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"You Don't Look Like a Gamer!"
Topic Started: Apr 11 2011, 02:20 PM (1,139 Views)
browland1
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A funny thing happened to me recently that got me thinking about some of the stereotypes that gamers face. I recently met up with a friend I haven't seen in a while and we got to talking about hobbies that have been keeping us busy. She just had a child, so that took up most of the conversation, however she seemed surprised that I am into video games. She said point blank "You don't look like the type who plays video games". I asked her to elaborate and she went through the list of the stereotypical attributes of gamers, such as being unshaven, socially awkward, etc etc. I asked her what she pictured me being into, and she said football, which is funny because I can't stand football or any other sports for that matter.

The media has paintend an unflattering picture of gamers and our standards for social interaction and hygeine. I have met many gamers in my lifetime, and only one or two fit the stereotype of the friendless basement-dweller, everyone else has been perfectly normal. Just makes you think about how we are perceived and how different things are in reality.
Edited by browland1, Apr 11 2011, 02:20 PM.
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Jenova
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Geth Hunter
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I don't know where I sit on the scale of looking like a gamer. When my hair is long and I haven't shaved for a month I look like a hippie. It probably looks the opposite when it's short and my beard is all neat and tidy.

That or maybe I look like one since I wear glasses.
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Richard
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I am sports obsessed and love video games so HA! I am in good shape, dress well, and yes clean shaven.

Stigma for gamers has gotten a lot better over the years. I don't think most girls would make a big deal out of a madden/CoD gamer at all. It is probably as normal as beer or any of the other things the typical guy likes to do.

JRPGs will probably always hold a certain stigma though. WTF is this gay shit is a pretty common reaction(from guys). From girls, couldn't tell you really. No girl has really commented to me about it though I am sure there are things going through their heads.
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Mamonuth
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Its funny to me too because im 15 and im pretty tall and heavy built. Every guy my age seems to think im hitting the gym because i apparently look like i have some muscle on me (which is sadly not true at all :'( ). Its awkward telling people i play starcraft.
Edited by Mamonuth, Apr 11 2011, 10:51 PM.
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l0rddavid
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Greater Ginger
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Everything one can be has images attached to it. I've had folks tell me I "look like a film major," which I am, but I can't place why they say so. Also, people always assume I'm smart, so quickly I know it's from my looks. Again, I actually am bleeding brilliant, but that's beside the point. :P

It is unfortunate that those images related to gamers in the common mind are rather unattractive. But then, I know many an unattractive gamer, so it IS grounded somewhat in reality. Gamers who can't shower or dress yourselves, step it up.

At least we've got this geek chic thing coming 'round, maybe that'll help.
Edited by l0rddavid, Apr 11 2011, 11:00 PM.
So says Mr. Stewart.
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KingJames88
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Ds Games!

Nobody ever suspects I have over 160 ds games sitting in my room. people forget just because you like video games, that doesn't mean you dislike everything else. It's just another hobby.
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Overtimee
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It kind of pisses me off to see that nowadays there are stereotypes for everything;

If you play Video Games, they think of you like Browland said.

If you tell them you listen to Rap, alot of people think you are a kiddie that wants to be cool and that thinks to be a Gangsta, that doesn't know shit about music.

If you smoke weed, people think you are one crazy drug addict, they think you are totally out of your mind, that you have no future.

Just a few examples; i call this Ignorance.

P.S. ; These are the ones i encountered the most for myself, there are thousands of more stupid stereotypes.
Edited by Overtimee, Apr 11 2011, 11:24 PM.
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Goza
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These stereotypes are funny, but usually not completely true (although there is always a spec of truth in stereotypes here and there.) But I like not looking like any certain stereotype, it always surprises people about my hobbies (i.e. gaming, art, ect.)
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PrincessxGarnet
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I've gotten that a lot. Most of it I guess comes from being female. When I first met my now husband at Gamestop,he didn't think I was a gamer. He even said himself he thought I was buying games for my boyfriend. I had another friend who worked there that told him I am in fact a gamer. So he 'tested' me by asking me questions about a game I had recently picked up. lol. Little did he know I own lots of games,consoles, and am a obsessive merchandise collector.

But yeah working at Gamestop, people were stereotyping me all the way. Most everyone was very surprised when they learned I'm a gamer,and not a causal one. Although a lot of people who came into Gamestop also thought I was goth. I have nothing against goths,but I am not one of them. I think it's the long black hair that makes people think that? I dunno.
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Andsy
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Man, people just give things names, it helps them understand stuff better. Everything needs a label, whether it's right or wrong.

As I've said before, my MMA buddies, we're all gamers. I know ADTR from here hardly fits the stereotype either.

Brb, growing a ponytail, getting some acne, glasses and a potbelly.

VSigma100: If I've learned anything on here it's that Andsy is a crazy bastard. LOL.
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J-Maestro
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I find myself talking to people I've known for months sometimes even years without knowing we both are gamers, I think most of it is the fact I would rather talk about sports/films etc. when with friends. Just find those topics to be far more interesting conversation topics, nothing to do with being embarrassed about it or anything.
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Kharnivore2099
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Retroverdose

I probably do fit into the stereo type to some extent, unshaven with long hair etc, but i wouldnt say im socially awkward or unfit though.

To cut it short...stereotypes are always really silly. It would be very different if you were to speak of a racial group in such a manner.
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Ponch
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Yeah I don't think I fit the gamer look stereotype. I like wearing my states professional sports teams clothing with New Era fitted baseball hats with Nike shoes. I like to go out and golf, camp in the summer. I did a lot of partying back in high school and don't really care for it anymore and would rather game on a Friday night rather then wasting around $50.00 getting drunk at the bar or club & calling a cab for a ride home like most of my friends do.

I have recently just talked to an old friend that I haven't heard from in a while and she told me she is a go-go dancer away at college and likes to play WoW and Starcraft II when she has extra time.
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AndysGameLounge
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The comic man from the Simpsons is a stereotypical gamer
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J-Maestro
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AndysGameLounge
Apr 12 2011, 01:50 PM
The comic man from the Simpsons is a stereotypical gamer
I always thought he was a stereotypical comic book collector. :P
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VirtualBoyGamerShow
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Very interesting. I'm a clean shaved guy, but I have had some trouble with social skills (nothing to do with videos, just because I was never the best at making new friends.) I'm quite Scrawny, actually, but kind of athletic (though I don't really like a lot of sports. Mostly, just fishing.)

I was trying to grow out a mustache over a year ago, and I got a bit of a stache-beard combo. I hated it, so I have been shaving it a lot, so I try to keep clean shaved. I am, however, trying to grow out my hair. So, I probably look like how the media portraits a "gamer."
Used to be So1001. But still, I'm...The Virtual Boy Gamer
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Porcelain
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Unfortunately society projects a certain image on many group and minorities which extends out to gamers and just about almost anything else! Gotta love stereotypes, I can see how they came to be, when a pattern is repeated or blown out that takes centre stage. This usually entails the negative. Imagery such as being obese, greasy, acne ridden, and socially awkward is what is made into the larger focus when labeling a gamer.

I hate when I'm pinned into not having any other passions, or being stuck in a more adolescent time frame, or my education being less because I am not spending my time in the way in which others would view as being more worth while. Yes I could take that time to read, or I could take that time to play Batman Arkum Asylum. Shame on me for wanting to spend my time in the way I see fit, this is why gaming is a hobby! Typically a hobby is something you enjoying doing, doesn't mean I'm not well versed in other areas or illiterate. It's not the ONLY thing I do, many need to stop believe that is the only thing gamers will do in their free time.

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metcar
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Eh people need to put a face on what they don't understand and they'll "face" it the way they see it. I have long hair and a beard but thats mostly cause i'm a metal head and thats my style.
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Andsy
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AndysGameLounge
Apr 12 2011, 01:50 PM
The comic man from the Simpsons is a stereotypical gamer
i am comic book guy
VSigma100: If I've learned anything on here it's that Andsy is a crazy bastard. LOL.
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leonk4
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I do like however that here in America at least that alot of people play call of duty and it's not like people try to hide the fact that they play games like that however I do think that it's very unfortunate that the games like pokemon have to kept a secret and if you even mention you will be classed fast as a nerd which some are fine with that and some aren't but I do like the fact that people love to talk video games and it's not a thing to be kept a secret from (even though it's nothing but halo and cod talk) I still like the fact that there is people around that like video games

look I don't look like for the most part a gamer but with long hair i look like all I do is play wow (which I don't) and I wear glasses so that could add i have one friend that looks like a extreme nerd (and he is) and one friend who not (which he is to) but he tries to hide the fact of that
he is even into our community a bit and he still won't stand up for it
Like once I asked him plan out in front of one of his friends "looking forward to the new pokemon game" and ignored me I felt like I was cut out because I said that and the game was not even out yet in japan and it just crossed my mind at the time simple question and I get cut out

sorry i guess I went a little bit off topic there :)
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Marineassassin
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All That Remains
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People are always surprised to find out i watch a lot of anime and collect manga. apparently, i don't look like that kind of guy.
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Szabo
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Yeah I am waaaay more into sport then games, so i'm not a good 'gamer' fit.
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Nemisku
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Long haired, prefer to have a beard, socailly akward around new people...
No one perseives me as a gamer, always some arse of a footballer or jesus ^o)
But then again, maybe it's because I ain't fat and lack glasses or some crap like that.

It gets quiet tedious trying to explain to people that games on the most part aren't unsocialable, expecially when it comes to Dungeons and Dragons since you acctually need to know people and ask around to get a game of it going. ¬_¬
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FisHeaD
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Im not surprised at all the media seems to portray different groups as stereotypes. Its the same for terrorists. If you asked some idiot on the street what a terrorist looks like he'd probably say middle eastern fella with a long beard and so on...

I'd like to think im very outgoing and i try to look after my self but some people just have negative views on these lifestyles.
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browland1
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I think it's the view of non-gamers who know nothing about the hobby or the different types of people who get into it. I am a very sociable person and I rarely talk about video games with non-gamers, which makes up the bulk of my circle of friends. They have nothing against video games per se, but they don't see the appeal of them and they mainly picture gamers in a negative light. As others have said, people stereotype and misrepresented things they don't understand.

Funny enough, an ex-girlfriend messaged me on Facebook and said "Wow, when did you become such a nerd?". My response: "Around the same time you became such a bitch." We had a good laugh over that.
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