Poll: Does what you consume define you?

[Stainless]

Stop, drop and reflect on your life. How many movies, news articles, magazines, entertainment-centric books (fiction, baby), internet videos, television programs and images that relate to videogames in some way or another do you consume in an average week? Hell, how many games do you consume per week?

Being that this site is populated mainly by us, the people who define our position in the jock/geek hierarchy by the type of media we consume, the gamers, I'm guessing the average answer will be "insane amounts". When we don't play games we read about them, watch videos that relate to games in some way or obsess over screenshots. We're gamers because we play videogames.

The question I'm asking is: Do you define yourself as a gamer? If so, why? If not, why not? Let's get spiritual.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

Well, certainly I'm a gamer, because I do play games, and I quite enjoy them, but I'm also a lot more than a gamer, and gamer really isn't the biggest way I define myself. I am an anti-theist, I am a liberal, an aspiring author, a fan of the horror aesthetic. All of these elements of myself I consider more important than the gaming side of myself, so my primary label would not be as a gamer, but it would still be one of my labels. There's no reason to just limit myself to one group.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

Well I am a gamer, but I am so much more.

If you saw me, the first thing you'd think would be either punk or metalhead.
I listen to it and hum it and sing it.

Probably equal parts music and games in my consumption.

 

[-Orgasmatron-]

No, I only play games causally, all I own is a PS2.

 

[Ken Korda]

Well, certainly I'm a gamer, because I do play games, and I quite enjoy them, but I'm also a lot more than a gamer, and gamer really isn't the biggest way I define myself. I am an anti-theist, I am a liberal, an aspiring author, a fan of the horror aesthetic. All of these elements of myself I consider more important than the gaming side of myself, so my primary label would not be as a gamer, but it would still be one of my labels. There's no reason to just limit myself to one group.

Yes but all those groups (except perhaps liberal) are defined byt the consumption/appreciation/production of a specific media. I think the point the OP is trying to make is whether people here define themsleves by any other criteria than by the entertainment media they experience in their daily lives.

 

[Sronpop]

I do consider myself a gamer, and a fairly well educated one, sure I might hot have played Final Fantasy that much but I havent exactly played Halo that much either, I know what I like and enjoy video games, for me that makes a gamer. I am also a whole bunch of other things aswell, if I had to say am I purely a gamer I would say no, Metal always comes first for me. If I had to pick between games and metal, metal would win everytime, in fact it metal would win on just about everything for me really. Does that mean I am a metalhead and not a gamer? I dont think so. Regardless I am so totally getting Brutal Legend when it comes out.

 

[Bat Vader]

I think of myself as a gamer but also as an all around geek. I love anime, manga, star wars, lord of the rings, computers, literature, and video games.

 

[Biek]

Sorry, but I just read the thread title and I brought a truckload of sandbags to put up a barricade to stop the incoming vegitarian shitstorm. But I was mistaken.

I define myself a gamer. Since I generally call playing videogames one of my hobbies. I cant think of any other possibility. You cant be a gamer without playing videogames, and you cant not be a gamer if you do play videogames.

 

[jonny bhoy]

y do ppl hear the word "gamer" and instantly assume that we are all lazy non academic social rejects? i love playin games but i also have other passions in life

 

[Stainless]

Yes but all those groups (except perhaps liberal) are defined byt the consumption/appreciation/production of a specific media. I think the point the OP is trying to make is whether people here define themsleves by any other criteria than by the entertainment media they experience in their daily lives.

This is what I was planning on inching towards ever so slowly. The poll might be distracting, but clicking buttons is fun.

We live in a consumerist society, we define ourselves either by what we produce or what we consume. Shoemakers are shoemakers because they make shoes, shoppers are shoppers because they buy shoes and punx are punk because they download music off the internet for free. The bit about defining ourselves by what we produce is old as dirt, if you laid bricks back in the day your last name was probably Bricklayer. Defining ourselves by what we consume is new and sort of terrifying. Take away the games and what's left of a gamer?

y do ppl hear the word "gamer" and instantly assume that we are all lazy non academic social rejects? i love playin games but i also have other passions in life

So what are they? Are they also based on consumption?

 

[Gooble]

Yes, because I enjoy gaming, I participate in it on a frequent basis, I actively seek out news on current and future releases and I embrace the sub-culture of gaming.

 

[vxicepickxv]

Yes, because I enjoy gaming, I participate in it on a frequent basis, I actively seek out news on current and future releases and I embrace the sub-culture of gaming.

Which subculture?

 

[Mr. Fister]

If what we consume defines us, then I could be you tomorrow morning.

But to be serious, I'd say I'm a gamer, not just because I buy and play them all the time, but also because it's one of my only passions in real life. To see what I mean, I'm pretty good at writing essays for school and the occasional game review, but because I'm not passionate about it (yet), I don't really consider myself a writer.

 

[chefassassin2]

I consider myself a gamer, sure, but not hardcore about it and it isn't the only thing that defines me. I'm also a Chef, loving boyfriend, nerd, Punk, rivethead, tinkerer, writer, reader, friend, comicdork, and Star Wars obsessive.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Wow. I thought of something completely different when I read the thread title. I thought I was going to have to justify my porn collection.

Well, I consider myself a gamer, but I don't define myself solely by that. I do play games quite often, and I visit this site almost as much, but I also go to school and studying things I (usually) find interesting, I read manga (and watch some anime), I work, and I read tabletop RPG game supplements for the hell of it.

 

[Prideful Heretic]

Of course I'm a gamer...AND I'm a musician,and I like working outside.But nary a day goes by that I don't play some video game lol...

 

[wewontdie11]

I don't do much gaming related these days actually, I think I'm outgrowing games a little in that I have other stuff I'd rather occupy my time with. The 360 only gets to stretch it's legs maybe once every 3/4 days. I do still watch ZP and Unskippable every week though. I'd still consider myself a gamer on the whole.

 

[Plauged1]

I take in as much info as I can on my favorite past time. I try to avoid the hype over games though, as it ruins the exprience. I can do much more, I just lack the will nowadays...

 

[Major_Sam]

Yeah I'm a gamer. Any spare time I get I'm playing something. I'm a hot, curvy, Star Wars mad, sci-fi breathing, gaming, costume designer, archer, wine drinking, nerd girl.

 

[traceur_]

I'm a gamer but not an avid one, I'm not a "nerd" and I'm not into geek culture so it doesn't define me at all. I define myself as a traceur.