Growing out of Games?May 16th, 2008 by Brittany
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My family, older strangers, and even some of my friends like to take one look at my pink and black hair and assume that I am going through some sort of “phase” that I will grow out of once I get out into the “real world.” My apologies–I suppose all this time, the Matrix has had me. I must have been living in my own virtual happy land for nineteen years. “Real world.” Pshaw.
Somehow my having unnatural hair marks me as immature–but more importantly, so does my passion for video games, anime, and cartoons. I can’t even count on both hands and feet how many times I have been given the Look by new acquaintances when I tell them I enjoy playing video games. They’re shocked and appalled that I would choose to take up such a childish hobby.
Sometimes I am even subjected to the double whammy - “You’re a GIRL and you like playing VIDEO GAMES?!” followed by a disapproving shake of the head. “Shouldn’t you have grown out of that by now?”
No, I shouldn’t have grown out of it. The last time I checked, gaming was for everyone - are you trying to tell me that titles like Gears of War or GTAIV 
were created for children to enjoy? The entire point of releasing those games were for adults. In fact, that is why there is an ESRB ratings system in place - to keep children away from the games that it is believed they should not get their hands on. I suppose this is too difficult for people to understand, however, as I am constantly having to explain myself about why I am “still a gamer at 19.” Being asked this is the equivalent of asking anyone why they read books, watch television, go to see movies, draw, or sing at (insert age here). But no, of course gaming is going to be lumped in with the group of hobbies you were supposed to drop when you grew up, along with playing with dolls, toy cars, hide-and-seek, or having imaginary friends.
What I have to wonder is if people really, truly believe that gaming is for children or if they are simply going by what’s been forced down their throats by the media along with the stigma attached that gamers are violent and irresponsible sociopaths. Remember how Fox News jumped all over that couple who neglected their infant because they were off playing video games? The media eats all of that up because it is popular belief that we are a collectively childish and hateful breed. Most adults (including some teenagers) tend to think that all games are created for children, therefore that must mean the only people who play them are children. That kind of thinking is as reprehensible as blaming video games for “training children to be killers.” The world is in a sad shape when perfectly capable and responsible members of society are treated differently just because of their interests. I am in training to become a medical transcriptionist. I go to school, I do not cause trouble for others, and I am certainly not out roaming the streets at night gunning down random citizens. It is a fact of my life, and I am sure many of yours as well, that I am treated differently by a myriad of people because I enjoy technology created with the intent of putting smiles upon tons of faces.
Look at who Wii Fit is being marketed to - mothers. In fact, many Wii owners and users are adults, or the elderly utilizing it in nursing homes since they cannot get out and get the real exercise. Wii games provide therapy for some people, and give them fun they might not be able to find elsewhere. If you want to argue that Wii games are primarily for children, then you also have to account for the fact that the most popular games that adult Wii owners have are things like Wii Play, Wii Sports, Big Brain Academy, or something similar. Any overbearing, whiny, complaining mother or father will cry to anyone who will listen that their children do not need to be sitting in front of the television playing virtual sports when they could be playing the real ones. There are no real arguments that make valid points against gaming being for people of all ages, just a lot of hypocrisy and whiny parents.
Of course, I do realize that there are some gamers who are indeed very childish, such as those who sit on Call of Duty 4 or an equally immersive game that people enjoy for days and days on end without any human interaction and neglect their families, pets, friends, and even bodily functions. Not only is it childish, but it borders on an addiction. However it needs to be made perfectly clear that one rotten apple should not spoil the whole bunch.
As long as people are of the opinion that gamers are “for the kids” and anyone who plays them past childhood is obviously immature, our favorite games will continue to be the scapegoat for the media, as well as current generations.
May 16th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I’m 32 and also still play video games. I am a certified public accountant. I have a master’s degree. I pay all my own bills, including my taxes, clean my own house, do my own yard work (or pay someone to do so), AND volunteer at local community theatres for an additional hobby.
And yet, despite ALL THESE THINGS, I also still get that eye-roll, and the patronizing, “Wow, you play video games? Don’t you think it’s time you grew up?” It makes me livid faster than I can possibly describe, especially since it is NEVER anyone who like, volunteers at soup kitchens or builds schools as a hobby making this statement, it is always people who watch a lot of television in their free time. Always. I simply do not understand why sitting on your ass watching American Idol is a responsible adult pasttime, but sitting on your ass killing Magtheridon is for immature, unwashed losers. Really? REALLY.
One of my coworkers - who, I might add, is at a lower level of advancement on the career ladder than me - told me that I should watch some show that comes on Mondays. I told her I didn’t watch television because I preferred to play video games. “That’s why you should watch this show,” she said, “it’s about people who get all their social networking done on video games on the internet!”
So I should… stop playing video games on the internet to… watch a television show about… people who play video games on the internet.
REALLY? REALLY?
May 16th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Oh god, the Look! I have gotten it for various things from video games, listening to death metal, playing death metalon my guitar, and overall odd antics. The most recent was when someone discovered I had the complete MIDI music collection of every Zelda game in existence. They asked why I would have such a thing to which I responded “Why wouldn’t I have it?”
I find that the people who think gaming is childish are just trying to fit into a social norm. They are the “followers” and just try to do what is deemed acceptable by society. These people have no interesting aspects to them and have no identifiable personality beyond what has been installed by the masses. Also, most of them are douche bags.
50% of guys in my dorm surf, think football is a religion, and talk primarily about getting wasted. Surfing and liking Football are not bad things, quite the contrary. But ,Jesus Christ, have an opinion about it, decide for yourself! If you think games are childish, well, why? Because a lot of people told you they were? I wouldn’t mind these people at all really if they an opinion that was genuinely their own and based on a logical thought process.
Plus, I find solace in the fact that they are indeed wrong, games aren’t childish. When games incorporated sex and violence, I’m pretty sure that notion was shattered. And nowadays, professional gaming can become a career. Hence, not childish. QED bitches! Ok Rant over.
May 17th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I know how that feels… Truly.. I’ve told people I played a lot video-games they give me that look *Oh Lord, she plays video-games…*. Then things just turn awkward from there.
What’s wrong with your hair? o_o? I LOVE YOUR HAIR. What does hair have to do about being mature/immature?! Hygiene is a different issue.. anyways PINK HAIR IS AWESOME. I use to have my hair all pink! It was kickass.. it faded out x_x…. I’ve seen 60 year olds with blue/pink/purple in their hair. It’s awesome.
Anyways, as Kevin said, “I find that the people who think gaming is childish are just trying to fit into a social norm. They are the “followers” and just try to do what is deemed acceptable by society.” TOTALLY AGREE. 100%. I don’t know about you or him, but the people I’ve dealed with tend see video-games as well and having no social life. These tend to be the people who have that “I’m better then you, I can afford more expensive clothes, I got a better body, etc etc”. Aka.. Preps? Lawl.
Oh, ALSO with parents.. I just don’t think they really understand gaming.. atleast my parents anyways. My dad thinks it’s taking my life away since I don’t go out a lot.. MANY REASONS WHY I’M NOT GOING OUT
A) I’m having way too many friend problems IRL right now, and I’d rather not tell my parents that.
B) I live out in the middle of no where ..
C) I love gaming? I’ll go out if I’m going to game with some other friends or something, or even a LAN party! I’m not like most girls here. I think the majority of girls here go clubbing and shit like that.. yeah that’s not my thing.
I’d tell my Dad I can socialize on the internet, but he’d have a spaz attack.. LITERALLY. I mean, atleast I’m not doing drugs, getting wasted, fucking random people or smoking it up? If anything I’m just getting less excersize. Haha.
But yeah, video-games are not childish.. everyone of every age is playing them! People have to learn to take gamers more seriously. u_u
May 17th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
I’m really annoyed by adults who say gaming is for children, especially when they haven’t ever played a game. I’m sure children would get the nuances of Fahrenheit or even FF7. My mother calls GTA4 a kid’s game, and continued to do so, until I had her listen to the radio. Then she was like, “Oh. Uh. That’s satire.”
Right.
May 18th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I, too, think your hair is totally kickass. Even though I’ve only ever seen one pic of it on your MySpace page. I used to do all sorts of crazy shit to my hair back in my high school days. My mom loved it though. haha!
I’ve been ridiculed by just about everyone for being too “childish.” I leave my TV on all the time even if I’m not exactly watching it. It’s a white noise-comfort thing. But 95% of the time the TV will be on Cartoon Network. I’ve taken a liking to such shows as Ben 10 and Storm Hawks. I’ll even sit there and watch stuff I don’t even really care for.
My computer desk is covered in toys and figurines. I’ve got all my old original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set up along with new ones from the CG movie. I’ve got figures from Star Wars Clone Wars. Stuff from Justice League Unlimited. I even have a miniature model of Serenity from the show Firefly.
In the livingroom sits another TV with my 360 and a pile of games next to it… In front of a wall covered with posters from TMNT, Family Guy, and various comic books.
There’s nothing wrong with having a hobby, even if it might seem “childish” to someone else. One of my best friends used to look down on me for the things I enjoyed. Then I realized how much of a pretentious snob she was.
My theory on the whole situation is that people who enjoy “childish” things are the most creative people on the planet. I mean, where do you think all this “childish” crap comes from? Kids don’t create it. Adults do. People who scoff at others for being into kiddie things just don’t have an imagination. Maybe they’ve become too jaded to take pleasure in such things. The world is a hard place to live in, so I guess it’s understandable. But it’s those few of us who can enjoy such things that keep some semblance of magic and enjoyment in the world.
I used “childish” too many times in this post. I feel ridiculous.
-Dustin
May 18th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
21 and still a gamer.
And you hit the spot. Its annoying to be called childish only because I enjoy games like Harvest Moon or Zelda…
While most dont complain about my appearance, they do about the fact, that I do enjoy cartoons (Batman fan… It happens), chocolate and other stuff that is labeled kiddy.
And even if I try to communicate on a more mature basis with my other hobbys, such as up to date science or my beloved german/austrian/french/english literature; they dont seem to be statisfied with my maturity (or they dont want me to discuss a character or book with them).
That is really depressing…
May 18th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I appreciate the experiences you’ve had, and the comments from the other people. However, I have a different side of the story.
I am 27, fairly well adjusted and a keen gamer. I work at a college, I play in a band and I have an IQ of 155. I have a group of friends who are all fairly similar to me - 25 - 35 years old, all working and all relatively normal. All of us play games. And I do mean ALL of us. From my friends’ sons and daughters to their parents. We all play games and we all enjoy it.
The idea that someone doesn’t play games is, to me, extremely odd. Anyone up to and including their mid thirties must have had at least a passing interest in computers, and therefore, games. Why should we still not enjoy them? Is there some magic age bracket that we pass through where everything changes? A technological puberty, as it were?
Older people may find computer games uninteresting. Fair enough. They are complicated, fast paced and difficuly to play without a basic knowledge of control systems. This can make them hard to learn and confusing to watch. However, saying that we should grow out of playing games is like saying to someone born in the 50’s - “I would have thought you’d have grown out of watching TV by now.”
There is no upper limit on having fun. Lets keep it that way.
May 19th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Ok re-read these comments and I totally agree with Kevin.. like he read my mind basically (only from a guy’s view).. and my friends are obsessed with clubbing and disc-golf and random stuff like that.. Idk it’s teh lame. But yeah basically people who think that games are still for children are the types that run around in groups of other sheep.. and when they hear something different, they sneer at it and insult it.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:44 am
A few people have mentioned that some games have mature content now, so they can’t be childish. I’m not sure I really buy that. I think an important aspect of this is looking at what lessons can be learned through games that can be applied to “the real world.” Because even if the content is “for mature audiences” if games are just a way to waste time, then sure people are going to see them as childish and pointless. But one powerful way to change that is to look at some of the benefits of games.
I had an interesting experience recently. My boss is grooming me for project management, and has been getting me more involved with that aspect of the project we’re working on now. We were discussing the state of the project a few weeks ago, and she interrupted me to ask where I got my project management experience from or if it just came naturally, because she thinks I’m good at it. In thinking about it… honestly, a lot of it comes from being involved with games and online communities around them.
There are a lot of things you can learn through gaming that can be applied to “the real world.” But there’s definitely a stigma attached to gaming. It’s definitely becoming more mainstream and accepted, but it’s going to be a slow process. And part of it is definitely generational. I’ve talked to some of my coworkers about gaming, and they know what I’m talking about… but they know about it through their children. So there’s definitely a hurdle there.
There’s an article I read about leadership in WoW by Joi Ito a while back ( http://joi.ito.com/weblog/2006/03/13/leadership-in-w.html ) that really I think shows some of the steps we’re taking in getting past this stigma of games being childish. The idea of using lessons from WoW in developing better tools for managing other distributed real-time environments in a business setting, for instance, just jumps out at me.
June 4th, 2008 at 5:53 am
Damn fine article! Tell ya what though, when I am 100 (provided I live that long) I will still be gaming, and I don’t care what society says about it ^^
Gamign is like the new Marilyn Manson, and seeing as gaming has been getting blamed for causing evil in the world and corrupting our children since DOOM came out I don’t think it will be changing any time soon!
But you know what, if people give me “the look” for being a gamer, then they probably arn’t the kind of people I want to be friends with anyways
Good work Brittany!