Don't Use the Word "Gamer" Pages 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 . . . 19 NEXT | |
Not all gamers are sweaty manchildren playing games in their parent's basement. Some of them are actually normal. | |
Like... you? On topic, I agree. I don't use the word gamer anyhow... it carries with it a negative stigma that's sort of unappealing to be labelled as. And yes, 'girl gamer' is the worst. As if it's something special to be a female who plays video games. The smart girls I know on the intertubes disguise their gender to simply get along with the game, rather than be bombarded with unwanted attention. | |
Nice ranty article relaying a very relevant aspect of video game culture. Yep...good to see him still in form. | |
Took the words right out of my mouth. Give them back! | |
Yeah, with a word like "gamer", the negative connotations and stereotypes seem to outweigh the positives. A little bit like "Tory" in that respect, I suppose. It seems almost... shameful to me. And no, that isn't because I fit the stereotype almost perfectly (although I'd be lying if I said I didn't.) | |
I suppose that makes sense. We don't call people movie watchers because we watch movies. But shouldn't there be a term for those people who distinguish themselves by their elite level knowledge of video games. I don't think video games will be an accepted part of culture until we can start calling people "Game Snobs" or "Video Game Buffs". | |
If you consider opening a Mana Bar in Melbourne, can I have a job? (Yeah, I didn't think that would work either...) | |
Almost every case of "Identification", either of one's self or of others, is inaccurate and a complete waste of time. With the exceptions of Twilight-Fans being idiots and Teabagegrs being idiots, no label will capture enough of the personalities of each individual member of a supposed group to come close to representing them. | |
I wholeheartedly agree, though I think it's kind of a necesary evil. His argument seems to be that we should consider games like books or movies, as it would be silly to say "I'm a reader", or "I'm a movie-goer", because so many people do that. I don't really use gamer either, but I'm not sure the term will go away until games gain some more acceptance. This comes with time and defying sterotype, of course, not with this idiotic "gamer pride" thing that's been going on. | |
I do agree with it, I mean there are so many people who play and hold down real world jobs, and continue to enjoy themselves via video games. Its just any kind of hobby, some people just like it more than others, and its that past image that we need to try discard | |
Gamer is shorter than a person who plays videogames, therefor a more useable term. Yes there is a lot of negative stigma on it, but nothing that won't change over time. This has happened to many things. For instance, in Finland these moped-car hybrid thingies (looks like a really small car and has a speed max of 50km/h or so) used to be only used by really old people and people who are otherwise unable to use a real car. Now younger people get them and think they are really tough while blocking the traffic by moving really slowly. | |
Shame... I didn't realize how attached I had gotten to the label. Oh well, if it's in the best interest of the gaming community. Have a nice vacation. | |
This was an interesting and introspective look in the gaming culture. Labels such as 'gamer' only serves to further separate people when we should be starting to class ourselves together as all one people. Well writ, Yatzee. | |
The word "gamer" has always rubbed me the wrong way, to the point where I physically have trouble saying it. To me it conjures a picture of someone that plays games and does absolutely nothing else. The way the social image is right now a "gamer" is a useless person. For example, if you were to have a friendly, personable conversation with your boss, which of the following would you feel more comfortable telling them: Seriously, we need a re-branding. On the topic of the Mana Bar: | |
If you really want to be classified as "gamer", I have a handy dandy little chart so you can see what kind of gamer you are. However thats only if you consider yourself a gamer, instead of simply "someone who play games". | |
'' no doubt hanging around some South Pacific island looking for dark people to oppress'' Haha, too good. On a serious note I agree, I hate being labelled as a gamer, just because I like to play video games doesn't mean that all I do. | |
Well, happy holidays, Yahtzee, have fun for us. | |
Sudenly I see a entire thread somewhere on the internet with thousands of First off, Gamers game, Players play, and Shooters shoot. It's just logical. I enjoy recreational video games. I also uphold a very nice job. The Stereotypical Vidya Nerd doesn't exist anymore. Everyone and their dog enjoys video games in the Modern Era. | |
It points to probably the biggest problem with the label "gamer" and other labels as well. It insinuates that this is the only dimension to you, belying the fact that people are complex, difficult, unintuitive things. This would all hold more weight from me if I wasn't already avoiding the term to self-identify out of an inexplicable shame I have for being one. | |
My ten dollary doos! I decry that a fast one has been pulled on my premium membership! Rawr rawr rawr!! | |
I don't fit any of those. Maybe nostalgiafag at the most. I do get a bit hoity toity about the lack of 4 player these days. Anyway, I think the whole gamer thing evolved so other people who plays games (as we now shall all be inevitably shall be known) wanted to let other people who play games know they play games and so then they could sit in one room and play games together. But then it stuck and now it won't go away. | |
It says more about a person if they are a non-gamer really. | |
Yyyyyeah, but I think in a lot of ways it's necessary to have some labels on yourself. I mean, you don't have to, but things like "I'm a gamer" help to identify with other people within the bracket. People outside it may hold the stigma, but people inside it will know what you're talking about and may concede to be friends with you. Most people label themselves regardless of whatever negative connotations there may be, because it's just easier than explaining their personal attributes when a bunch of people will already get the point because of that one word. For another example, I'm gay, and there are is certainly rather a lot of stigma around that label. But it's still easier than trying to explain to people that I am a human with sexual urges toward other humans contrary to typical breeding procedures and whatnot. | |
I agree with the mental picture associated with the word 'gamer', but amongst friends, we merely use that word to denote someone who has an active interest in video games and with whom we can talk about the topic with :-/ | |
I agree that "Gamer" does carry some negative publicity to it, but like someone said before me, it will change in time. However, i strongly disagree with your notion that "games aren´t important" Games are indeed, (At least for me) important. Not as important as school, or my parents or that stuff, but nevertheless, important. However, there is nothing i can say to get you to understand my argument, since my argument isn´t so much an opinion as a feeling. So we´ll just haveto agree to disagree. Anyways, you´re going on vacation again. Odd, i thought it was only 1 time last year. *Suspicious look* Just kidding. | |
Well i don't have acne but i do smell like wet dog on account of being caught out in the torrential rain a 15 minute walk away from my house (fucking non functional bus system....) What else do we call "Someone who playes games a lot"? "An interactive media fan?" ? Just becuase 'gamer' has a bit of a bad image does not me we should abandon the word wholesale. If we stop using gamer ans start using, i don't know, "Gameist" or whatever the stereotype will just move over to that word and we will look like pretencious dick-bags in the meantime. Like so; "Well im quite the fan of Games" "So you're a gamer?" "No. Im an interactive media fan!" "...." ... "dick" | |
The term is fine, it just doesn't apply to every person who plays video games. For example, I own a motorcycle and ride it occasionally, but I'm not a biker. | |
Good on him. He deserves a break. The problem with his job (I imagine) is that there are no holidays bar Christmas or April Fools if you play your cards right. Games get released all year round and he produces a one man show. It's good to know the monkey has been taken off the unicycle for a week or so. | |
This is not the first time a label is created from people who do something and it's addopted by yonger people trying to show himself off. It happend by the end of the 90s with heavy metal, it's happening now with Nerds, and at the same time there's some kind of Nerd Prestige Classes or Especialization like: "Gamers", "Otakus", "Geek", "Gadgters" whatever. People look for a label to make themselves feel like someone with something especial, than begin to create new ones, when they think there's too many people already using it. | |
I hardly agree with this, regarding someone who calls themselves a gamer in a negative light without actually knowing the person is indicative of a problem with that person, not the name itself. I could just as easily turn this argument around and say the same for anyone who calls themselves a "Critic". I do agree on the whole "Girl Gamer" thing, though. Really, it's just a phase in identity, women aren't going to call themselves this several years down the line. | |
You should open a Mana Bar in the UK, preferably near me, preferably in the North, near Blackburn...I'd go! Nah if you do at least open one in Manchester | |
I was cool with this until the part about no ZP or XP this week. Damn it. | |
It's just a word, sure people make stereotypes about it like about many other things, but to my mind it's just something like driver: a person who drives or moviegoer: a person who enjoys movies or pedophile: a person who... you get the picture, it's a word that defines a group, nothing special. There is nothing wrong in beeing called a gamer as long as it's amongst other things, when it's an individual's only trait than yes the stereotype mentioned in the article sadly applies. | |
Aeris is a flaky bint. Hell, she was the most boring character in the game. I stand by that steadfast. I never understood the obsession with her. | |
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