Wasted day’s and wasted nights?
They say to never judge a book by it’s cover, but that often isn’t followed through. The mentality towards gamers is no exception.
What do you think when you hear the word Gamer? Lazy? Distracted? Degenerate?
With the rise in popularity of video games over the past 50 years, the stigma attached to the people that play them hasn’t changed much.
Many of us grew up with our parents chastising our use of video games saying, they took up too much of our time, the didn’t promote healthy behaviours, they were too violent. Some people label video games as public enemy number one with the rise of mass shootings in the US.
The way people perceive those that enjoy playing video games is often in a negative view: long live the meme of a 30-year-old surrounded by Mountain Dew and Doritos living in his mother’s basement.
Many people challenge this view, displaying that not every gamer is the stereotypical, shut in. It’s completely possible to be a well-adjusted and like the escape that video games have to offer. My friend Jack White is a great example of this, a Counter Strike aficionado that balances Wintec study life with his hobby. Jack has a great academic record placing his studies at the top of his priorities, followed by working at his parents farm, and then his love of Counter Strike. Enjoying a night out with friends can also be on the cards for Jack, something not always associated with a “gamer”.
In my time of being in Hamilton this year, I have met a lot of genuine and hardworking people that are gamers. People who are kind with good hearts that just like to allot a few hours of their days to something that takes the mind off every-day stresses.
In some ways I feel that the term “gamer” can be applied to almost anyone, as the rise of mobile games are the most downloaded apps on any app store. They are far more accessible than they have ever been, you will often see people where ever you go tapping away on a mobile game to pass the time.
So the next time you hear the word “gamer”, just think to yourself that could be my brother, sister, uncle or even grandmother. A title once used to look down on others can also be applied to professionals, and when you can start getting paid for something, you’d think others would take it more seriously.
