Video game discrimination.

[General Chaos]

My suspicion is that perhaps the nature of the student body has a great deal to do with how they approach gaming and gamers.

This does make sense.

Could you elaborate? I am interested.

Well, for example, my university essentially has no greek system, a very small athletics program, and is largely a commuter campus. We also emphasize a technological focus when recruiting students. I think all of these factors contribute to a student body that is, well, perhaps "nerdier." Even though I teach in the social sciences, I still see students who have cross-over interests in technology related fields.

Interestingly I earned my degrees at a university that was very similar and I'm most comfortable in a place like this. The students seem less concerned with "being cool" and are quite frankly more interested in becoming professionals and/or scholars and in my experience are just generally more open to one another's thoughts and opinions.

Let's remember though; I'm speaking from very limited experience. I did teach at a university with a fairly large and active athletics program and a small greek system. The students were also more politically and morally conservative. Here I did see some (but not a great deal) of the expected teasing and mocking of gaming and gamers.
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[J T]

Ha ha. Oh wow.

I think you've completely misunderstood my point.

Congratulations!

Maybe it's your obnoxious sarcasm that makes them want to be rude to you and it's not the fault of your videogames.

[the King]

Huh, my friends and I all played a lot of videogames in college, sometimes too much. I really don't think it affected our social life, heck Goldeneye and Mario Kart were stables before and after the parties/bar.

[Harvey]

I don't think I knew a single guy who didn't play at least some video games in college. When people saw our room full of video games, they thought it was either cool or funny. We laughed along with them though.

One time during my freshman year, my roommate had invited these two girls to stop by anytime (they were pretty too). My roommate and I were in a Diablo 2 addiction, and these girls stopped by during our playing time. We talked to them, but all the while we continued playing Diablo 2. They stayed for about 30 minutes before leaving. They never came again. Shortly after that episode my roommate and I vowed to quit playing Diablo 2 for the rest of our freshman year. We didn't touch the stuff until our sophomore year.

[MrPopo]

Most of the people I hung around with were either from the engineering college (nerd alert!) or were massively addicted to DDR, so I didn't experience much of a bias against videogames. When I got my DS another of them got a PSP and we used to debate the merits back and forth. I totally won those arguments in that first year of the handhelds' life.

[nateup2]

Well, I went to a largely atheletic U with a huge greek system and I will tell you that I would be very surprised to find even one frat house without video games.

On people making fun: You have to understand that the average person (especially in america) is an absolute moron who you probably have no business associating with. Just turn on the TV for a bit and take a look at what consumes their time... its embarrassing to all humans.

I say play your video games, fuck those who look down on it... and consider it a free filtering system.

I decided that years ago and I havent had a complaint since. I scrapped off those who I no longer feel I have anhything in common with, leaving only true friends... and a really hot girlfriend who happens to LOVE video games of old and new!

Like-minded people will find eachother. You know, you dont necessarily want to repel everyone... but sure as hell don't do anything you dont like just to impress.

[Ack]

I have some good stories about this I will post later. But I have to say Ack has the absolute best story about this. Ack tellem about the frat you rushed.

You mean the time they asked me to go to a party, so I showed up in a Hawaiian shirt, with a PS2 under my arm, and all they asked was if I played Tekken?

What school do you go to, Max?

[the7k]

If all you really know about is video games, it can get pretty vexing for others. It's about the same as trying to carry on a conversation with a sports freak, or one of those girls that are just a little too into U2.

It's just that, while it is socially acceptable to walk around in nothing but body paint for the home team or to be really obsessed with really bad music, it is also socially acceptable to view video games as nothing more than a toy. That's the whole reason we get these Jack Thompson's that rise up against violent video games - they remain convinced that video games are nothing more than another way for parents not to have to spend time with their kids.

The best thing you can do not to be discriminated against for liking video games (or cartoons, or toys, or anime, or scifi, or Dungeons&Dragons, or any thing else of the sort) is just don't make it your defining characteristic. Make sure it is but one of many things that defines who you are as a person.

[MrEco]

Yeah, I decided about a year ago(I'm only 16 currently :/ ) that I would ignore people who don't share my interests. If someone loves sports, partying, and "social interaction". Hates video games, anime, and other related things. I attempt to keep a distance of at least 20 feet from them at all times. Just you do the same and your life will be much easier(And more fun).

As for when people say that you're wasting your time by playing video games. Just tell em' to fuck off. Err... I mean, tell them that every time they read a magazine, watch TV, watch a movie, listen to music, talk to friends, read a book, go shopping, play sports, or travel, they are essentially wasting their time just as much as you and are a complete hypocrite. Then, you tell em' to fuck off.

[DuManchu]

Once you hit a certain age you quit caring about what other people think and enjoy your hobbies no matter how childish they appear.

I totally dorked out over gaming (and other things) in the last few years and I don't seem to have lost any friends. In fact, I've become MORE social since becoming more public with my gaming obession. I've just become their friend that also happens to have all those sweet systems (which isn't a bad thing).

I'm rambling... ignore anything you choose to.