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<blockquote data-quote="Recidivism" data-source="post: 5891708" data-attributes="member: 51740">It's not terribly surprising that gaming has an unusually high percentage of people who wish to escape into fantasy. That's the draw of gaming for many, and particularly for those with serious problems elsewhere in their lives.It also happens that gaming is a somewhat frowned upon subculture. Cultural attitudes are of course complex and personal to individuals, but I've never seen people refusing to associate with others because, for example, they might have an alcohol problem. Meanwhile, it's pretty common for gamers to be seen as social pariahs. Gamers are pushed into contact with any number of other subcultures and outcasts, which often means taking in people who have problems of various types and severity.There's also the angle that gaming is social and collaborative to a degree that a lot of other activities aren't, and it puts a magnifying glass on people. If I go to a movie or a concert I'm doing something normal and mainstream, but I have no clue about the baggage other people around me are carrying around. Gaming is a hobby where a group of people sit around and try to collaborate on a shared imaginative vision of a story. I know so-and-so in my group is in love with robots and will latch onto any theme involving scientific concepts or technology, I know such-and-such is there to be a goofball and joke around, etc.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Recidivism, post: 5891708, member: 51740"] It's not terribly surprising that gaming has an unusually high percentage of people who wish to escape into fantasy. That's the draw of gaming for many, and particularly for those with serious problems elsewhere in their lives. It also happens that gaming is a somewhat frowned upon subculture. Cultural attitudes are of course complex and personal to individuals, but I've never seen people refusing to associate with others because, for example, they might have an alcohol problem. Meanwhile, it's pretty common for gamers to be seen as social pariahs. Gamers are pushed into contact with any number of other subcultures and outcasts, which often means taking in people who have problems of various types and severity. There's also the angle that gaming is social and collaborative to a degree that a lot of other activities aren't, and it puts a magnifying glass on people. If I go to a movie or a concert I'm doing something normal and mainstream, but I have no clue about the baggage other people around me are carrying around. Gaming is a hobby where a group of people sit around and try to collaborate on a shared imaginative vision of a story. I know so-and-so in my group is in love with robots and will latch onto any theme involving scientific concepts or technology, I know such-and-such is there to be a goofball and joke around, etc. [/QUOTE]

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