What Makes a gamer?

Iritscen · 10/25/09 12:10

I'm not really comfortable with the (not-so-)borderline flaming that is going on here. T_W_D did not insult anyone directly and yet is receiving insults in response -- although some of you seem to have felt that she was insulting you indirectly by insulting certain groups as a whole. But if you look at her words closely, you can see that when she says "gamer" she only means people who spend massive amounts of time gaming and don't socialize with others very much. We're not really defending those people, are we?

The rest of what T_W_D says is basically just what (almost) all girls feel but don't say out loud, so don't hate on her for that. Many of us have wished girls took more time to get to know guys rather than judging them on superficial criteria, but don't take that high school frustration out on her, please.

Leus · 10/25/09 12:10

Thank god for that contribution. Where would we be without you, T_W_D?

I will respond to one thing though:

And I always thought growing up means learning how to co-exist...

If that's true then the world is full of biologically-mature infants. How is putting people that aren't exactly like you down co-existing? How is ANYTHING modern developed society does co-existing? We're separating into a smaller and smaller elite always trying to find ways to push below the people that help us get there, and you are obviously in full support of this with such comments as "It's the weak who are screwed." All the same, though, I'm glad you could once again provide us with your guru-like insight into the realm of being human.

Leus · 10/25/09 12:10

Irit: I'm sorry, but this has nothing to do with her gender. Sure, she's not openly insulting anyone, but she is making absurd generalizations obviously directed towards the people in here.

"If you hate sports, you're either fat or thin."

"If you know a balance between gaming and life, it's fine, but most gamers don't."

She is obviously throwing judgments around and trying to get away with it by generalizing, but she's in a thread attacking the subject and discussion of the thread, and that's all the hell she ever does. The fact that we're calling her out back directly shouldn't be any different than that; we just have the decency to confront situations directly instead of making smug dickish comments and hiding behind vagueness.

As far as gender goes, I think girls are worse off than guys in the example you mentioned. Girls are COMPLETELY generalized and marginalized, at least in this society and especially in high school years as you mentioned; they are thought of as a dumb yet stubborn pair of boobs that you can have sex with as long as you idly go along with all their crazy demands. Again, this has nothing to do with T_W_D. In fact, it's sad that the only girl I've seen here has to act like such a man. That's another product of culture; masculinity is constructed to appear as the norm and desirable, and many women think they're overcoming their limitations by acting like men and being dicks.

I dunno, she just really frustrates me and I know it's justified. Personally I don't care about the gamer remarks specifically; I had a lot of the same generalizations in my mind about "nerds" for a long time and I'm still trying to get over those as well as others. It's just the fact that she has to come hostilely throw these generalizations around at people who are claiming to fit the label for no damn reason.

Iritscen · 10/25/09 12:10

Well, she has a black and white view of the world, that's for sure. But I do think it's significant when a conversation drifts from insulting generalizations to ad hominem attacks. That's how flame wars start. Well, technically they *really* start by people caring too much about what other people on the Internet think ^_^

T_W_D · 10/25/09 12:10

why are u on this forum if u are not a gamer and don't play Oni

I like Oni. But I'm not a "gamer". Same as not everyone who has a motocycle is a biker.

How is putting people that aren't exactly like you down co-existing?

We've already talked about that. Like it or not, human nature is that ones dominate over the others, and deviant ones are avoided or bullied. Your theories are one thing, reality is another. I understand your desire to make everyone equal, but I don't share it and I don't think everyone should.

Girls are COMPLETELY generalized and marginalized, at least in this society and especially in high school years as you mentioned; they are thought of as a dumb yet stubborn pair of boobs that you can have sex with as long as you idly go along with all their crazy demands.

O.o I'd like to see someone brave enough to marginalize me.

many women think they're overcoming their limitations

Many women intentionally try to be manly by being rude, and they shut up when being treated as a rude male - that is, receiving a punch in the teeth. I never try to be manly, maybe because I never knew about any "limitations", or women being treated like a dumb pair of boobs. I'm not a feminist, thank you (and I never understood what feminists are fighting for anyway).

Leus · 10/25/09 12:10

Irit: I care what everyone thinks, honestly. I believe that what everyone thinks is important; what everyone thinks is what's made the world what it is, as is what will make the world what it will become.

Leus · 10/25/09 12:10

I'm not a feminist, thank you (and I never understood what feminists are fighting for anyway).

I understand your desire to make everyone equal, but I don't share it and I don't think everyone should.

Mukade · 10/25/09 13:10

i guess everyone is entitled to an opinion, i don't think we should carry this furthu, this thread threatens to become sexist
but still, i hate ppls that disrespect women

Leus · 10/25/09 13:10

I don't think there's any threat of sexism goin' on here. Just plain old ignorance, narcissism and elitism.

But agreed, we can get back to the point if T_W_D wants to stop posting her helpful contributions.

Mukade · 10/25/09 13:10

takes two to disagree
not saying this IS sexist, just saying it might

--Is trying to figure out why every topic in Anything but Oni turns into some philosophical debate

Last edited by Mukade (10/25/09 13:10)

Leus · 10/25/09 13:10

'Cause of me.

T_W_D · 10/25/09 14:10

Leus, you say "elitism" as if it's something bad.

Ok, let's end this offtopic.

adorage · 10/25/09 14:10

T_W_D wrote:

I'm not a feminist, thank you (and I never understood what feminists are fighting for anyway).

The possibility for women to participate in powerlifting competitions without being marginalised for pursuing such an "unfeminine" sport and building muscles "like a man", for example

@topic: I think everyone who plays games on a regular basis is a gamer, whether you're part of a subculture (or fit into any givne clichée) or not.

And the difference between gaymers and other gamers is that gaymers are homosexual, as Samoko pointed out. I wonder why noone else has addressed this point. So bringing racism into a conversation is wrong, criticising a woman qualifies as sexism but homophobia is okay?

Samer · 10/25/09 16:10

some girls ARE delightful

Stevinlewis · 10/25/09 21:10

Jeez Leus you really have something against TWD dont cha? (And all other girls infact) cuz of all ur past post which I couldnt quote since you guys filled up so many of it. Id better speak my mind out before this threat is closed. I think TWD has some sense mentioned in her posts. Just gotta listen to her and not insult her and de-karma her. Thats not cool. What heppened to being a "gentleman" ?

And yes i totally agree with sam that SOME girls are delightful They bright up ur life every morning

And you guys should relax sheesh, stop hating each other and start loving . I could feel hate from both of you even when TWD showed smiles and laughs. It was all sarcasism. Im sitting on the fence though. Im outta this topic

Last edited by Stevinlewis (10/25/09 21:10)

Samer · 10/26/09 06:10

by some girls are delightful i was referring to adorage

so u can't generalize either way just cause a person is a girl doesn't mean she is delightful nor not, and I don't think Leus has anything personal against T_W_D or girls ... trust me on this one.
and one's actions demand being a gentleman not their gender.

but i agree on the let's stop hating part.

Stevinlewis · 10/26/09 07:10

Oh adorage, yes shes a lady

EDIT: i misinterpretted ==

Last edited by Stevinlewis (10/26/09 07:10)

Leus · 10/26/09 11:10

I don't have anything against girls. In fact, I tend to prefer women because I associate men with the oppressive power structures of the world, and I think I actually act "like a girl" in a lot of ways which I'm okay with, though the whole concept of specific ways in which males and females should act is kind of bothersome... Anyway, I was just saying that society in GENERAL tends to try and marginalize and dismiss females.

TOCS · 10/26/09 12:10

I'm beggining to enjoy this discussion!

Anyways, I think a gamer is some sort of lifestyle.. Like sports is for alot of people.

adorage · 10/26/09 15:10

errr.. thanks guys

Leus wrote:

... [girls] are thought of as a dumb yet stubborn pair of boobs that you can have sex with as long as you idly go along with all their crazy demands.

lol, sentence of the day. You're right though, and to think that adult people (adult women!) pay comedians in order to listen to them reinforce this mode of thinking is perhaps the saddest part of it all.

Mukade · 10/26/09 18:10

Men that think that way, i just wanna slap them really hard

Leus · 10/26/09 19:10

Many women ultimately think that way, too; a huge factor in oppression is internalization. Just like what Adorage said.

Gumby · 10/27/09 01:10

they are thought of as a dumb yet stubborn pair of boobs that you can have sex with as long as you idly go along with all their crazy demands

Lol.

Dirk Gently · 10/28/09 12:10

someone that can appreciate someone's hard work on making something great. asking "what makes a gamer" is the same as asking "what makes a cook" or "what makes a banker" devotion to something they enjoy and can appreciate. As this thread shows the "gamer" is seen as a cliche slightly overweight guy, who is a social recluse and is up until the early hours of the morning to raid.

I am a "gamer", but not in the traditional sense. Sure, I play games a lot. But I also write code, I also am somewhat of a photographer, I am also someone that likes to hang out with his friends. Fun social fact about this is that you have to be cultured. Yeah sure, you might be the best on the MLG Pro leaderboard, but what do you do outside of playing games?....Yeah...Exactly.

I have a feeling that this thread has gone into territory I don't feel comfortable discussing. Don't get me wrong, I love a good debate, especially when you can pull philosophy and the human condition into it. But the flaw I sense here is that SOME of the members are not contributing in a coherent fashion, resulting in general vagueness and rude and insulting generalizations.

adorage · 10/28/09 15:10

So SOME members are being VAGUE?

If you don't want to contribute to the off-topic, noone will flame you for it. I think every thread in the "Anything but Oni" section becomes off-topic after a while because there are so few people here. In a bigger forum, the off-topic would simply be drowned in a food of people all responding to the original question. Not the case here. It's more like a conversation.

Last edited by adorage (10/28/09 17:10)

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