroshai]

I intentionally spend money on games. I go over to friends' houses and play games. I play in gaming tournaments and go to midnight releases for fun even if I didn't preorder the game. I talk about games with my friends. I play games when I'm bored. I play games when I want to have fun. I play games when I need an escape from tension. My fiancee and I play games as part of our time unwinding. This goes beyond a hobby, unless stamp collectors go to see movie adaptations of stamp books and discuss the proper technique for turning pages so as not to bend the stamps. Now I am a bit of a unique animal because I'm a game design major, but I didn't make that choice because I was mildly interested in sharing my hobby. I also review games, but sadly I haven't posted any of my recordings online because I fail at editing.

 

[La Barata]

Please stop feeding the troll, people -_-;.