There are many signs that the gamer is still part of a misunderstood subculture. Why are we seen as button-pushing zombies?
It’s hard to confront what non-gamers might think of gamers, especially if it doesn’t work out for them, at least trying to understand why they don’t understand us. The primary contrast can be seen between Generation Y, Z, and Generation X and their parents and grandparents who are Baby Boomers.
My dear grandmother asked (Rest in peace!): “Okay, boy, but what is a computer for?” Decades have passed, but I can still clearly see his sweet, naive expression and the sparkling interest in his eyes. Because he’s done analog work all his life and didn’t really know what a good computer was for.
Come on, explain it to someone who has only written by hand all his life!
The conversation drifted into several lines, as I couldn’t even explain to him from scratch why it was such an important tool in natural technological terms for me. We are left with the fact that, unlike a videotape or vinyl record, the quality of data stored on a computer does not deteriorate. He was satisfied with it, and I didn’t bother with it any further. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and got back to playing.
Illustration: Freepik
However, misunderstandings between players and non-players went unexplained for some time with just a generational difference. They say we’re just guinea pigs wandering a maze or monkeys pressing buttons for treats. The latter hurts the most when I think about the games saved on my mobile phone. Because, well, yeah. On the other hand, if non-gamers run it by saying that games are just pressing buttons, then a book is like turning pages, and football is like kicking balls.
If you don’t understand something when you look at it from the outside, it’s nothing more than a series of confusing actions.
If you’re not interested in golf, it’s just a few manos with a stick on the lawn. do you see? For those who are not interested in gaming, the best case scenario is manus mode with the console. But where is the content, the story, the excitement, the plot you created, the liberating joy when something works out, etc.?
Why don’t others understand this?
The level of non-gaming in non-gamers can be easily gauged. As they discuss the waitress’ boobs, the trainer’s biceps, the latest Netflix series, or maybe the score of the weekend match, take a look at how much you scored yesterday in Warzone! Or if you’re an older player: watch the family’s expressions when they tell them you’re ordering Starfield for your birthday! right? In front of you you can almost see incomprehensible faces or outright contempt. Why is it more interesting what Freddy played or who played with who at Bridgerton?
The thing is, almost everything looks boring and inexplicable from the outside looking in and you just don’t get it. For those of you who don’t understand games, maybe it really looks like a seal ball to a silverfish. Meanwhile, you do the same thing an athlete or musician does: You practice or rehearse over and over again because you find meaning, joy, and satisfaction in what you do. And you develop in the meantime: your player knows more and more in WZ, your player in FIFA, your character in Dark Souls. Then you take on new tasks for a predictable reward, which in the case of play is relaxation, joy, and a comfortable detachment from reality—at least for a few hours.
And you’re proud of your accomplishments—which is just right, and you’re encouraged when a new experience or challenge comes your way.
The way we play often reflects how we relate to life in general and what we find joy in. The great thing about games is that they allow you to explore — not just the digital world, but your own: they reveal how you like to act in different contexts, how well you handle challenges, how much patience you have for mental tasks, or what it feels like to collaborate with others for shared success.
What makes the difference?
No, you’re not a guinea pig wandering a maze, a button-pushing zombie, or a hunting seal! You are an adventurer, an explorer, even if it seems otherwise to those who don’t understand you. As you push buttons, you are actually learning, thinking, experimenting, interacting, and solving. And it continues to get better at that. And what makes the magic of video games even more – for example, compared to many sports and hobbies – is that what seems to be repetitive for a long time from the outside, in fact requires no tolerance for monotony, because a good game constantly pushes you with new experiences.
Perhaps the main difference between people who understand video games and those who reject them is not in personality, age difference, or social situations, as it has more to do with the stimuli that hit those at the right moment when they became vulnerable to their hobby. That is why it is incomprehensible what non-gamers do not understand. We just like to do something else in our spare time, and that’s it.
They judge based on misconceptions
All the better, we couldn’t sum up just how wrong gamer stereotypes are, like Quora on the side Made by Sage AI chatbot:
“There are some misconceptions about gamers that are commonly held by people who do not play video games themselves. One of the most common is that all gamers are young, socially awkward males who spend all their free time playing games. In fact, the average age of gamers is around 35, and both men and women play video games. Another common misconception is that all video games are violent and lead to aggressive behavior. Although some games depict violent themes, the majority do not, nor have they shown “Research shows a strong association between video games and aggressive behavior. Also, some people believe that gamers are not productive members of society and waste their time playing games. At the same time, many gamers are successful in their careers and other tasks, and some even use games to improve their problem-solving and teamwork skills. Finally, some people think that video games can only be enjoyed by children or young adults. In fact, all ages can enjoy video games, and many older people play games to stay mentally active.”
Oh, and if we’re about to misunderstand each other:
5 hard-to-argue reasons why parents hate video games
