The generalization of gamers (negativity towards gamers)

[RyuCookingSomeRice]

I hate generalizations. I hate people lumping entire groups of people together based on one thing they do or love. In this case gaming.

Now I will say that there are plenty of fucked up shit in gaming communities. From Gamersgate, to cancel culture, to sexist, anti female anti gay anti lgtbq. What I don't understand is why there is some sort of mentality that this is "gaming" or "gamers". When there is a large group of people who are just not tolerant of others. That has nothing to do with gaming, that has to do with how they were brought up, how their culture is and general human behaviour.

Ofcourse if they get into a certain hobby, be it gaming or riding a bike, they will keep that part of their personality with them into that hobby. Now Im not sure how to chance these people. I dont even think you can in some cases.

But what really irks me is when I go online on Twitter or such, and I see people calling out shit opinions as "gamersTM".

For instance, people raging against TLOU2 because of some things they don't like.
Now you could say "man those GAMERS again, they really don't like inclusivity so fuck GAMERS".

Or you could just understand that there is a subset of people who are anti women, anti LGTBQ and that permutates in everything they do in their daily lives. Ofcourse in real life, they are not anonimous so they cannot just shit on women or lgtbq in daily life, they will get fired or punch in the face (deservedly).

Now why are there people who lump in these kinds of people into one giant group. GAMERS. As if we are all some hivemind where none of us has their own thoughts or things to say? What I have learned in my life is generalization is wrong.

You cannot say "Women are bad drivers". You cannot say "All gay people dress flamboyant". You cannot say "All men are pigs".

I mean you can, but you really shouldnt. Because adressing an entire group of people and thinking that they are all the same, is insulting for many.

I am 100% pro lgtbq, womens rights, black rights and I do consider myself a person who loves videogames. Some would say a gamer. I don't want to be generalized like some people are doing.

 

[Deleted member 2791]

You cannot say "All men are pigs".

Click to shrink...

actually i can
pretty big difference between the first two examples and the third

 

[Van Bur3n]

You should try not making your hobby a large part of your identity. If you know it's not in reference to you, why care.

 

[aiswyda]

Wha

gamers aren't systematically oppressed?? All of your other examples are what the fuck this is so obviously not the same

(Also is the reason why all men are pigs is something you *can* say)

 

[It’s Time To Go]

Enough gamers are trash to make it a legitimate thing to say though.

 

[Foot]

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh.

 

[Darryl M R]

People call out Gamers(TM) because for the damn longest this industry treated serious issues like racism and sexism as unavoidable features for all.

Who cares about reclaiming the title Gamer?

Also, ACAB.

 

[Type VII]

Fuck gamers

 

[It’s Time To Go]

Why does anyone define themselves as a gamer anyway? You play video games. Hopefully, your life and personality consists of more than video games.

 

[Greywaren]

Gamers were a mistake.

 

[Deleted member 8593]

Spoiler

It doesn't take a genius to realize that "gamers" is directed at literally every single person that plays game but the larger cultural issues that infest this hobby and the communities dedicated to it.

 

[Chairmanchuck (另一个我)]

Then maybe dont make your whole identity based around games?
Crazy, I know.

Fuck Gamers.

 

[CloseTalker]

Umm, a hobby isn't the same thing as being LGBT, Black, or a man/woman lol.

This ain't it, OP

 

[rras1994]

All men are pigs and fuck gamers. Come at me, I don't care, do your not all men and not all gamers thing

 

[Glio]

Gamers are not oppressed but probably should be.

 

[Deleted member 46493]

Thing is, the loudest gamers are like this. Not in ERA, because they'd get banned, but in the real world/YouTube/Old Place/GameFAQs/4chan. They are mentally 13-16 or actually those ages, which doesn't help.

Just play games and chat with us on here, don't define yourself as a "gamer".

 

[Slingles]

This is the most gamer post there is. Seriously, you're not oppressed you nonce

 

[PenultimateFantasy]

You should try not making your hobby a large part of your identity. If you know it's not in reference to you, why care.

Click to shrink...

This.
You have hobbies to entertain you not enslave you.

 

[Deleted member 198]

Gamers rise up

 

[Deleted member 8752]

Now why are there people who lump in these kinds of people into one giant group. GAMERS. As if we are all some hivemind where none of us has their own thoughts or things to say? What I have learned in my life is generalization is wrong.

Click to shrink...

Who still does this though? I've haven't been stereotyped for enjoying video games in years now. Maybe by like... boomers. But who under 50 years old is stereotyping "gamers" as a monolithic entity?

 

[Duffking]

there's a difference between gamers and Gamers

 

[Brian_FETO]

gamers are the most persecuted of all peoples, and it's so insane because the society we live in literally enables this

 

[Griselbrand]

Gamers aren't marginalized the way minorities are, come on. That's a Gamer™ take.

 

[Deleted member 21709]

Won't someone think of the gamers.

 

[Dio]

"will someone think about the gamers"

 

[Morrigan]

Gamers aren't a persecuted or marginalized minority. Grow up.

 

[Nepenthe]

Now I will say that there are plenty of fucked up shit in gaming communities. From Gamersgate, to cancel culture, to sexist, anti female anti gay anti lgtbq. What I don't understand is why there is some sort of mentality that this is "gaming" or "gamers". When there is a large group of people who are just not tolerant of others. That has nothing to do with gaming, that has to do with how they were brought up, how their culture is and general human behaviour.

Click to shrink...

It is gaming culture.

A culture is ultimately just a widely-held set of practices and beliefs among a group of people who share something in common. So, if 30 gamers are going around calling black people niggers, and another 170 are either saying nothing, telling the black people "it's just trash talk; don't take it seriously," or worse- getting mad at the black people for wanting to do more about it than "put them on mute," then all 200 of these gamers are engaging in a racist culture, and all 200 of them are trash.

For decades, gamers and developers alike have cultivated a culture of flagrant bigotry, resistance to inclusion, and a culture of silence because they have done nothing. Every single time when the chips were down to finally stand up for something- anything- more than which favorite piece of plastic should win the generation (with the exception of the current BLM protests because if there's one thing gaming culture can't ignore, it's the threat of destroyed capital and lost money), you all have dropped the ball. Gamergate being a thing wasn't necessarily what sunk you; it's the fact that you all didn't fucking fight back against it.

And this shouldn't even be surprising; regardless of player demographics, game development and gaming culture is mainly spearheaded by conservative, straight, white dudes, most of which with a chip on their shoulder for having been bullied in high school over their nerdy passions and running with this shit as if it's real oppression. Thus, empathy is in short supply. On top of that, you all wrap yourselves in the blanket of apolitics and tell people to just leave you alone so you don't have to deal with "reality" because you "just want to play games," completely inconsiderate of the fact that minorities do not have that luxury of escaping the reality of their lives when they walk into gamer spaces. When I log onto Overwatch I want to escape reality too; how the fuck am I supposed to do that when someone is being racist or sexist, which in turn reminds me that I'm an outsider in the wider world at large?

Gaming culture has a deep bigotry problem. Crying that "every fan culture has a bigotry problem" does nothing to make gaming more inclusive. Instead, it removes the burden of responsibility on gamers to take charge of their own culture and cultivate it into a place where people all of persuasions really can just sit back, chill, and have fun. Pull yourselves together. Grow the fuck up. Be good citizens first and consumers second. Actually make a moral stand for once.