Ben-DutkaFinish the sentence.
It's not so much about stereotypes, it's more about what we commonly associate with hobbies and likes and dislikes. For instance, if someone tells me they like going to gallery openings and museums, I might assume they enjoy reading as well.
Unfortunately, though, so many of the assumptions people make when they find out you play video games still hold negative connotations. For instance, for the longest time, those not "in-the-know" really believed that anybody who played video games also read comic books. The comic book thing was also tied in with "Star Wars" and Dungeons & Dragons, too; I guess indulging in any sort of otherworldly fictional fantasy means you're a geek and thus like anything related to fantasy or science fiction.
It also implies immaturity, obviously. But this assumption has never worked with me; I think I read a few Archie comic books at my grandparents' house when I was a kid, but that's it. Never understood the superhero thing, even when it got big in Hollywood. Another popular one involves technology and electronics in general; the belief being that if you play games (especially in this day and age), you're also a big tech or gadget freak. Well, I'm neither. I basically hate all that sh**, believe it or not.
So what are the common assumptions people make about you when they find out you play games? And how often are those assumptions accurate?
..Have never spoken to a woman. (yeah i know kind of an obvious one but whatever xD)
I still haven't fully let go of what one woman wrote in a reference letter for me when I had applied for a job working with youth… She wrote a number of complementary things saying I have a foot in the youth world and one in the adult world, but among her list, which she felt was positive, was "… plays their video games"…
And I dunno… I appreciated what she was trying to do, but the idea that gaming was just me having "a foot in the youth world" as the antithesis to my other foot in the "adult world" kinda irked me. I didn't say anything though. I just decided to let her think I play video games because it's good for my career to stay connected or something….
Oh and I hate that I occasionally get asked by older in laws if I let video gaming get in the way of spending time with my son. It's based on nothing except the stigma attached to being a gamer. My son is only 9.5 months old now. He's obviously not able to game (beyond his fascination with my blue ps3 controller… which he loves to chew on) and I -never- play while he's awake, cause he's more fun than any video game I've played.
So yeah… comments based on nothing bother me too.
Ask them if they ever let movies, TV, or books get in the way of the time they spent with their kids.
Just Because I Play Games Doesn't Mean I love you.
Lol omg… Reading your list of what you are not – despite being a geek – made me laugh cause I even qualify for a majority on that list too:
"…have no social life."
I almost have no social life now, after getting a kid. It's work and home 100% of my time.
"…wear stupid t-shirts."
I do. I got an account at thinkgeek whose purchase history consist entirely of t-shirts.
"…eat junk food all the time."
Whenever I get the chance. Luckily that's not too often.
"…am addicted to games."
I digged myself deep, deep into the mmorpg hole around ten years ago and stayed there for three years straight.
"…play WOW."
I've played wow, ao, swg, Matrix Online, to mention but a few.
"…love anything that's science fiction or fantasy related."
I think I can say I love anything sci-fi related.
"…am interested in you just because I'm a girl who plays games and you're a guy who plays games."
Well, since I'm a guy… But I always get curious when I meet a RL female gamer online.
Luckily I am a geek and proud of it. 🙂
Last edited by Beamboom on 8/26/2012 6:53:57 AM
Oh, I don't find them to be bad things either. It's just funny that I matched most of the sterotypes.
And yeah, the kid mess up my image. Luckily I am compensating on other areas. 😉
Last edited by Beamboom on 8/27/2012 2:44:15 AM
…would rather have a videogame girl over you. Well, they aren't real obviously, so that's strike one. The jiggling I've seen them do cannot be achieved in real life no matter the amount of physics or gravity applied, so strike two. When I say my Skyrim chick is hot…..that doesn't mean I would rather be with a woman who looked like that. Why, you ask? Because there's a very good chance that with those looks comes a very self-centered individual.
Oh yeah, YOU'RRRREEE OUTTA THEEEERRRREEE!!!!!
…. can't really enjoy this article and set of comments :). Sure, that doesn't quite make sense (if I played games, of course I'd like this thread), but I wanted to stay in the vibe ;).
This is what I would expect from someone who doesn't play games…..a smurf with an axe.
Just because I play video games doesn't mean I don't not refuse to play video games.