Mindless sheep...

[Space Spoons]

I'm not a huge fan of the practice of posting images in response to threads, but it's too hard to resist this time.

The moral of the story? You aren't as special as you think you are, and those "mindless sheep" you insist on lumping together are nearly always better people than you give them credit for. In fact, many of them are just like you.

So to answer your question, no. You shouldn't give in and "become a mindless lemming" if that isn't what you want to do. You should live your life on your own terms and stop concerning yourself with the way other people live theirs. Live and let live, you know?

 

[XIxDAxREAPERxIX]

I really, really, really hope this is satire.

They're being aggressive with you for not liking CoD. Judging by the tone of your OP, you probably said something like "Why are you playing CoD, you mindless sheeple. You should play this other game, because I'm better than you." In which case, they would be justified in being aggressive towards you.

Sure, your one friend was a dumbass. The again, it sounds like you were talking over PSN/Live. It's entirely possible he was just exasperated by the fact he had no one to play Black Ops with and sent you a message that was easy to misinterpret. Typing with a controller is hard, so people tend to type whatever makes some sense and send it, rather than making sure the message is clear.

Regardless, liking a game does not make you any kind of sheep. For one thing, sheep are actually quite intelligent. For another, despite your superior attitude, you aren't any better than your friend. Congratulations, you noticed human beings tend to act in certain ways. So has everybody else. You're just as much of a "sheep" as your friend. You just act out of the norm enough to convince yourself you're different.

At least your friend is content. You've managed to convince yourself your different, without being different. Your friend is aware of where he is in life, and has learned to accept it.

If u read the comments in this thread u will know that I dont wish to portray myself as superior, and it is this that is in fact what I am constantly annoyed by. It is the people thinking that they are superior simply because more people like what they like.

 

[TehOden]

Why does it matter whether we're mindless lemmings or not? If we have fun with a game and it makes us happy despite having played the same thing over and over already, why is that a bad thing? I thought games were about having fun, not about following or not following a crowd.

That is not what I'm asking, I'm asking wether it is right to be portrayed as inferior simply because u do not share the majority's point of view.

Sorry, that's not really the vibe I got from your post, I guess I'm just reading it differently. Either way, I don't think you're going to seriously get anyone who is saying "yes, it's right to be portrayed as inferior because you do not agree with the majority". But if you don't share an opinion with someone, they're probably going to think you at least somewhat inferior for not agreeing with them, that seems to me to be how people work. I don't think it's that you're not agreeing with the masses, it's that you're not agreeing with them particularly, regardless of how their personal views came about.

 

[Freechoice]

Sturgeon's Law, kid. Always better to be in the minority and right than the majority and stupid.

I don't see why people like you have to criticize these "mindless sheep" in what they do.

A recent experience I had is a "friend" of mine trying to start an argument with me simply because he couldn't see why I was on Skate 3 (one of if not my favourite game) when I apparently shold have been playing Black Ops. His reasoning? Nobody played Skate 3 anymore and everyone was on Black Ops.

I think that's justification. He does what he likes as opposed to doing what is socially acceptable and thus he wins.

 

[TaboriHK]

You're way too young to be worrying about mindless masses. Let that be your source of adult depression like the rest of us.

I see your reasoning, but I wish to find the answers to my universal questions before they can grow to the state of obsession.

You won't get a satisfying answer to anything metaphysical in your teens. That's what your entire life is for.

 

[Kevonovitch]

You're way too young to be worrying about mindless masses. Let that be your source of adult depression like the rest of us.

hold up now, your never too young to notice things, and be concerned about the world around you. the fact that he's only 13, and delving into such a matter maturely is worth merrit.

but to stay on topic, grats for noticing it, it'll only get more agrivating and annoying as you gorw older, not to mention prevelant.

 

[TehOden]

Here's a counter question I propose, should people be looked down on because they follow the masses?

 

[KEM10]

Lemmings was a pretty awesome game.

Oh man, I love lemmings. It is beyond wonderful. MARCH FORWARD YOU BRAVE LITTLE OPTIMISTS!!!

OT: If you are in the game for the multiplayer (CoD is known for this) then you have to keep moving up and out with the times.

I'm not, though. I'm in the game for the experience and gameplay, which seems to have been replaced by many by and ever growing want to be better than others, be this only killing them on CoD.

Yes, but they might be. If their goals are to be the best and the only way to measure that is with multiplayer then it makes perfect sense that they want to to keep upgrading to the newest game that everyone else is on. Take their point of view and attack yourself, you might be surprised by what you learn about them and yourself.

 

[zama174]

You're way too young to be worrying about mindless masses. Let that be your source of adult depression like the rest of us.

I see your reasoning, but I wish to find the answers to my universal questions before they can grow to the state of obsession.

You aren't going to get a good answer.. Look the fact is that a lot of the "Hardcore" gamers are, quite frankly, immature jackasses. Not to say that they are all this way, but they will put down a game simply because it looks "Gay". Just look at what happened to Little Big Planet, an amazing game that didn't get near the attention because so many people looked at its cute little sack people and said "gay." Now a lot of it could have to do with there own insecurities of actually liking such a game (Ie. Anything on the Wii) and being judged by there peers in the same way all of us are. But that only feeds the cycle of hatred towards wonderful games simply because they aren't gray and bloody, and have boobs everywhere you look.

I hope my language wasn't to offensive to you.. But that is who I am.. :/ Hope it helped, lay the question to rest for your own sanity, and never become part of Douche Bag America.

EDIT:

Also if you are really interested in this kind of stuff. Check out Moviebob's The game overthinker videos. Here is the link to his blog with all of The Game Overthinker episodes: http://gameoverthinker.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2009-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=27

 

[TehOden]

You're way too young to be worrying about mindless masses. Let that be your source of adult depression like the rest of us.

I see your reasoning, but I wish to find the answers to my universal questions before they can grow to the state of obsession.

You won't get a satisfying answer to anything metaphysical in your teens. That's what your entire life is for.

I would argue that you won't get a satisfying answer to anything metaphysical... ever...

 

[XIxDAxREAPERxIX]

Here's a counter question I propose, should people be looked down on because they follow the masses?

No.

 

[oreopizza47]

Lemmings was a pretty awesome game.

Damn straight it was. But those little idiots need to learn to think for themselves.

OT: Find some deeper meaning in my comment if you think you're so smart. I certainly think I am.

 

[kidwithxboxlive]

you are 13 (like me) so technically your are old enough (if not mature) to make your own decision. Call of duty was made to be addictive. Modern warfare 2, however keeps you playing because people are desperate to get a nuke. This is why, for a good reason, I'm not going to get Black Ops as I may shun time away from friends and family and school work as well (as I am taking many tests and preparing for my option choices). But I'm waffling on. Basically if you want to follow the crowd then do so. I personally get what kind of things appeal to me and I just don't want to be a sheep. But I think if you want to buy a game then do it. If you want to buy it by popular demand then do it. If you want to spend all your spare time playing it. Then do it (even though it might destroy your life). To be honest with you I wont get it so I might get Fifa 11 as it is usually a calm game and doesn't involve masses of killing for a kill-streak.

But what ever you want to do then you should do it as free-will is the main factor here

 

[Anarchemitis]

This is the question I want you to ask yourselves; Should we all give in to the masses and ourselves become mindless Lemmings ripe for consumery harvesting or should we break away from the expected and do things that may not be looked on as usual? After all, if everyone's doing it, that makes it the best, no?

Following "popular" trends is to seek satisfaction and happiness [unnecessarily] in such a way that it subscribes to well established companies. While their popularity (which breeds money, ergo advertisements which breed further popularity) may lead to a cyclic thing much to the chagrin of those who explore the more creative endeavors of what there is to be found, I believe the main reason why interests like these are pursued is happiness. (And inspiration, but that's not the point of this statement)
A large misconception of what media, stores, games and movies shell out to us by the truckload, are messages twofold:
First, that happiness must be sought. You have too buy it in the best, cheapest store or cinema, and it has to be better than any body elses, or it has to come from the best career path, or the best connections or the coolest friends. I reject this theory; happiness like all emotions is a conscious choice [and how quickly we decide emotions is instated by how we grow up, how we are conditioned and taught]. Synthetic happiness comes from the ability to take any given situation, and decide to enjoy whatever good sides there are to it, simply for the sake of happiness itself. I can easily imagine people rolling their eyes or glazing over this because of the concept being possibly regarded as laughable or ridiculous, and the fodder of naiive idealistic optimists- that synthetic happiness is of somehow inferior quality to bought happiness. My second point is that's simply untrue.
Subversion of the masses is quite easy by way of simply being happy where you are as who you are. It runs in direct contradiction of media and popular cultures postulations that you need what they sell in order to be happy or to be interesting.

 

[TragicHero84]

Just relax. You are young. Heartache to heartache, you stand. No promises, no demands. Love is a battlefield.

 

[XIxDAxREAPERxIX]

I ask myself that about Halo, Twilight, and Transormers. However, I have friends who like Halo and Transformers, but they're still good people, and don't succumb to other mass media bullshit. Why do we play call of duty? Because we think its fun. We get into innovative stuff, too. Who are you to judge?

I do not wish to judge. In fact that is people thinking they have a right to judge for such immature reasons are what infruriate me.

 

[TehOden]

Here's a counter question I propose, should people be looked down on because they follow the masses?

No.

Then calling them mindless sheep isn't very nice is it? =) People are gonna' do what they're gonna' do. If they don't like you for not liking what they like, then find some people that like what you like and hang out with them for a while. Kudos for playing what you like to play because you like to play it and not because everyone else is playing it though, enjoy stuff because you enjoy it, not because you think everyone will hate you if you don't.