Ashamed of being a Gamer?

[SnowleopardVK]

I tell pretty much anyone who asks, discuss gaming at length in public settings, own several nerdy T-shirts (RPG-related and otherwise)... So I suppose it's safe to say I'm not ashamed of it.

 

[Corathon]

Long, long ago I realized that I would never be one the "cool guys". It was oddly liberating. Instead I am who I am and other folks can like it or lump it. So I don't hide my hobby. My apartment screams "gamer", and I often talk games at work. In my profession, a fair fraction are gamers anyway.

On the other hand I wouldn't bring the subject up with a complete stranger, as most people are likely to understand or care. If the subject comes up, I'll talk about it happily.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

US lawyers are crazy.

Damn right we are!

Personally, I don't advertise my geekiness- other than that which escapes involuntarily*- but if asked, I don't deny it.

However, I don't own any wolf t-shirts.

I do, plus dragons, skulls, eagles, horses, swords, tigers, and Rennaisance suns/moons.







* in a class on Biblical themes in literature, Prof. Hoffer was breaking down the imagery an author was using to indicate that a character was evil- every aspect of the character was linked to a particular demon/devil/evil god. I was eyes down, taking notes furiously while raising my hand to answer his queries of which devil was being alluded to in this passage or that. After about the 9th one, he called on me by name, so I looked up to see everyone in the class was looking at me. Apparently, nobody else was even raising their hands...

 

[Kaodi]

I work in business as a financial analyst, so this is a big deal when I'm dealing with budgets and managing financials. To say I play video games is to invite scorn for being "lazy". The IT dorks can be into video games, because it's related to "compooters and schtuff." If it was found that I play rpgs, I'd be out of a job and lose my reputation over it, so I keep my mouth shut and let my coworkers know I live a boring life with my wife. Managing people's projects is serious business and they don't want geeks.

That sucks. I mean, I find it kind of ironic, because I am not sure I would want anyone who got that hung up on another person's hobbies managing financials. I mean, if you cannot judge relevancy properly, how good is your judgement at all?

 

[Spatula]

I don't hide it (my books are in plain view on my shelves) but I don't bring it up, either. Generally I am uncomfortable talking about gaming with folks who aren't gamers themselves.

But lying to your wife about doing what you enjoy? Ouch. That's a rough life.

 

[gamerprinter]

* in a class on Biblical themes in literature, Prof. Hoffer was breaking down the imagery an author was using to indicate that a character was evil- every aspect of the character was linked to a particular demon/devil/evil god. I was eyes down, taking notes furiously while raising my hand to answer his queries of which devil was being alluded to in this passage or that. After about the 9th one, he called on me by name, so I looked up to see everyone in the class was looking at me. Apparently, nobody else was even raising their hands...

I remember a quiz taken in Art History, where the teacher asked us to write down as many Egyptian gods as we knew. I came up with 18. Most came up with 1, some 3. Of course I own the 1e Deities and Demigods, and knew all the classical gods by heart. So Egyptian, that's easy Anubis, Geb, Ptah, Bast...

Gaming helped me in school in certain instances.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yes indeed!

 

[mach1.9pants]

Lying to the wife (three of them) is almost beyond belief!



I'm not ashamed of who I am even if my wife and acquaintances give me friendly ribbing

 

[Gilladian]

I'm a teen librarian. I also buy the science fiction and science and languages books for my library. And I'm the "computer" librarian (all because I know a tiny bit of html and can teach a 70 year old how to click with a mouse). People expect me to be weird. Then again, half the library staff play RPGs...

I met my husband at a game shop, during a gaming club meeting almost 34 years ago. Nowadays, we have one room set aside as "the game room".

I bring up gaming when it is appropriate. People ask me if I play online games, I say nope, tabletop rpgs are my hobby. I have minis made from my polymer clay hobby in my flickr account, etc... I cannot imagine hiding it. However, I do have more cat t-shirts than DnD ones.

 

[SkredlitheOgre]

I'm occasionally ashamed of other gamers but I'm not ashamed of being a gamer. I don't advertise that I'm a gamer, but if it or something similar comes up in conversation, I'm all about it.

I find it funny talking to people who have only played Skyrim or WoW and when I don't play, but know what they're talking about and can say "Oh, yeah. During one of my sessions, that happened. See, the orcs were flanking and..." and they have no idea how I know whatever they're talking about.

"Wait. You roll dice?"

I went to go get new glasses yesterday at Lenscrafters and on the little intake form, they asked for hobbies. I put down "Role-playing games" as one of mine. The nurse/assistant asked me about making jewelry (another hobby) and then led into "This friend of mine plays this game...um...not Myst...um..."

Me: 'Skyrim?'
Her: "Yeah! Have you played that?"
Me: "No, I play paper and pencil role-playing games."
Her: "Really? How does that work?"
Me: "How much time do you have? Because it's a long explanation."
Her: "Oh."