Are gamers really that pathetic?

[Desdichado]

If you don't want to game with someone because you don't like them, go right a head. I don't care what the reason is. To exclude someone from your table "for the good of the hobby" is elitest.

I dunno. Not saying you advocate this, but there's a vibe of "pathological tolerance" in this thread that I don't think is a virtue by a long shot. I won't game more than a session or two with people I don't enjoy being with. I don't mean just people I can tolerate, I mean people I actively enjoy being with. Life's too short, and I have too many other things that I would enjoy. One of them being gaming with my friends.

Now, to do it for the "good of the hobby" is just pretentious, IMO, but to do it for my own enjoyment of the hobby just makes perfect sense.

And for what it's worth, I've seen very few examples of the "cat-piss" man around. I have seen them; often in gaming stores where they seem to just hang around like parasites, but I've never actually games with one, even at big events like ENWorld gamedays and such, where they could (in theory anyway) run amok.

 

[Desdichado]

Is it really that important for you people to leave home the soonest possible? I can understand if one has to go to a far away university, but otherwise?

It is to me. Otherwise you're putting a financial (and otherwise) burden on your parents when you are supposed to be mature enough to handle that yourself.

Now, I see no problem with living at home while a single college student going to school nearby, or something like that. Living at home when you're 35 is something else entirely. Living at home as a chronically unemployed and unemployable 35 is, by any definition of the word, a problem.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Living at home when you're 35 is something else entirely. Living at home as a chronically unemployed and unemployable 35 is, by any definition of the word, a problem.

Joshua, have you been spying on my role playing group? I swear, it sounds like you're talking about one of my friends. The only thing this guy has going for him is that because he lives in the basement, we can play at his house without offending 'normal' people. Man, you're temping me to put that in my sig... tempting... yonked!

 

[Desdichado]

Glad to be of service!

 

[maddman75]

I'm with Joshua all the way on this one. Read the article I linked to on the geek social fallacies, its most illuminating. It is not evil to suggest that smelly socially retarded people should be told to sod off. Its *normal*. Its something that happens in most other hobbies, but we tolerate Cat Piss Men for whatever reason. All you are doing in that case is enabling their antisocial behaviour, which harms them in the long run.

As for not working, I agree again. Now there's a difference if its a temporary situation, going to college, or something like that. We all fall on hard times. But to continue to do so because you've no ambition for independence is a problem. (Not as big a problem as, say, lack of hygene or general lack of social skills)

 

[Pielorinho]

Moderator's Notes:

I got an email early this morning saying this thread was sinking fast, but I've only just now been able to get around to taking a look at it (yay dealing with broken computers!) Actually, I want to thank folks for turning it back on-topic, and for keeping the conversation respectful and polite; it can be pretty difficult to do so on a touchy topic like this.

Of course, if it starts going wonky again, please let me or another mod know.

Thanks, folks!
Daniel

 

[Lichtenhart]

It is to me. Otherwise you're putting a financial (and otherwise) burden on your parents when you are supposed to be mature enough to handle that yourself.

Now, I see no problem with living at home while a single college student going to school nearby, or something like that. Living at home when you're 35 is something else entirely. Living at home as a chronically unemployed and unemployable 35 is, by any definition of the word, a problem.

I guess you are not a financial burden if you work, and bring money back to the family to pay taxes, buy food and whatnot. But I'm very curious about how a son is an (otherwise) burden.
My house has belonged to my family for three generations. My great-grandfather built it, and my grandfather and my dad had always lived here. In fact their wives came to live here too. For two years, my mother, my father, my grand mother and my great-grandmother had lived under the same roof. And it's rather normal here, so I can't see what are these burdens you talk about.

 

[Edward Kann@StoryART]

Some of the most respected and brilliant inventors, scientists, world leaders, artists, and writers throughout history, both men and women have had issues in their lives that would make them an easy target for a "convention babe" or "hey i'm normal, cute and popular sudo-journalist" to bash in news articles.

Maybe the "cute" awkward guy is shaking because he has a medical condition.

This is the same shallow and frankly pathetic point of view of someone trying to make themselves feel better about who they are by putting down anyone that looks like an easy target. It seems like the same sort of shallow playground bully maneuver that we've all witnessed in grammar school, evolved into high school pecking order and is still being played out in this writers review of a convention.

I suppose it would have been a lot to ask to have something of depth to say about the fabulous artwork, the cutting edge..or even bleeding edge science fiction visions of some of the writers, the hard work put into so many great books and the really awesome support that RPG fans usually offer to one another in an article, but hey that would take work.

They always say "write what you know" and if all you know is turning up your nose and giggling at people then I suppose that is what you will write. Of course to my mind that writing belongs back in the Junior High School year book social pages where it belongs.

Gamers are great! They represent a cross section of some of the most brilliant creative artistic people in the world. Gamers certainly have my respect and support. If you gathered 100,000 people together at sporting event I bet you would find a lot more "people needing a bath" or exhibiting some kind of quirk..sometimes nasty violent quirks than you would find at any gaming convention. Gamers are quirky...yes well people pretty much fill that bill everywhere.

Sorry if I get up on a soap box on this but gamers are my tribe and I get my hackles raised when someone tries to take a cheap shot at my tribe.

My two cents.

Edward Kann
StoryART Games

 

[Desdichado]

Different cultural expectations; living at home if it's normal for large extended families to live in the same house obviously isn't a problem.

And living at home if you're a contributing member of the family is always fine, as far as I'm concerned, although very unusual in my neck of the woods. It's an expectation that if you can do so, you prefer to be independent as an adult in the US.

The problem is the hangers-on; the aforemented chronically unemployed who don't accept responsibility for their own lives. The critique against these types of gamers (who, granted, might be pretty few. I don't personally know any, although I know people like this who aren't gamers.) is that they have the sense of responsibility of a 12-year old. Quite often, this is just one of their many personality flaws; they often have the social etiquitte of a 12 year old as well, for instance. It's really normally a symptom of problems rather than a problem in an of itself.

 

[nyrfherdr]

I've said it before and I'll say it again... This place is AWESOME!
I haven't laughed so hard in ages. Thanks everyone.

Where else can someone provide the etymology of the word catpissman and then actually be introduced to someone who once could be called by the label.

Where else can someone argue for excluding those that lack social graces while interacting with many of the people who exhibit the very traits mentioned.


And on no other site would I find the entire thread remain polite, thoughtful and full of both humor and good will.

Thanks everyone. I have to say I'm proud to be a member of this community even if it is pathetic.

Game ON!
Nyrfherdr