Why I hate "dudebro," "brogamer," etc.

[foxhound1022]

Well, when does labeling cross the line? It when the usage of a term crosses into further derogatory ground? I think any label of any kind is slightly ignorant. To say a frenchman is french, is not a label, but simply a description; such as to say me, being a blond-haired, gray-eyed man as being white or caucasian. To me, anyways, it's simply a decriptive term. To say anything like that is negatively charged is ridiculous, unless there is a certain connotation one adds to it when saying it. It's all open to speculation and every single individual's powers of observation.

Like I earlier stated, I am all for the elimination of these belitting titles, yet as long as people remain ignorant to the fact that everyone has their own proclivities, and has nothing to do with overall appearance, it will continue.

[o.pwuaioc]

I think, instead, that it is used by "non-brogamers" as a warrant to discount certain people's opinions about games as a whole based on their playing habits.

First, I'm not sure this is true. In fact, I know it's not true since the discussion on "brogamers'" games in the early 90s looks at games that are well-received and liked by "non-brogamers", such as Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat. GameMasterGuy's high opinion of some of these games while thinking they were the 90s equivalent of "dudebro" games should have dispelled any notion that "dudebro" was being used to dismiss an entire group of people wholesale.

There are multiple angles we can look to see how "brogamer" and "dudebro" are actually functioning, but I seriously think the reaction against it assumes and simplifies far too much to be accurate.

[s1mplehumar]

[Jmustang1968]

Mario and Luigi are brogamers

[dsheinem]

[ I seriously think the reaction against it assumes and simplifies far too much to be accurate.

I was basing my opinion on the term per its usage in previous threads. Here are several examples from their usage here:

It is sad, but keep in mind that IGN is a brogamer site. It's not populated by people who play retro games or those who understand console hardware and what a big deal the AES was at the time (and still is). IGN members are the type of dudes who'll be first in line to sell their "obsolete" Xbox 360s as soon as the 720 is released.

Man my little brother is the antithesis of racketboy. Pretty much your typical "brogamer". Only plays Call of Duty, etc. He came by today and wouldn't shut up about jtagging so he can cheat online at CoD or something. I want to show him the path to tr00 gaming but the kid doesn't even know what a Sega Saturn is

Dudebro, we called him. Only played Halo or something similar. Drank really shitty beer. One of those guys. You know the type.

it drives me nuts how I'm always asked if I want to pre-order the upcoming fratboy dudebro shooter.

Whenever I have a dudebro tell me THE WII IS NOTHING BUT SHOVELWARE AND CASUAL GAMES I say "Sorry I didn't hear you over the sound of Metroid Prime 3, Twilight Princess, MadWorld, Muramasa, Valhalla Knights, Little King's Story, No More Heroes, Monster Hunter Tri, Red Steel 2, and Sin and Punishment."

I know your type. Shame on you and your dudebro ways.

It's funny because the most popular Xbox 360/PS3 brogames are what I would call casual games: simple controls, shallow storyline, excessive cutscenes and padding, easy/brief single player mode.

There's also plenty of discussion/use of the term here, almost all of it derisive: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 45&t=36121

Here's the urban dictionary entry: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... id=5650554

I don't know - it seems that in most places I've seen it used it is understood to be a pretty condescending term. I don't really think I am overreaching by suggesting as much, nor do I think I am simplifying it..

[o.pwuaioc]

Sounds a lot like the music scene to me. There's a lot in my previous posts that make sense of these things. For example, who wouldn't want one of these "brogamers" to actually play and enjoy 2D games? Is it the brogamers that are provoking the condescension, or the fact that repeatedly in your examples (with much documentation) there's a group of people who tend to like games in a certain way, who are generally dismissive of retro games, who like games that retro gamers are generally dismissive of? Is it wrong to scoff at people who don't like the Beatles when you're on a Beatles forum?

I'm still seeing a discussion about tastes, and you seem to want to find villainy in every statement. You'll need to do some more commentary on these, showing why each example supports your case, and perhaps show that your theory has real world applications. Destructive and ungrounded? Those examples show first-hand testimonies, and I saw nothing destructive.

Btw, I clearly don't speak for all people. Let the bigots be gone, and thus elevate the discussion.

[dsheinem]

I'm still seeing a discussion about tastes, and you seem to want to find villainy in every statement. You'll need to do some more commentary on these, showing why each example supports your case, and perhaps show that your theory has real world applications. Destructive and ungrounded? Those examples show first-hand testimonies, and I saw nothing destructive.

It's not just about taste, as there is an association with the term with lower intelligence and unwelcomed behavior and choices beyond their gaming preferences. It would be like you suggesting that people who like rap music must be mentally inferior and destined for prison because you prefer "more sophisticated" classical music and consider yourself to be pretty smart.
That's different than saying "I don't like your taste in music".

As I've said, I don't have any "real world" examples of "harm" being done to gamers who are labeled in this way - but I don't have to. That's secondary for me. My first post suggested that the more discernible "harm" is to the image of those communities that insist on using a term that is elitist and ignorant.

[MrPopo]

Why is elitism bad?

[Zing]

The phrases "dudebro" and "brogamer" are so incredibly silly that I find it kinda amazing that anyone can use those terms with a straight face.

"Dudebro" is pretty damn hilarious. I can't imagine someone using it in a serious tone.

[dsheinem]

Why is elitism bad?

I guess I can't think of instances where elitism as a part of a structuring ideology has been a good thing. It was, in part, the basis for a lot of horrible things in history.

I suppose you could look at something like the Ivy League or some Fortune 500 companies as a place where "elitism" takes place and sometimes produces valuable things, but that kind of elitism is generally based on something more significant than one's choice of entertainment (it is based on grades, evidence of hard work, family or personal reputation, etc.).