Why "gamers" receive such a bad rep

[creager91]

Hi, long time lurker first time poster here so bear with me. But it has kind of come to my attention that many people are claiming that people are looking down on them for being a proud "gamer". Now I have played video games my entire life (first started playing Donkey Kong Country and The Amazing Spider-Man Arcade's Revenge when I was 2 and I wasn't bad) and I have also been a bit more intelligent than most of my fellow classmates. However, I would never label myself as a "gamer". Yes, video games are a big part of my life and yes I have been inspired by several games. Yes, I also play more than one type of games (pretty much everything that isn't a racing game). So with all this you may be wondering "then why don't you think you're a gamer[?]". This is probably because when i was growing up in school I was also a good athlete and generally popular which goes against both being smart and a "gamer" in their respective stereotypes. So i fell into the crowd that you all claim pokes fun at "gamers" (I'm not saying that you are lying if you have said this I'm just saying that it did not happen at my school). Granted I also would hang out with the "gamers" in class because we tend to share many classes because my school's gamers are also quite intelligent. But from what I've noticed in my area is that the gamers and intellectuals are honestly a bunch of elitist pricks. They bring the ridicule on themselves when they answer "normal" people's questions. They usually act like you need a certain IQ to talk to them. Or they assume that the popular people are just talking to them on some kind of dare or just to be funny. I had quite a bit in common with this group, actually when I was in middle school they introduced me to a 2 year addiction called Diablo 2 (I stopped somewhere around highschool). But what I didn't share with them was my friendliness. I'm not really trying to brag about myself even if it does seem to come out that way, believe me I have many faults, but I still get along with 99% of the people I meet. As long as you don't work for FOX news I see no reason I can't try to be your friend when I first meet you. So sorry for the rant and thanks to those who take the time to read it. I guess I just posted this to get thoughts on this and how it may be different for you guys.

Also if the grammar nazis would please stay away from this topic that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Gralian]

I didn't really get the point of this rant. What i will say though is that this "elitist attitude" stems from a defensive stance that has only become a natural behaviour due to the persecution of mainstream adopted popular cliques. Often gamers feel that those outside of their own little cultural sphere feel that those that do approach them tend to be highly disingenuous, so naturally their demeanour is less than welcoming. I'm afraid this will continue to be the case for a while now, but things are changing. Like any niche culture that dissolves into the mainstream, the line between members of the culture in question and the observers begins to blur and fade. Video gaming is becoming more and more accepted as a social norm and past-time, so we will see less hostile behaviour from both groups towards each other.

 

[creager91]

I guess the point was more along the lines of:

Why label yourself a "gamer"?

Are you more hostile toward people who are not in your group?

If you are then why?

Do you look the part?

and this one is for everyone gamer or not

Why hate on people for doing something they enjoy as long as it is not causing any one harm?

 

[jay622]

I find the problem in that you say the gamers you talk to, the ones who are unfriendly and elitist, are just that way by nature, not because they are gamers.

For example: I've met the type of people you speak of, but i don't know if they are/were gamers or not because i stopped socializing with them. However, the people I do know as gamers are my closest friends and are overall nice, good people.

So the point is to keep looking. Those elitist people are NOT indicative that all gamers are like that.

P.S. I find it hilarious that the 2nd post felt compelled to use half SAT words.

 

[creager91]

I didn't even realize we had a bad rep. I thought it was our hobby that was getting the bad rap from the this must fit into my moral or it is wrong ass holes, or the protective liberal/ conservative groups.

I guess it kind of depends on your age maybe. I am a freshman in college so I'm speaking about the age group of about 14-24 this seems to be a growing problem from what I have heard on here.

 

[twistedheat15]

Bait your post with a big ass wall of text, and don't want grammar Nazi's to show up?

 

[creager91]

I find the problem in that you say the gamers you talk to, the ones who are unfriendly and elitist, are just that way by nature, not because they are gamers.

For example: I've met the type of people you speak of, but i don't know if they are/were gamers or not because i stopped socializing with them. However, the people I do know as gamers are my closest friends and are overall nice, good people.

So the point is to keep looking. Those elitist people are NOT indicative that all gamers are like that.

P.S. I find it hilarious that the 2nd post felt compelled to use half SAT words.

I completely understand this, being a major in Psychology I understand that my findings are only guaranteed truth for the "gamers" in my area and mine alone, however it is basic human instinct to let a few bad apples spoil the whole basket. People are much more inclined to notice negatives than positive. so how do you guys think "gamers" can counter this negative stereotype, believe the media idiots are not in your favor haha.

 

[RollForInitiative]

I guess the point was more along the lines of:

Why label yourself a "gamer"?

That's what I am. It's a big part of my life and it's the defining attribute of my career. I am in no way ashamed of what I do for a hobby or for a living.

Are you more hostile toward people who are not in your group?

Hostile? No, not particularly. I do not, however, tend to spend much time around people that aren't part of that group. Friends and co-workers alike fall into that little ring so I'm surrounded by people that share this taste to at least some degree.

Do you look the part?

In what sense? I'm not overweight, I'm habitually clean and tidy, and I dress well. So I suppose the answer is no?

Why hate on people for doing something they enjoy as long as it is not causing any one harm?

It's human nature to take issue with things we don't understand or disagree with. How far we take that issue depends on the individual. I don't particularly care what anybody else does as long as they don't interfere with myself or others that don't share their tastes. To each, their own.

That goes both ways though. I'm not a fan of people assaulting gamers because they don't understand why we enjoy our hobby, nor am I a fan of gamers assaulting other people for targeting us. As long as the majority of the gaming community reacts like spoiled children and vindictive asses, we'll all be treated that way. The gaming community has a lot of maturing to do, which is pretty damn sad when the average age is now 30+.

 

[creager91]

Bait your post with a big ass wall of text, and don't want grammar Nazi's to show up?

Haha valid argument. Idk I guess i personally see grammar nazi-ing to be...well this: "Hey ive just read your posts and I have nothing to contribute or intelligent to say so...I think I'll just make fun of your typos or your english even if it might not be your first language that way I can STILL feel superior with nothing having been contributed!"

 

[MiracleOfSound]

People who know a lot about any topic tend to get sneery with people who know less. It's human nature.

It's a similar thing to the retarded 'Consoles vs PC' arguments that keep springing up here.

PC Gamers usually know more about the fundamentals and mechanics of the medium but some of them tend to become very arrogant because of it and can't accept that some people enjoy a simpler more immediate form of gaming and that doesn't mean they have a lower IQ.

Of course this is always ends up in a reactionary post by one abusive console fan which leads to generalisations being thrown around both ways.

 

[darkcommanderq]

The term 'gamer' is fading away because games are becoming so common place. With Xbox and Playstation leading the charge, the Wii has now infiltrated most homes were video games didnt exist before.

I really have not run into the anti-gamer tone in a long time. So idk why people are bringing it up again.

 

[creager91]

There's a problem with our rep excluding the fact we're known to kill, rape or atleast mug you be antisocial ehhh, good point.

Seriously, the people you've described just sound like dicks, almost all the boys in my year play games, even the sporty etc. ones.. we all talk and are all generally dead on with each other


Off topic : So, in my school most people are friendly with one another, is this different in America and England/Scotland? (Northern Irish here but from friends perspectives out other schools are nice to) is there really those cliques etc.? :S

From my experience yes, America especially in high school (secondary schooling?) is very much separated by cliques. In my main High (I went to another school for 1 class) alone we had the cosplayers the nerds the anti-social nerds the jocks the popular girls the other popular girls (the two hated eachother but could never answer why haha) the musicians the singers (we actually had our acapella group appear on TV in America on I think it was the Sing-Off show? idk i didnt watch it, they are called 11th hour though. etc etc our cliques go on for miles and I tried to talk to people in all of them even if I didnt particularly want to hang out with them I would be nice and sociable.

Anyway I really like the responses and the maturity level I was kind of expecting it to take a dark turn at some point.

 

[Burs]

If these guys are elitist as you say and only talk about their games and how they're being repressed its probebly because they have nothing else to talk about, I know I've been there and it took me a while to balance out a bit more and become the (hopefully) well balanced individual that I am now.

 

[LewHammer]

When people start putting people into categories like "gamer" or "popular" or whatever they immediately fall into a group which i call "morons". You are just you. I am me. We are all diffent people with different personalities and interests and that's what makes life so cool.

 

[creager91]

When people start putting people into categories like "gamer" or "popular" or whatever they immediately fall into a group which i call "morons". You are just you. I am me. We are all diffent people with different personalities and interests and that's what makes life so cool.

I could not agree with you more. Besides, if you try and listen to people that you normally wouldnt listen to you might actually find them interesting and you have a small chance in learning something about yourself in the process. I understand what you guys mean by people knowing more tend to be more sneery, so why do we get that way when we should be happy to teach and as far as the PC vs Console thing goes as long as their is a way to be anonymous on the internet there will always be idiots who feel they are allowed to act outside of the social contract.

 

[The Man With the Soap]

I guess the point was more along the lines of:

Why label yourself a "gamer"?

Are you more hostile toward people who are not in your group?

If you are then why?

Do you look the part?

and this one is for everyone gamer or not

Why hate on people for doing something they enjoy as long as it is not causing any one harm?

I don't really label myself as a gamer. Other people do. But like you, I am also a big athlete. I stay in shape, I am the outdoorsy type (don't know if I spelled "outdoorsy" correctly), and I write for fun as well. I even play a bit of guitar, and my musical tastes range anywhere from classical music to deathmetal. I also have a huge interest in firearms. Not to toot my own horn, but I also manage to make the Honor Role with minimal effort.

I have a pretty decent social life outside of school, but at school, there tends to be friction between me and most of everyone else. I go to a small private school where you're either their cookie-cutter kid, or you're an outcast. I fall into the latter category.

I'm not ussually hostile towards people unless they are hostile towards me. But, I always tend to be a bit mistrusting of the "populars" when they speak to me. I always assume that they have some sinister motive in doing so, because in my experience, they almost always do. But, I also aknowledge that my school is not representative of most school environments.

 

[creager91]

I really enjoy reading all these responses and getting everyones take on how they are treated as a "gamer". Its mature conversations like these that will help in a small probably minuscule way to better societies opinion on gaming and the people who partake in this medium. I knew that the elitist ones were the minority but they are still a part of that label and as long as they keep doing what they're doing then people will remember them instead of the good guys and thus they will be easily convinced that gaming leads to murder/drugs/anti-social/Super AIDS etc etc but I feel there is hope for gamers yet I would just recommend theat when you do come across the minority (or majority as it seems on XBL, seriously that thing I said earlier about people throwing social contract out the window...right here...come on XBL community try and clean it up a bit) that you just simply inform them that what they are doing is promoting negative stereotypes and kindly ask them to stop, if this does not work then don't feed the trolls just let them starve to death. thoughts? ideas? stories about contact with any of the negative stereotypes?