Call yourself whatever you want. The main thing is that you're happy with labelling yourself as that type of person. Don't let others dictate what or who you are, or what you can or can't call yourself.
Question of the Day, August 26, 2010
- Thread starter The Escapist Staff
- Start date
I don't get this whole problem... who cares what we are called?
I play games, I am a gamer, simple really. What are we supossed to say if we can't use gamer any more? "I am part of a community which enjoy the pastime of partaking in the playing of video games."
I mean what next? I live in Britain, I am British, or I am also English, or a UK citizen. What if I couldn't even define myself by country? Am I just a human? or a Terrestial being? Argh confusion!
[sup]I'm NOT European though, don't ever use that term![/sup]
I play games, I am a gamer, simple really. What are we supossed to say if we can't use gamer any more? "I am part of a community which enjoy the pastime of partaking in the playing of video games."
I mean what next? I live in Britain, I am British, or I am also English, or a UK citizen. What if I couldn't even define myself by country? Am I just a human? or a Terrestial being? Argh confusion!
[sup]I'm NOT European though, don't ever use that term![/sup]
I said yes. I'm not actually that bothered by it. I do think of "gamers" as those who have a passion for games, like this community, not just any random person who picks upa controller once a week.
Also, like it or not, it seems here to stay. I do think a term is required for people like this community, who love games as an art form, and "gamer" has become the accepted term. It's a fruitless endeavour to try changing it now.
Besides, changing the term is unlikely to change the stereotype assosciated with it. Is anyone that bothered by it? Any group of people, any common hobby, carries negative connotations. Now why should we be any different?
Also, like it or not, it seems here to stay. I do think a term is required for people like this community, who love games as an art form, and "gamer" has become the accepted term. It's a fruitless endeavour to try changing it now.
Besides, changing the term is unlikely to change the stereotype assosciated with it. Is anyone that bothered by it? Any group of people, any common hobby, carries negative connotations. Now why should we be any different?
Wait a second.
Yahtzee was serious about that?!
He seems like the kind of person who wouldn?t care about labels and stuff like that. I thought the article was a going away joke for us.
I don?t actually care because I guess I?m from a generation that doesn?t immediately associate the term ?gamer? strictly with video games. My wife, friends, and I like/play all sorts of games. It actually seems kind of weird to me; I mean, my favorite kind of movies are postmodern movies but I wouldn?t expect someone to assume that when being told I?m a ?film buff? which incidentally is a much sillier term. I don?t think I?m called a ?literature buff? even though I really like postmodern British literature (yes I am really looking forward to Mogworld, especially after reading the sample) but when introduced to someone at a party it may get pointed out that I read a lot. In other words I always thought gamer meant video games depending on the context. Even on this site, I wouldn?t assume gamer meant a sweaty wow addict locked in his parents basement. I?ve seen people here chatting about tabletop strategy, pen & paper rpgs, and even board games.
Maybe it?s a cultural thing and in the UK when you put that ?er at the end of something it indicates some sort of professional degree of expertise or just tunnel-visioned fanaticism. But having traveled around quite a bit, I don?t think that?s the case.
If he?s serious and doesn?t want to use the word anymore, that?s fine. I just hope he (and others) don?t get all touchy about it, start calling it the g-word, getting into fights with people who don?t game but use the term, and then try having the word banned (symbolically of course) from the English language. There are things worth getting touchy about, words aren?t.
Yahtzee was serious about that?!
He seems like the kind of person who wouldn?t care about labels and stuff like that. I thought the article was a going away joke for us.
I don?t actually care because I guess I?m from a generation that doesn?t immediately associate the term ?gamer? strictly with video games. My wife, friends, and I like/play all sorts of games. It actually seems kind of weird to me; I mean, my favorite kind of movies are postmodern movies but I wouldn?t expect someone to assume that when being told I?m a ?film buff? which incidentally is a much sillier term. I don?t think I?m called a ?literature buff? even though I really like postmodern British literature (yes I am really looking forward to Mogworld, especially after reading the sample) but when introduced to someone at a party it may get pointed out that I read a lot. In other words I always thought gamer meant video games depending on the context. Even on this site, I wouldn?t assume gamer meant a sweaty wow addict locked in his parents basement. I?ve seen people here chatting about tabletop strategy, pen & paper rpgs, and even board games.
Maybe it?s a cultural thing and in the UK when you put that ?er at the end of something it indicates some sort of professional degree of expertise or just tunnel-visioned fanaticism. But having traveled around quite a bit, I don?t think that?s the case.
If he?s serious and doesn?t want to use the word anymore, that?s fine. I just hope he (and others) don?t get all touchy about it, start calling it the g-word, getting into fights with people who don?t game but use the term, and then try having the word banned (symbolically of course) from the English language. There are things worth getting touchy about, words aren?t.
How about giving us more options? I get the feeling that the Escapist staff themselves didn't geet Yahtzee's article much.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the term gamer. As long we don't take pride in it and it remains nothing more than a term.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the term gamer. As long we don't take pride in it and it remains nothing more than a term.
I've been labeled in many ways before. I don't really care what people call me. Gamer? Sure. Geek? Okay, knock yourself out.
I rarely use labels for people. Especially in regard to my self. Truth is, they're mostly used in everyday conversation as spiteful, ignorant over-stereotyping. Sometimes, people will proclaim with great volume and much pride that they are labeled in some way. Some people will group together with other people that are labeled similarly.
For example: There is a group here in Iceland, where I reside, that calls itself, "Freaks of Iceland". They like to dress up in cyberpunk-themed costumes and frequently huddle together in the nearest graveyard to where I live. They revel in the label "freak", wouldn't have it any other way. Of course, people laugh about this, and many people look down on the group. The one thing they all seem to have in common is this label; "freak".
Then there's the gamers, which seem to be just about as an exclusive a club. I'd argue that gamers would tend to have less in common with each other than the "freaks" I mentioned before, because what the hell is a gamer? Arguably, anyone who plays and takes an interest in video-games (I'm excluding the board-game, war-game, card-game what have you gamer from this post, in case anyone mentions that). The people who fit that description cover a vast spectrum of character- and personality-types.
In short, a group of random gamers will probably not be my choice of company for huddling around with in the local graveyard.
My point is: "Gamer", just like "Goth", "Freak", "Comic-Book Guy" and all those other potentially useful but mostly used-in-lieu of insult labels are pointless. When you shout out your favorite label of yourself, all I see you doing is trying to set yourself aside from the people around you.
In the end, isn't it better to set yourself apart from others by the way you think, rather than the way you look, or the things you do in your spare time?
Why continuously use "Gamer" as an identifier?
I've never had to apply a label to myself in order to talk to people about my interests, and I doubt anyone else really has to either.
I rarely use labels for people. Especially in regard to my self. Truth is, they're mostly used in everyday conversation as spiteful, ignorant over-stereotyping. Sometimes, people will proclaim with great volume and much pride that they are labeled in some way. Some people will group together with other people that are labeled similarly.
For example: There is a group here in Iceland, where I reside, that calls itself, "Freaks of Iceland". They like to dress up in cyberpunk-themed costumes and frequently huddle together in the nearest graveyard to where I live. They revel in the label "freak", wouldn't have it any other way. Of course, people laugh about this, and many people look down on the group. The one thing they all seem to have in common is this label; "freak".
Then there's the gamers, which seem to be just about as an exclusive a club. I'd argue that gamers would tend to have less in common with each other than the "freaks" I mentioned before, because what the hell is a gamer? Arguably, anyone who plays and takes an interest in video-games (I'm excluding the board-game, war-game, card-game what have you gamer from this post, in case anyone mentions that). The people who fit that description cover a vast spectrum of character- and personality-types.
In short, a group of random gamers will probably not be my choice of company for huddling around with in the local graveyard.
My point is: "Gamer", just like "Goth", "Freak", "Comic-Book Guy" and all those other potentially useful but mostly used-in-lieu of insult labels are pointless. When you shout out your favorite label of yourself, all I see you doing is trying to set yourself aside from the people around you.
In the end, isn't it better to set yourself apart from others by the way you think, rather than the way you look, or the things you do in your spare time?
Why continuously use "Gamer" as an identifier?
I've never had to apply a label to myself in order to talk to people about my interests, and I doubt anyone else really has to either.
This lacks all the options, although I guess the "yes" option came closest to where I stand. I think the point is that there is a word that is a noun form for people doing a certain activity. People who ride horses are equestrians, people who spend their free time sculpting are sculptures, painting painters, writing writers. Yeah, maybe you can argue that one should say "I play games" instead of defining yourself by that activity, but if it is something you do regularly, and you seek other people who do the same thing, then in some ways you ARE that thing. Also, if someone does a civil war reenactment once a year they are still a civil war reenacter.
I never say that I'm a "gamer", it makes me sound like I'm bragging about me playing video games all the time, that's the negative stereotype.
If someone asks what I do on a daily basis I say "I play games". I don't say "I'm a hardcore gamer n00b! Hax."
If someone asks what I do on a daily basis I say "I play games". I don't say "I'm a hardcore gamer n00b! Hax."
Keepitclean said:
I can see where your coming from but "gamers" are usually seen as the stereotypical white nerd sitting in a darkened room by themselves for hours on end. Whilst being a guitarist or surfer isn't typically seen as some sort of affliction.
Of course we should keep using "gamer" to describe ourselves. Yahtzee's opinion is his own. We aren't all dribbling, egotistical, maniacs who scream at our TV's from some random guy tea-bagging us on Halo 3.
At least, I hope not. I sure as hell aren't.
At least, I hope not. I sure as hell aren't.
I've always been one for defining myself. I wear band t-shirts so that people know what music I like and when I describe myself to people I usually talk about my interests. So yeah I like being described as a gamer. It's my favourite hobby/pastime and it's something I'm proud of and something that connects me to other gamers. Why shouldn't we be proud to be called gamers?
Should we use it as a rallying point? No.
As a descriptive noun? The word exists because we could make use of such a word.
As a descriptive noun? The word exists because we could make use of such a word.
It creates a casual connotation to people who enjoy video games, and certainly, there are those who play casually.
However, may I add, there are people who plays games competitively and with fervor, and for them to be called gamers is slightly strange.
Whatever happened to nerd and geek? Those are perfectly fine.
However, may I add, there are people who plays games competitively and with fervor, and for them to be called gamers is slightly strange.
Whatever happened to nerd and geek? Those are perfectly fine.
I usually don't use the term, but I'd say there is simply no point in losing it. It identifies us as a group, complete with our in-jokes and our usual activities. I think it'll take some time for the stupid stereotypes to slowly get out of the system, but I'd say there's no reason why not. Well, except that just about everyone says they play games so to say "oh, I'm a gamer and a goth" turns into being a "gamer" into a scene everyone is apart of, which kills the point of the label.