Lately, I have been struggling with trying to identify the lifestyle of ”Gamer” that I have constantly striven to show the public. I found myself struggling even writing this article with a clear head, as it slowly creeps into a biased, self-righteous rants. Yet, like anything else, given enough time and things work themselves out. Hence why I have finally had the ability to write this article, though it didn’t turn out as I had originally intended.
This article is that proof, and on an open level, I’d like to share this with all of you.
For years, the word “Gamer” was something of an insult, to those guys who accepted the darkness of their rooms, and long before then, Arcade Halls. These men and women who spent their hours memorizing Pac-Man patterns when not at school or work. To its core, the title was primarily nothing but an insult, even to those who were within ranks with one another. No one really thought the word could be used in such a positive light.
Shown: Gamer in his natural state
From an insult, the term evolved into a term of endearment for many people these days. A badge of Honor for those who accept it, and even those, such as myself, who have adapted it into a lifestyle. We have come to classify ourselves as Gamers and have submerged ourselves in the realm of entertainment it offers up to us. Granted, there are people out there now that still see the term Gamer as an insult.
The idea that Gamers breed laziness, reclusive tendencies, and normally unhealthy living has been ingrained in the public eye by both the media and by political tie-raids by those who needed someone to blame or just feared the public couldn’t handle the content within the games themselves. The fields were divided, one side was ignorant, one side loves and enjoy the games they have come to play.
It always felt like that the world could only be divided by the two sides, that within our ranks we we’re protected from the ignorance that flowed from the other side. However, as I write this, I feel sad to say that isn’t the case.
While it has always been my goal in life to educate the ignorant and elevate the status of Gamer to be in better standing, I found myself becoming apart of the ignorant group of people but on my own side, something I never realized happened until quite recently.
Thanks to my social networking, I have watched and participated in conversations involving such concepts. Through these conversations, I have been shown just how bad the ignorance has started (or continued) to spread. A surge of Gamers, who only like to play the popular games, or generic titles such as Modern Warfare, Halo, FIFA, Madden, etc. and not playing anything more than such. For a long time, I always spoke as if they were not appropriate of the title of Gamer as it wasn’t their passion, but more a casual interest. I wasn’t the only one to cast the vote of rejection their way, many Hard Core Gamers have shouted their cries and many other vulgar obscenities their way.
Now how can I, as someone trying to unite all Gamers under one banner and elevate them, do so in all good conscious while being ignorant myself?
It’s hypocritical of me! I spent my life gaming, loving the Journey yet here I am, slapping down guys who just love casual gaming! I feel that I have no right to take that away from anyone. So I figured it was time for a change and a clearer definition of the title.
Gamer: Someone who enjoys and loves video games on any level. Someone who collects all the collector’s editions and has a collection hailing back to 1989, but also someone who just enjoys playing Call of Duty or Madden with his/her friends of themselves.
The idea isn’t to discriminate but to bring people together. That’s what I have been striving for, and now I have a better understanding of who I am trying to unite.
I want you all to take away from this the virtue of togetherness is not selective. I know I have and will continue to follow this idea, as people can’t come together if you are trying to diversify between those “right” or “wrong”.
J
Connecting ALL Gamers, One Console At A Time.
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1 comment
Erik G
September 4, 2012 at 4:28 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I think that the word “gamer” has just become too diluted. If you live in modern society, chances are that everyone you know has played some sort of digital game at one point in their lives. This is probably why the term had to be separated into hardcore and casual, not just for the industry to describe their market, but also because the culture wanted a pedestal to put themselves on.
I’ve experienced too many writings of people use the word “gamer” as a way of either rising themselves up over another person or as a means to win an argument. To a certain degree, I understand it. A gamer wants to be proud of their title, and so they can’t have their deep, complex, and pretty game like Halo or Battlefield be lumped in the same collective as though who play Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja. Unfortunately, in some cases it has turned into hostility towards the casual gamer, which doesn’t help the stereotype that gamers are socially inept.
One of the most ironic cases of this I have seen is a few months ago, where a student developed game called “Death to Casuals” was actually a very casual game, and the development team got a comment from one of the judges (someone in the gaming industry) just what a casual game actually is (something that can be played in short bursts). It is instances like these that make me want to distance myself from words like “hardcore gamer” because now when I hear that word, I think of those pictures, I think of a false sense of self-importance and just angrily shouting at people you’ll never know.