Which Stereotypes About Gamers Are True And False?
Gamers have always had stereotypes placed upon their appearances, lifestyles, and relationships. But with most of the world technically being gamers now, some of these stereotypes are outdated or just outright false. So without further ado, let’s examine which stereotypes still hold up in 2019!
Are All Gamers Relationshipless?
Because gaming started as a niche thing for kids, most people assumed that any grown adults into this hobby were obviously romantically challenged. While maybe this was more common in the late ’80s and ’90s, today it’s quite normal to see everyone playing games. In fact, even married men and women with countless obligations make up most of the gamers today. Gaming, in general, is more popular than it’s ever been so the stigma against hardcore gamers is pretty much gone. There are of course outliers that don’t have much luck within the dating scene, but this stereotype is mainly false.
Gamers Have Poor Body Odor?
Okay now, this one depends entirely on where you’re at. For instance, not every hardcore gamers ignores the invention of deodorant, but go to any convention and you’ll think the opposite. In my experience at least, whenever I go to gaming eccentric areas, the body odor there isn’t the most appealing. However, I must stress that not every gamer lives up to this stereotype.
All Gamers Are Antisocial?
I would say that thanks to the advent of online gaming, gamers are more social than ever before. Countless communities are formed every day thanks to how connected the world is. Even in person, both casual as well as hardcore gamers, spaz out over the latest gaming craze. In fact, it’s kinda odd if someone isn’t into gaming today. No matter if you only play mobile games on your phone, you’re still apart of the gaming culture. Every game from Fortnite to God of War is up for discussion. You no longer have to feel ashamed for enjoying your hobby.
Gamers Live With Their Parents?
Another popular stereotype is that all adult gamers live in at home. All throughout the ’90s, it was common to see characters in film and television depicted as losers with no ambition. They were usually used as comedy relief and helped to perpetuate this stereotype. While today there may be plenty of people living this lifestyle, I would have to say that this isn’t true for most adult gamers. The reason I say this is that most of the kids who grew up playing games in the ’80s and ’90s are now adults with actual jobs now. And with the extreme popularity of games today amongst adults, it only makes sense that most of these people have actual lives.
Are Gamers More Prone To Violence?
Without a doubt, this stereotype is false for a number of reasons. In the cases where a gamer has committed a violent crime, the first thing that the media does is look for a scapegoat. The blame is usually placed on whatever latest game is out and the media/powers that be try to ignore the real issue at hand. But I’m not gonna get into that discussion because that’s a debate for another time. I will, however, point out that everything from movies, television, books, and music can inspire someone to commit horrible acts. But we usually don’t blame those other forms of entertainment because they’ve been around longer than gaming. It’s usually the older generation who don’t understand gaming that uses it as a scapegoat.
In Conclusion…
While I’m sure you can find plenty of people who fit these stereotypes, I must stress that this is my opinion. So don’t take my observations as fact!
