Why "gamers" receive such a bad rep

[migo]

Let's try another example. Imagine someone considers themselves a proud makeup wearer. People would think that's pretty silly too - people wear makeup, they enjoy it, and might even consider it a necessity to be accepted by other people, but nobody would say they're proud of it (gay pride aside if you're in an area where being male and wearing makeup automatically means you're gay).

Gaming is a similar thing, you can play games, enjoy them, possibly even play games because it's a common social factor, but to say you're proud of it, that gets a bit silly. You're making gaming a central aspect of your life that way, and for the most part gaming is recreational rather than productive.

Now as for people looking down on someone just for saying they're a gamer (with no mention of proud), that's pretty silly too.

 

[Trelmayas]

I think this article sums it up quite nicely

http://www.cracked.com/article_18571_5-reasons-its-still-not-cool-to-admit-youre-gamer.html

 

[Pointer]

Why you got to hate man?

My mom plays Angry Birds on her iPhone and she is one of the nicest people ever. Are you goign to judge her because she plays Angry Birds?

 

[MikeBrownYo]

I've always claimed to be a gamer and have always been super vocal about my love of video games and tabletop RPG's. Most people I talk to who have little to no interest in such things think it's totally sweet.

 

[creager91]

Ok, so Realitycrash you actually made me laugh a little bit in how you intro'd your grammar nazism and I'll agree your points are valid. I will put this one excuse out there and that is that I've been diagnosed with ADD and im still on my adderall buzz.

Serris, I see your point and thank you for the elaboration, the difference between me and the "elitist" I'm referring to is that I don't limit myself to who I can socialize with, it might sound mean but before I got to college most of my friends were from the sports I played so they were no offense to them USUALLY not quite as smart as I when it comes to school. I still got along with them and they were great guys and fun as hell. I just had to help them out in school sometimes is all and I had no qualms doing so because they were friendly guys/girls.

So, in conclusion (that one's for you Realitycheck)I might be typing walls of text while on adderall and I apologize and thank you all for reading them anyway, and I have always been in advanced classes but never once considered my self better than anyone as a person because of it, we all have our strengths and weaknesses.

(is that better Realitycheck?)

 

[creager91]

Why you got to hate man?

My mom plays Angry Birds on her iPhone and she is one of the nicest people ever. Are you goign to judge her because she plays Angry Birds?

Haha im not hatin man. I play angry birds sometimes in my english class haha 'm just sayin would you classify your mom as a gamer because she plays angry birds? my mom plays farmville but is very vocal about how much she doesn't like my games and generalizes all videog ames not realizing farmville is a game.

 

[Syndef]

You typed up that wall in a fit of passion so I might not be connecting with you properly here. I did read it though, and I think I sort of understand what you're pissed about.

I think that gamer group you hang out with is just too self-conscious. They were probably made fun of in the past and found that isolating themselves while alienating others made them feel better (about themselves).
Some people go up to others and actually talk to them for legitimate reasons. Of course you know this because you don't copy your gamer friends' behavior.

I was actually just like you in high school--a hardcore "gamer" (several hours a day) and a member of a sports team too. My gamer friends were just about as friendly and open to others as my teammates were. High school is hardly the place to form a judgment about this though. Mostly everyone there is in a bubble. If you want to see how people really behave, you have to wait until university or when you start working. People behave differently when they understand that everything they say and has more than just a inconsequential, local effect.

 

[Palademon]

I label myself gamer. I try not to act elitish but I find it very annoying whenever people ask questions about it that seem very ignorant. But I hope I guide them in the right direction when I facepalm, point out that I don't play WoW or CoD, and then tell them thta most people who play CoD aren't even people I'd like to talk to.

And I don't hate on somebody for doing something they enjoy. I constantly get a sigh everytime I mention a game to a particular friend who therefore assumes that's all I do. It is one of my main hobbies, but I conitnually ask why that's bad. I bet if someone else only did one thing that wasn't playing games, no one would care.

I did a presentation on Shadow of the Colossus for my Philosophy class where we had to explain something is art, and suprisingly, even though I was the only one to do a game, people didn't laugh, they found it a bit unusual, but I think they developed a bit of respect, especially given my presenation was the first, and turned out longer than everyone elses. In fact, my only ended because the lesson did.

If a person mainly does one thing, they will dfend it. You're probably not an "elitist" as you see them, because you do other things quite regularly. I have a very small amount of interests.

 

[creager91]

In regards to Syndef I can see why you would think that and I'm going to assume that you only read the OP which by all means is a good way to understand the main points of this thread. It actually was not in a fit of passion and I'm not really pissed about it. I wouldn't say that I am friends with those guys mainly because I'm ironically intolerant of the intolerant. I was friends with them about 7 years ago haha but we grew our separate ways as people do and I am in a university and I will give you this it is much different people here are a lot more open minded. However I do not consider myself a gamer, I know other people consider me one though haha I mean the evidence is in their favor, counting my VC games i have 60 games across my Wii, N64, PS2, XBOX360 and nintendo DS. The reason I don't label myself as one is because although I do enjoy gaming and it is one of my favorite free time activities its not who I am as a person.

Sorry for another wall my my adderall buzz should die in 3 hours so sorry guys and girls

 

[creager91]

A rant full of self superior self-aggrandisement, rife with the very judgemental bias and unbending faith in stereotypes that you accuse others of having.

I may not agree with you opinion sir, but I will fight for your right to express it, not sure if you were just trying to troll or not but if you weren't I would just like a brief explanation of what led you to believe that? Is it just the way you read it in your head? I would like to clarify that I was more so just trying to put out some observations of mine and how or why I have come to them.

 

[Togs]

I may not agree with you opinion sir, but I will fight for your right to express it, not sure if you were just trying to troll or not but if you weren't I would just like a brief explanation of what led you to believe that? Is it just the way you read it in your head? I would like to clarify that I was more so just trying to put out some observations of mine and how or why I have come to them.

No I wasnt trolling, I was plainly stating my opinion of your post- you pretend to offer novel insight but instead what we get is little more than a thinly veiled version of a fairly common thread that pops up on forums like the escapist.
Such threads can ultimately be summed up the following sentiment- "Im better then you as your all geeks and loosers but Im not"
What's more you yourself realise that this is what your doing towards the end, and attempt to justify it with a disclaimer.
You make cliched observations based on outdated stereotypes, and whilst there's truth in the fact that some gamers are smug intellectuals, gaming is not the cause its a symptom.

 

[Pointer]

Why you got to hate man?

My mom plays Angry Birds on her iPhone and she is one of the nicest people ever. Are you goign to judge her because she plays Angry Birds?

Haha im not hatin man. I play angry birds sometimes in my english class haha 'm just sayin would you classify your mom as a gamer because she plays angry birds? my mom plays farmville but is very vocal about how much she doesn't like my games and generalizes all videog ames not realizing farmville is a game.

The point is your are lumping everyone under one stereotype. Your somewhat ignorant mother and my own are both gamers because they play games. Same as anyone who does so. There was no point to your rant that you couldn't have answered yourself. Please think before you post next time.

 

[creager91]

I may not agree with you opinion sir, but I will fight for your right to express it, not sure if you were just trying to troll or not but if you weren't I would just like a brief explanation of what led you to believe that? Is it just the way you read it in your head? I would like to clarify that I was more so just trying to put out some observations of mine and how or why I have come to them.

No I wasnt trolling, I was plainly stating my opinion of your post- you pretend to offer novel insight but instead what we get is little more than a thinly veiled version of a fairly common thread that pops up on forums like the escapist.
Such threads can ultimately be summed up the following sentiment- "Im better then you as your all geeks and loosers but Im not"
What's more you yourself realise that this is what your doing towards the end, and attempt to justify it with a disclaimer.
You make cliched observations based on outdated stereotypes, and whilst there's truth in the fact that some gamers are smug intellectuals, gaming is not the cause its a symptom.

I can see how you could take it that way but that honestly was not my intention, I'm sorry if you felt I stated it that way, also I'm sure much of the blame is on me for having stated it thusly. I am an avid nerd but I tend to keep that more to myself, Hell I can't claim not to be one and be a longtime lurker of this site which I first came to when my cousin told me about ZP and the review of Saints Row 2.

The reason I don't consider myself a gamer is not because of the stereotypes, well I'm sure some of it probably is, but i like to think it is mostly because although I do enjoy games it is not who I am. To be honest I don't like to label myself as anything as I am many things but not one thing can define my being or who I am. Again i apologize to anyone that thought I came off as a hypocrite or trying to say I'm better than you all, I posted here because I believed there would be a mature conversation about it.