Do video games get a bad rap?

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Revengineer

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As a fan of video games this is an observation that's been bugging me for a while. Somebody who enjoys playing games in their spare time (meaning not a hopeless addict) is seen as immature and ambitionless, especially if they're past a certain age. This has been the dominant attitude arguably since the invention of video games, and even though society has become much more accepting of geeky/nerdy trends it still doesn't treat video games as equal to other hobbies. Instead games are a "kids' thing" and a "waste of time," like it's any different from watching a 6-hour marathon of your favorite show, or playing an instrument, or reading a book. I'd say that these are all equally valid modes of entertainment, but throw in a controller to allow player interaction and suddenly everything is held to a different standard.

I'm not arguing against gaming in moderation. I had very poor self-control when I was younger, and now my parents understandably have an "all games are bad" stance when it comes to the subject. I just find that in normal circumstances many people are unnecessarily harsh and tell gamers to "grow up." Has anyone else noticed this, and if so, why do you think this is the case?
 
I find video gamers are more accepted as the norm these days. This generation of "adults" grew up with video games. My mom never liked them much, she didn't want my brother or I wasting time on them, now she's taken a different view on them. She even bought an XBox 360 one Christmas and buys video games for gifts, as long as I tell her which ones I want, she is still clueless when it comes to them. I'm seeing a growing trend of people being more open about enjoying video games or online games.
 
Yeah, like how people portrayed Mass Effect as this huge erotic porno game when in fact the sex scene in it was a 2 second clip of the characters kissing before it fades to black. It was pretty **** hard to jerk off to that, but I eventually got it done. Just ruined my day though.
 
Limlim said:
Yeah, like how people portrayed Mass Effect as this huge erotic porno game when in fact the sex scene in it was a 2 second clip of the characters kissing before it fades to black. It was pretty **** hard to jerk off to that, but I eventually got it done. Just ruined my day though.
You had an objective, and you followed through. I admire that. Anyway, as a gamer myself, I haven't personally experienced any negativity from people. Then again, I don't interact with many people so I guess that could be a possible reason. Gaming is a hobbies, just like anything else one considers a hobby. People tend to have this idea, if your not learning a skill from it, it's not a hobby.
 
Limlim said:
Yeah, like how people portrayed Mass Effect as this huge erotic porno game when in fact the sex scene in it was a 2 second clip of the characters kissing before it fades to black. It was pretty **** hard to jerk off to that, but I eventually got it done. Just ruined my day though.

Oooooh yeah... fade to black. Darker...darker... I don't want to see anything! That's so hot. :D
 
Someone who plays video games in there spare time is seen as immature? That argument could of been made about 5 or 10 years ago, but we live in a different time period than people last decade. I am 23 and still play video games, for me video games have been available to me my whole life. When I was about 4 I got a Super Nintendo and looking back at it now, had I have been born 10 years prior to when I was. There would of been fewer house hold video games, the games were a lot less detailed and time consuming to complete. People that did not grow up in an age where these games have always been available to them do not understand it. Games should never hold precidence over things like family or friends because you can always pick the game up and start when you want. Also it should not hold precidence over completing chores, I know a guy who spends his entire pay check every week on video games and then when it comes time to pay rent he begs for money.
 
Pff! Anyone who works on a computer learns the skill of hand/eye coordination when they play video games :p
 
I think my wife plays more games at the moment than I do, **** 'Candy Crush' thing...
 
Edward W said:
I think my wife plays more games at the moment than I do, **** 'Candy Crush' thing...

Everyone is playing that game. My sister has me playing it, and I received like 15 requests from friends on Facebook after I signed up.

So now I have to play it...!
 
My parents hate games. Society is ok with PES and FIFA and maybe NBA but when someone mentions World of Warcraft people look down on you and usually end up poking you for playing that. When i first came to high school and i said that i play WoW i was target of nolife jokes for months. True story!
 
Depends on the game. Some game has some nice rap songs, others use no rap at all.
 
My childhood was centred around platform games like Spyro, Crash, Croc and fighting games like Tekken and Street Fighter. I played them a lot when I was very young (maybe almost too much) which annoyed my parents but they never really worried too much about the possible effects, if any.
 
I find that the majority of people, (from what it seems like), those who don't play much video games themselves, have that negative attitude towards people who do enjoy them.
But really its incredibly ignorant and hypocritical.
If it is the case that "video games are a waste of time" or "those who play games games have no life", two very ignorant statements, then why play any games at all?
What difference does it make that a game is on the computer or if it is played in real?
You could take a game like poker. If you play it alone in your home on the computer it is looked at as bad, but if you play it live with friends it is okay... ?
Or what about sports fanatics? They could also be called "geeks", because they are obsessed with such games.
Or what about the people who make these games - computer/games programmers, but they are more accepted, because they have a "job"... Whenever someone meets someone else the usual question is: so what do you do? Like what a person does for work is their defining element. If you don't fit certain criteria of society's expectations, you receive a negative label.
Its all bullshit from the ignorant masses.
It often seems to me that people who have problems with people who play video games are maybe just mad because those people are enjoying themselves with something that they themselves are too weak minded to break out of their ignorance and brainwashed minds to appreciate themselves. And they want you to conform like they have.
 
+1 to everything you have said OP. I do see this and I do not like it one bit. People could do a lot worse then play games.
 
Agree completely with OP.
Although, because its interactive, it's much easier to become addicted to games than it would be to say, reading books. But it's mostly the older generation and those that don't have the patience to sit and think for an hour that are closed-minded when it comes to video games. Some people are also biased towards certain games. A pure Call of Duty or Madden player may consider someone who plays RPGs a nerd, or a chick may have no tolerence for someone playing a console or handheld game, whereas they'll play Farmville or some other facebook game for hours on hours, 7 days a week. Many parents blame video games for their kids not doing anything, but don't consider that maybe they have nothing to do and that's why they play as much as they do. Most hardcore gamers, from what I've seen, have recieved little interaction or attention from their parents. But imo, games are no worse than watching movies or tv. If anything, it involves some sort of actual thought to play a game well, most of them anyways. I learned much of what I know from video games, plus it greatly improves your hand-eye coordination. Because they're a great way to escape reality, it's easy to spend hours playing a game for many people. But if you have self-control or good time management, games are just another hobby.

Video games are becoming more widely accepted, but they'll continue to get a bad rep as a "waste of time" for at least another generation or two.
 
Thanks for all the responses, guys. I don't have time to respond to everyone but you all bring up some really interesting points.

I noticed that several of us have parents who have a negative attitude towards video games in general... and that's unfortunate to say the least. Playing a game together is a great way for families to bond, and I'd argue that it gives you more to talk about than by simply watching a show on TV. It's also a relatively equal playing field, which can be an empowering feeling for a kid. I respect any parent who respects their child's interests and is willing to partake in them, even if they aren't crazy about it themselves.

But what do I know, video games just turn people into losers and homocidal maniacs, amirite?
 

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