Gamer

This topic has been floating around the internet now for a little while from a few places. Gamers, should they willingly be part of a subculture in society? It's a weird question really, as no other aficionado...of anything really has to deal with the social implications that comes from their love of something. They have no social implications. Someone who is part of a fantasy league for every sport is just thought of as a sports fan, but no stigma, good or bad is attached to that. Someone who commonly attends concerts for a genre of music isn't a concert...er (Unless you're a Juggalo...then you have a stigma attached to you. A funny funny stigma). Gamers though, have to deal with this grouping, and a lot of it is self-imposed. Now I am a guy who plays a lot of games, that is abundantly clear to anyone who spends more than an hour with me. I can throw my arm out right now, and including my computer, I can smack no less than seven devices that are made in some way, for the playing of video games. But am I a gamer? Do I want to be called a gamer? Hit the break for my answer, which will probably be long-winded.
Alrighty, I would say under the current state in which we find the term, it could easily be said I am a gamer. I fit all the criteria as it stands. I first of all, play a ton of video games. I would say it is my primary form of entertainment. As a matter of fact I had to pull myself away from a game to make sure this blog post gets done at a reasonable time. I also have that telltale nerdy streak and slightly antisocial tendencies. However what I am is probably what someone who labels themselves a gamer would call a typical gamer. I would have to say though in the long run, although I do enjoy video games, and will continue to enjoy them as my primary form of fun, I would rather not be shoe-horned into this grouping. In part due to the stereotype it offers even among like-minded people. I would rather not be known as a gamer amongst 'gamers' and have that define the totality of my existence. Granted some of the traits normally ascribed are true, in fact many of them probably are. But I like to think there is more to me than simply what one word can possibly describe.

The problem gets even worse though when I am ascribed the term gamer by those who do not play games. When someone who does not enjoy video games calls someone a gamer, the picture that comes to mind is a member of the Trench Coat Mafia, ready to gun down an unsuspecting high school at any moment. I am a morbidly obese slob who can never leave the basement of my house unless a Cheetos and Mountain Dew run is in order. My wheezing, dirty form shouldn't bother coming outside anyway, not like I have any idea how to talk to people as it is. I am twitchy and speak in nothing but obtuse gamer vernacular, going on about fragging and calling everyone a fag.

Well for some people that is no doubt true, and unfortunately they ruin things for everyone else, who are for the most part, very normal people, but just enjoy playing video games more than watching sports, seeing a movie or reading a book. That is not to say those activities are forgone at all. I will watch sports if I catch them on, I love going to the movies and I do read a ton of books. I also have a job, go out with friends often to various places and can talk to other people about 'normal' things depending on how much sleep I got the night before.

The saddest part is that there are people on both sides of this equation who are fine with these distinctions, because as they say on an Onion t-shirt, "Stereotypes are a real time saver". Gamers, who are often people with nerdy tendencies get to feel like they're part of some elite group. Something exclusive that they with their people alone understand, and the meatheads that fucked with them in high school can never hope to gain entry into this secret club. They don't know the handshakes, the lingo or the right memes. To some degree that sense of community is good, as it allows people to make friendships based off of mutual interests. However on the flip side, people who identify themselves as a gamer could also risk losing out on other rich life experiences because of the exclusive nature of their group. While this is often based off the assumption of others who do not play games, it still hurts the person playing games in the long run, as a result of their choice to stereotype themselves.

Concordant to the above opinion is the fact that this stereotyping is what really allows those who would rather see free speech and expression go down in flames to gain steam. Whenever some psychotic kid shoots up their school, you end up hearing about how a copy of Grand Theft Auto was found in the child's room, possibly still shrink wrapped. When you hear this fact on the news, you might also be able to hear my groaning because I am seeing the looming idiot show on Fox News and CNN discussing the problem with violent video games, and how America's youth becomes corrupted, hopelessly violent zombies, akin to the infected in 28 Days Later. And thanks to 'gamers' deciding too often that stereotyping themselves is a swell idea, they can never be bothered to call bullshit in a meaningful way when Jack Thompson or California decides to take the 1st Amendment and shit all over it. After all, the gamers did half the work for the people who think we're all evil because we like Mario. They made the stereotype, and as will happen with fear-mongers, they will grab the torch and run with it, all the way to crazy town, making sure every form of expression within their grasp is outlawed. So really in the end, I would prefer not to be called a gamer thank you very much. Yes I like games, but I also do not like being boiled down into a single word that to too many people is synonymous with psychopath. Ugh, I am done, I am starting to get annoyed by thinking about this too much.

-Kesith.