Gaming = Childish?

[The_Deleted]

I bought GoW:Chains of olympus a few days ago. My parents criticized me for buying a "toy"

Oh, and something on a side note - in the line, right behind me a mother was buying the same game for her 6-8 year old son, a game that has a big 18+ slapped on the front...

In all fairness, the violence in GoW is in a mythological setting, so I'd have no qualms about letting my 8-9 year old play it. As long as they were willing to get some books on the subject. Just so they could know who's arse they were kicking.
GTA4 on the other hand is a whole other kettle of ball parks.

 

[justnotcricket]

I think it depends on the gamer's own attitude toward gaming, and how they treat others in that context, both gamer and non-gamers alike. Realistically though, given how expensive the consoles and games are, how graphic some games can be, and how large and sophisticated the games industry is...wait, if that's childish, then so is watching movies! Home entertainment systems are expensive, movies are graphic these days, and the industry is large and sophisticated...

 

[Puppeteer Putin]

Because they don't want to be humiliated in a game.

Exactly. End of thread, but for discussions sake I'll continue.

The only people who say this are old non-gamers. They still think we play pacman and supermario on the NES. They are also wrong.

I beg to differ. A lot of my non-gaming friends still give look at me as if I'm a slave to my inner child when I mention my hobby. I try to explain to them what I do, but they don't see the sophistication.

This man sums it up perfectly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB70wuweyQI

 

[Howlingwolf214]

Get them to play F.E.A.R. Then ask their opinion after.

 

[antipunt]

I beg to differ. A lot of my non-gaming friends still give look at me as if I'm a slave to my inner child when I mention my hobby. I try to explain to them what I do, but they don't see the sophistication.

Hmm...actually now that I think about it, I have an answer for this issue in particular.

The reason why this happens is because -most- (mainstream for ex) video gamers play in a 'child-like' matter. Whether you're the screaming frat-boy or the internet-live fanboy, the majority of gamers are childish (or just young), and this creates a stereotype. "Sophisticated" games/gamers are by no means the majority. You (and I) sometimes may think this is wrong, but I'm talking macro-scale. In our 'communities', this is just not true, but we don't represent most gamers probably. And thus, why most of us are labeled. I hope that made sense.

 

[ironmace2.0]

because they used to play them but sucked so they were angrey and now think were childish for being able to play a game and be good and have fun.And they dont seem to know that tecniacly a pc or something like that has games on so they caling themselfs chilish

 

[Mackinator]

No. Some may make fun of others for playing other games but this is very stupid seing as everyone ends up doing something as a hobby. And to make fun of someone for what they do as a hobby is hypocritical. (Except stuff thats illegal or incrdibly stupid + dangerous).

The actual children in this situation are the people that make fun of gamers.

Personally, i dont let some of my friends know i play WoW for example, since i know that they would be some of these hypocrites. I know i shouldnt be friends with people that think like this though i still do since everyone has their flaws. They do all know i play games on the Xbox but that seems more normal as it is more widespread.

Try not to think about gaming badly and you have nothing to worry about.

P.S an increasing number of adults are playing Video Games and this is a fact so eventually it will become the norm in my opinion.

Thank you for reading my post.

 

[Mackinator]

Yes, in the same way books are childish. Instead of living in the real world, many gamers chose to set-up and play in a fake one.

What is wrong with that?
You are not very clear what you mean by this though.

Because you see this as childish i am going to disagree with you. I think that just because it is fantasical doesnt mean its childish.

Are you saying that anything a child does that is fantastical is childish?

Social attitudes toward children differ around the world and have also changed over time and i think they will continue to change until the point that gaming is accepted as a hobby by a majority of people
-----

P.S - Some find this world very s*** and you never know, playing games might have saved their lies from depression.

 

[Hazy]

Not WILLFULLY ignorant mind you, but ignorant about the subject nonetheless.

LOL all ignorance is willfully. You can choose to do the research and find out about something or you can choose to stay in the dark believing whatever stereo typical thing you want. Ignorance is not excuse in law and the same applies here as well as in all other matters.

Actually, there is a difference. Ignorance is not understanding a subject. It's not bad, it simply means "You just don't know"
Willfull ignorance is refusing to learn, or comply with the idea or way of thinking. We did atleast 5 lessons on this last year, so I'm going by what my teacher taught us. About the ignorance of the law section of your comment, I never claimed ignorance of the law was an excuse, because quite frankly: It isnt. But just because you don't know something doesen't mean it won't have consequences impacting upon you.

 

[TheRockNRolla]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

But are games not toys?

I don't know, do you sit around having tea parties with them or make them fight ninja's with your G.I. Joes?

 

[CriticallyAcclaimed]

Not that I give a crap about what people think of my gaming, I think they say it's 'childish' because it has the word 'game' in it. Seriously. If they were called 'Electronic Occupational Detachment Machines' I highly doubt anyone would say they're childish, cause people like big fancy words and such.

Anything that is not directly related to work seems to be considered childish.

 

[Bat Vader]

... I have another question. Why do you care what other people think?

Why do you care what they think? If you didn't care why comment?

 

[Schnippshly]

Adults didn't grow up with them but kids did (well adult shad Atari and arcades) and since games have no creativity to them, they seem to anyone who doesn't enjoy them to be a waste of time. But those people who call games a waste of time like to waste time enjoying their own hobbies.

 

[Zildjin81]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

But are games not toys?

I don't know, do you sit around having tea parties with them or make them fight ninja's with your G.I. Joes?

Nope, I pop them in the 360 and have play them. Just like I used to do with other kinds of toys when I was younger.

 

[oktalist]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

But are games not toys?

Is your television a toy?

 

[Sev72]

... I have another question. Why do you care what other people think?

Why do you care what they think? If you didn't care why comment?

I can't truthfully say I don't care what other people think, I do. The reason is I want people that I respect (the ones I value the opinions of) to respect me as well. I was curious what his reasoning was for caring about what other think. The second question I just answered...

 

[Zildjin81]

You need a field to play soccer but that doesn't make the field a toy.

 

[lozzab]

I think a lot of games are childish. Likewise, buying a big sports car is childish (your hardly using it for transport really), as are most forms of entertainment. But what's wrong with that? We should embrace that side of our nature, it's what keeps people sane, it keeps us questioning. As they say, childhood should be the happiest days of our lives, so why not prolong that.

 

[TheRockNRolla]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

But are games not toys?

I don't know, do you sit around having tea parties with them or make them fight ninja's with your G.I. Joes?

Nope, I pop them in the 360 and have play them. Just like I used to do with other kinds of toys when I was younger.

You put your toys in a 360 when you were younger? How old are you?

GASP! You have a time machine!?!

 

[dnnydllr]

The answer is clear: they are non-gamers who have not been lifted to the enlightened state that we have. They apparently don't understand that the world sucks, and alternate universes are oh so much better =D