Looked Downed upon as a Gamer

[Zeema]

Im in yr12 in school this year and there are these 3 girls there really rude mean dumb and slutty. Anyway they asked me what i do on the weekends and i said 'I play video games and write about different topics on The Escapist'

They looked at me like i was a idiot and they said 'Why?' and i said because 'i enjoy doing it'

and then they say something offensive 'If you play games and are on a nerd site then why arnt you Fat and Lazy?'

then i said 'Why would you think that Gamers and People on the escapist are fat and ugly'?

they said 'Because you play Games'

CONFUSION

Anyway do you think that this is how people look at us?

because i get this reaction alot

 

[moretimethansense]

People are stupid, that about sums it up.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Most people in high school think that way. It gets better at college, don't worry. Circular Reasoning is very popular in secondary school.

 

[Leon Last Lord Shyle]

Lol at my old school you got more shite for being a gamer than anything... seriously with like 11-18 year old small minded people the fact that there were a group of gamers meant that anyone else got off pretty well i guess it was better for certain people.

 

[SwiftBlade18]

I put it down to the media. Generally speaking if you watch tv or films (well not so much now) anything to do with a person being good with computers or a enjoying them was considered a geek...so they would either be thin, glasses and nerdy or big fat and sweaty. Seems to be a stereotype that isnt gone from everyone yet...though it is getting better.

I personally think gamers are genuinely the best kind of people. I have never met a genuine gamer who isnt a nice person. I also think gaming is a very good source of knowledge. No way would my hand eye co-ordination be as good (helps with sports that I play - squash/tennis) and also I would have never learnt how to control a drift if I hadn't played racing games!

So in the shorter answer to the question...I think its the minority of people nowadays who look at us like this.

 

[Merkavar]

yeah cause thats the streotype. if you own a computer/console you put on 100kg over night.

Unfortunetly i fit into this sterotype. the being a fat gamer thing. but even if i didnt play games i would probably be fat, cause of my rubbish genes plus sitting around at uni all day and back when i worked i sat around accounting all day.

I keep trying to do some exercise but i always put it off till tomorrow. i think ill go for a walk tomorrow

 

[Mad1Cow]

I'd have honestly said, "why aren't you fat?" because EVERYONE PLAYS GAMES, EVEN COMPUTER GAMES!!! Playing bejewelled on facebook, congratulations, you're video gaming. Farmville? Yep that's a video game too (albeit a demonic one). HECK even solitaire or minesweeper on your computer are video games! EVERYONE IS A VIDEO GAMER!!! Some of us are just better at it and prefer more involving games is all.

Back to the point though I do find this stereotype a given in society, especially after venturing in to buy a game and then take the long walk home with a bag labelled GAME so everyone can see "HEY THAT GUY WENT AND BOUGHT A GAME!!!"...this is why I'm glad Steam was invented.

I've always known my social image is really "cool" and "hip" and what-not, but I like that, it makes me individual and I feel uncomfortable when I try to be a cool-cat. Nerd-gasms are where it's at baby ^_^

 

[Realitycrash]

If you don't look like the stereotype gamer, why would they look down on you?
Hell, what else IS there to do before you discover alcohol and sex? Sports? Sports might be fun, but not something I would do my entire weekend.
Nothing from with gaming until you are old enough to use your wee-wee for the really fun stuff.

Sidenote; I love when people ask me what I do during the week or in general. I answer "I study and play World of Warcraft"m then they give me this "what the fuck?" look and go "YOU play World of Warcraft?".
Why yes, yes I do. I'm sorry, don't I look the part? Sorry to break your illusions.

 

[fenrizz]

Im in yr12 in school this year and there are these 3 girls there really rude mean dumb and slutty.

I have to say that this opening stattement makes me not take you very seriously.
It may appear that you are not much better than them in regards to prejudice.

You might want to avoid that in the future, as it makes it more likely that you are taken seriously.

That being said though, I have never in my life gotten such a reaction to being a gamer.
But it is unfortunate.

 

[Zeema]

'If you play games and are on a nerd site then why arnt you Fat and Lazy?'

Answer: "Well, am i? Because as far as i can tell, i'm not."

Unless you are actually fat, then that wouldn't really work.

No im really skinny and do 5k runs every 2nd day so i dont know how they made that assumption

 

[Lieju]

I always got bullied more for being good in school I ever did for being a gamer.
In fact, all the other kids played video-games in elementary school.

In junior high and high school, I don't know, I never hung out with jerks, so i don't know wether they played games.

But I don't think it was looked down on. Certain games, like pokemon or Mario were looked down as childish, and I was bullied for liking those, and not the fighting games or shooters.

 

[AwesomeSuperMelon]

Ask them back in return how many STDs do they have and can they name their favorite one. Then when they look confused or ask why say, "Well you know, cuz you are a bunch of sluts."

EDIT: Playing computer games improve your brain. Its proven. Puzzle games need no explanation. Action games improve real-world vision. Strategy improves your ability to plan etc. You get the idea.

 

[Eri]

In highschool, being a drunken slut is pretty much the coolest thing you can do, girl or guy.

 

[Arawn.Chernobog]

Their attitude would be up to parr with... let's say asking them about how many miscarriages, secret abortions, private time with daddy or STDs they've had.

Lolhighschool

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

'If you play games and are on a nerd site then why arnt you Fat and Lazy?'

Answer: "Well, am i? Because as far as i can tell, i'm not."

Unless you are actually fat, then that wouldn't really work.

No im really skinny and do 5k runs every 2nd day so i dont know how they made that assumption

It's the usual stereotype for any nerd/gamer. One thing to learn about it: don't take everything seriously (just ignore them if necessary), and be comfortable with what you are and what you do. If you enjoy doing what you do, does it really matter what other people think? That's a lesson that will hopefully last you all your life.