When you read that someone loves video games, that has a certain image associated with it, just as much as when someone is a comic book fan, listens to heavy metal, rap, or country music, or that they’re a fan of pro wrestling. I actually can identify myself as each one of those categories, but upon first glance most people wouldn’t place any one of those labels on me as I don’t fit the stereotypes. While being prejudiced is seen a as terrible thing, it’s actually a part of who we all are, while it’s not always hate filled it is human nature for us to prejudge someone based on characteristics that are described to us before we see that person. We always say how important a first impression is and it’s very true, but at the same time when I first meet someone they only get a glimpse of who I am, so sometimes it’s best to give that second, third, or fiftieth look before making a final judgment.
The stereotypical video game addict is seen as many things, from a nerdish teen with profane language to a blazed out stoner in their twenties on their couch, even to the lazy adult in their mother’s basement, but we in fact come in many shapes and sizes. We’re quite the cross-section of humanity, if you think about it gamers have helped bring about the technological revolution we’ve seen these days. One of the most popular things going is streaming media, where would the world be without the ability to use their Xbox or Playstation to access Netflix or Hulu? Sure we would still have access through our computers and we could hook those up to the television, but it’s nowhere near as impressive. While being a gamer was once seen as a mark against a person, it’s now becoming the norm, and as it turns out that’s actually a very good thing.
Studies have been done time and again to figure out what effects, if any, being a video game player may have on the human psyche, what positive or negative things could come from playing video games. As it turns out gamers tend to be more socially inclined and more highly educated than non-gamers, we tend to be closer to our friends and family, and many gamers wind up going to college and seeking out higher education. Playing games seems to be positively affecting the world around us, although you wouldn’t know that if you tried playing a game online with a teenager, the language used would likely make a sailor blush. The more time moves forward the more gamers will become accepted in society, lets hope the intelligent side of the community spreads to the rest of the world.
