I had a woman walk into my store the other day, talking about how much she hated the fact that her son played videogames. Ironically enough, she was trying to buy her son a Wii at the moment, so I said nothing to her. She did however, make an offhanded comment about how "terrible" she thought GameStop employees were because they played games. When I told her I played games just as they did, she looked at me like I was crazy, and I guess in her warped mind, she took my comment in the past tense, because she said to me "But you're here! You got out! Look at you, you're smiling, vibrant, nothing like..THEM."

I shut my mouth. Didn't say a word. I wonder why she thinks like this. Is there some sort of unwritten rule that states that all gamers have to be sunlight depraved, anti-social, violent, moronic shut-ins with no dreams or aspirations beyond "reaching the next level"?


Could it be because when she turns on her television, she sees nonsense like this?





I don't get this, it's stupid. Why are games portrayed like this 9 times out of 10 in the media? It's no wonder people think we're nuts. Or that it's a brainless, colossal waste of time with no substantial value. Tell me something, when was the last time you played a game, and were spazzing out all over your controller as much as this guy? It's silly.

I suppose, one could argue, that the actual sight of someone who is actually playing a game isn't very exciting unless you can see the screen, but this can be easily circumvented by NOT HAVING YOUR CHARACTERS PLAYING GAMES IN THE FIRST PLACE. If you're not going to portray it right, then why do it at all?

Problem solved.

I cringe every single time I see a primary or supporting character in a movie playing a game like an idiot while Atari-level sound effects bloop out of the TV. The only thing it shows me is that the medium STILL isn't any closer to having the respect it deesrves, and that ignorant writers are continuing to lampoon a culture they know nothing about while simultaneously perpetuating the "gamer" stereotype. You know, the ones that parents like the customer above are so fond of making a reference to when trying to dissuade the children from their hobbies.

It's no wonder this show is getting slaughtered by reviewers and the public alike. I mean, what better way to show a lack of creativity: "Hey, we have a pathetic character, let's sit him in front of Halo!" Great job. Between this, and every other network on TV doing the same thing, it looks like we'll have a ways to go before this trend has any hope of dying.

I just hope it's known. These people, and everyone like them, while they're sitting there in their brainstorming sessions, yucking it up amongst their colleagues, they've only proven one thing; that they are just as immature as the image they're attempting to typecast and stereotype onto us.