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Are you ashamed of being a gamer/nerd in public?

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
I remember having this moment when I was younger and the guys would talk like they knew everything in secret and then they'd denounce every single thing like that religious story about Peter and Jesus. They have to denounce it three+ times or they feel like they are belittling themselves. I also got this, "ooh no dude, that's you".

I think the biggest thing is that gamer(s) or nerds can be the jerks themselves. They can turn on gaming faster than someone who congenitally doesn't like the style.

It's like being around someone when they hear about games and all of a sudden they say, "eww gross, I hate video games" or "I'd totally dump my boyfriend if they were into video games".

There are also those people who were nerds once before in their life and now they find more pleasure in putting other people down about it even though that's about as much as an ego boost as they get.

I guess I never acted like I was on edge about it or I had to act weird, so it feels very unhinged when someone goes off about gaming. I think a few of us know the feeling. We aren't going to give in because someone tries to out the gamer or nerd in a public place or for their own gain.
 

Skrams

Member
So where does Gaf buy "tasteful" video game clothes? Most stuff I see are always blatant (1-UP etc) and does not look very nice.
I like the subtle stuff.

I haven't looked at it yet, but a lot of people recommending fangamer from what I've seen.

A majority of my shirts have been from theyetee. There's quite a few mehs and clunkers from them, but what can you do with a daily tshirt thing. I quite enjoy the shirts I've gotten though.

Qwertee is also a daily tshirt thing which I've known about for a bit, but I think it's been straight garbage most of the time.

If you like fighting games Eighty Sixed is good. I thought about getting Lethal League stuff from them too. I mentioned my beowulf shirt earlier in the thread.

I also use redbubble from time to time for random shirts. It's where I got my Wonderful 101 shirt that Kamiya wore a while back. There's a lot of garbage on redbubble and it can be overpriced, but you just have to shift through it. Also take advantage of the 20% shit they seem to do often.

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I don't advertise that I play games and I hate the term gamer.

Only 9 posts in. I seriously hate the self-acclaimed label of Gamer. Ughh. It's more of an insult than anything.

I've never had an awkward situations with playing games or wearing a gaming related t-shirt clothing though. I have no real pride in playing games. It's just a hobby.
 

Kthulhu

Member
When I wear my nerdy shirts in public (which is most of the time) it usually gets ignored. Sometimes I encounter people who know what it's from and that's always nice.
 

Fandangox

Member
I haven't looked at it yet, but a lot of people recommending fangamer from what I've seen.

A majority of my shirts have been from theyetee. There's quite a few mehs and clunkers from them, but what can you do with a daily tshirt thing. I quite enjoy the shirts I've gotten though.

Qwertee is also a daily tshirt thing which I've known about for a bit, but I think it's been straight garbage most of the time.

If you like fighting games Eighty Sixed is good. I thought about getting Lethal League stuff from them too. I mentioned my beowulf shirt earlier in the thread.

I also use redbubble from time to time for random shirts. It's where I got my Wonderful 101 shirt that Kamiya wore a while back. There's a lot of garbage on redbubble and it can be overpriced, but you just have to shift through it. Also take advantage of the 20% shit they seem to do often.

I don't see that w101 shirt there :C
 
I think it's sad when people waste time caring so much about what other people think. Make choices that make you happy.

To me, it's pretty much that simple.
 
Nah not at all , lots of people played games at my school x high school x college when I was growing up
I only wore gaming shirts when I was a kid though , had a sweet Mario brothers sweater haha B^)

But you should never be ashamed for having a hobby , worry about yourself first , not at what others think.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
When I wear my nerdy shirts in public (which is most of the time) it usually gets ignored. Sometimes I encounter people who know what it's from and that's always nice.

I wore my Murder of Crows BioShock Infinite shirt to dinner once. I felt fine and then this younger woman and her boyfriend come in and I wondered if he would pull the whole ''nerd'' thing if they realized what my shirt said or meant.

I wasn't ashamed at all, but I knew the whole label was alive and well.

Usually I wear a nice button down shirt, a polo, or something nice. This time I wanted to wear my shirt because I don't want to wear it doing things by myself.

It's like this aberration or mirage, you're all of sudden Ebenezer Scrooge and you're being visited by the spirits. You're in this fate of either being ashamed about what you enjoy or you're just living in the moment and hopefully someone can make sense of it all along the way.
 

Toxi

Banned
I play my 3DS on the train. Never felt embarrassed by it, plenty of other people do it from kids to old ladies.

I don't own any gaming shirts, but I don't think I'd be particularly embarrassed wearing one; if people are fine with a big ass spider on my T-shirt, they're probably gonna be fine with a Mario mushroom or whatever.
 

pantsmith

Member
I was sitting at a bar the other day when I heard two older guys talking about Metal Gear.

One of them said "Knowing that, why would you build a Metal Gear?" and I, being a little toasted, laughed. He looked down the bar and said "Oh, see, he knows what we're talking about. 3D printing, right? If you were going to print a gear, what material would you use?"

I haven't been so ashamed of my hobby in a long time, hah.
 
I don't care personally. I wear superhero and gaming shirts when I go out. At work, we wear t-shirts on Friday and I always wear a superhero or video game shirt.

I don't give a fuck what people think. I love being a gamer/nerd and gaming is an absolute passion of mine.
 

0racle

Member
I'm a 30 year old father and been gaming as long as I can remember. It's in my DNA, I live and breathe the culture but you would never know it by looking at me. My friends and family know my passion about the hobby

Does that make me ashamed? No. Conscious about how I present myself? Yes.

I don't speak openly about my hobby, I don't broadcast it by wearing videogame gear nor fit the stereotype in the slightest. But in society you need to realize impressions matter, people judge and stereotypes define people. Debate it all you want but its true.

You and I both know the stereotypes given to gamers. I don't want to be looked at in that light even though it's a huge part of me.

It does not mean I'm lacking self confidence, it simply means I know the importance of social awareness in order present myself in the best light. I know it sounds shallow but I'm sure you catch my drift.

A homeless drug addict could dress in a suit everyday and I guarantee you would treat him differently if you met him for the first time.
 

Verendus

Banned
Why would you be ashamed to be a gamer? Everyone is a gamer. That fifty year old man in the suit and ill-fitting pants is a gamer. That old lady holding the hand of her six year old granddaughter is a gamer. That two year old baby fighting for her daddy's phone is a gamer. PRESIDENT OBAMA is a gamer. The entire world is filled with gamers.

And they're all fucking crazy.

You should be ashamed. What's wrong with you?
 

Paskil

Member
I am also 33, OP. I work in Human Services in the employ of state government and have very serious responsibilities and work with a lot of very serious individuals, including political appointees. I have the entire Earthbound gang walking down my right inner forearm in all their 16-bit glory, as a tattoo. I typically wear business casual clothes with short or rolled up sleeves. I also have Fallout and Super Meat Boy related paraphernalia on my desk in my cubicle

People who care and judge people about this shit aren't worth your time or concern. As long as what you do makes you happy and doesn't hurt anyone else (or is illegal), no one else's opinion should matter.
 

djtiesto

is beloved, despite what anyone might say
Not at all, I'll wear game shirts (usually of the more obscure variety a la 1ccshirts, no "I scored with the princess" stuff) without caring. I'm 33 and work in the software field, most people here are geeks (though more of the comics/TV shows/Star Wars variety, not so much the gaming variety).
 
Why would you be ashamed to be a gamer? Everyone is a gamer. That fifty year old man in the suit and ill-fitting pants is a gamer. That old lady holding the hand of her six year old granddaughter is a gamer. That two year old baby fighting for her daddy's phone is a gamer. PRESIDENT OBAMA is a gamer. The entire world is filled with gamers.

And they're all fucking crazy.

You should be ashamed. What's wrong with you?
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BitStyle

Unconfirmed Member
Nope, and that same answer extends to every other hobby I have.
I've never had any problems with playing games in public. Usually it leads to someone commenting about it and it may start a conversation, but that's usually all that I've experienced.
 

Reule

Member
Not at all. I wear gaming shirts most of the time but I try to look presentable when I wear them. There are people I've seen who have the collar stretched out and it looks like the only shirt you've ever worn for weeks. There is difference in not giving a shit about what people think about and literally just not giving a shit. Just looks bad and leads to the idea that gamers are lazy and or aren't hygienic.

I've never had a problem with anyone in public about it. I've actually had people come up and talk to me about whatever it is I'm wearing because they're a fan of said game/movie/television show.
 

Roronoa

Banned
Is it wrong that I feel embarrassed when some obvious gamers/nerds dress a certain way? Some of them can be unhygienic, or some look like they don't even comb their hair. You can spot a gamer/nerd/Magic the Gathering player the same way you can spot a sports fan. They do dress a certain way. Is there some convention that I missed where they declared a dress code for some nerds/gamers?
 
Yes, yes I am.

A couple of girls I took home lost interest when they saw my game collection (I tiny fraction of what it is now), when I was doing my Master, and they where classmates.

The 'gamergate' has made so many waves for anything related to 'gamers' is hard for me to identify as such, even more present myself as a 'proud' member.

My fiancee stands my hobby, she calls herself a geek after all.

Also, I come from a traditional Mexican family. A grow up man still playing with toys is a sign of bad parenting, or something being completely wrong with the family he is part of, in the eyes of other Mexican families.
 

Razzorn34

Member
Yes, yes I am.

A couple of girls I took home lost interest when they saw my game collection (I tiny fraction of what it is now), when I was doing my Master, and they where classmates.

The 'gamergate' has made so many waves for anything related to 'gamers' is hard for me to identify as such, even more present myself as a 'proud' member.

My fiancee stands my hobby, she calls herself a geek after all.

Also, I come from a traditional Mexican family. A grow up man still playing with toys is a sign of bad parenting, or something being completely wrong with the family he is part of, in the eyes of other Mexican families.

Those girls weren't worth a shit then. It takes an incredibly shallow chick to do that.

Your average person, even average gamer hasn't even heard of gamergate. I frequent this forum, and I still don't really know all the crap that went on with that, nor care.
 

Brashnir

Member
I'm certainly not ashamed of having gaming as my primary hobby, but at the same time I don't go out of my way to advertise it. I'm not uncomfortable waiting in a line at a game store in a mall, or buying games at Best Buy or WalMart.

But due to my age, I think a lot of people have the expectation that I should be over this hobby. Even my wife asked me what I was going to be doing when I'm 60, still playing games? (I'm 38 now) I was like, well, yeah hopefully.

I think playing video games is still that guilty pleasure for a lot of people. More people do it than will admit they do it, which is kinda sad, but it's still got a stigma after all these years. I think the generation after mine (currently say age 16 and younger) will never know what it's like to be judged for liking videogames because they are so commonplace now.

You might be right, but you may be a little too soon in your prediction. Nobody my age (40) would even have a second thought about a 60-year old man who liked to play chess, cards, golf, or any of the games that were commonplace among older people when we were young, because they expect people of those ages to be interested in those things.

Something to keep in mind is that deep down a large portion of most people's psyche is locked in place around 16 years old. So any social norms we observe around that age tend to stick with us for life. You see this all the time with music. When I was in high school, people in their 40s listened to "old people" music. Now that I'm in my 40s, I didn't suddenly start liking that kind of music; I still like a lot of the same things I did back then. My generation's "old people" music was the stuff that was popular when those people were 16, so now people in their 70s listen to it, because those are the same people.
 
Why would you be ashamed to be a gamer? Everyone is a gamer. That fifty year old man in the suit and ill-fitting pants is a gamer. That old lady holding the hand of her six year old granddaughter is a gamer. That two year old baby fighting for her daddy's phone is a gamer. PRESIDENT OBAMA is a gamer. The entire world is filled with gamers.

And they're all fucking crazy.

You should be ashamed. What's wrong with you?

I mean..they're not real gamers. Oh they play on facebook. That's no gamer I recognize in this fraternity.
 
I'm about a year older than you OP. I'll be 34 in 4 days. I'm definitely not ashamed. I've been a gamer all my life. I will say that I don't own any kind of gamer clothing. I never even wore it when I was a kid. I'm not judging but it's not my style. However, everyone that knows me knows that I game. It's just a part of who I am. I personally think you're judged LESS these days compared to when I was younger. Like my parents never really "got it" and they looked at video games like a fad. So I really only played video games with my friends. These days I see parents gaming with their kids all the time.
 

JJD

Member
I think I'm a closet nerd because while I do consider myself a big nerd, I really don't look like one. People will only notice how big a nerd I am if I start talking about nerd stuff like games/comics, etc. More often than not I only talk about those subjects with close friends so most people I know don't have a clue about my tastes.

Answering OP's question I wouldn't be ashamed about being a nerd nowadays, but I probably would when I was young (I'm 33 by the way).
 

Puweyxil

Banned
I don't understand the problem some people have with the word "gamer". If I tell somebody I'm a gamer (as I often do), I don't assume that the person now believes that playing video games is all I do, a life completely devoid of any other pursuits. I also don't assume that the person now believes I participate in professional eSports.

If some guy tells me he plays golf every Sunday, in my mind he's a golfer now, but I didn't immediately assume that the guy has no other interests. He could also be a model railroader. I wonder if I went on a model railroading forum if I'd find people saying shit like "Man I hate that 'model railroader' shit, don't be calling me that!"

It's an unnecessary hang-up if you ask me.
 

Velikost

Member
lmao why is thread 17 pages.

I would never try to hide that I play games, and on the rare occasion I wear a game-related shirt I'm not embarrassed. I also don't think you have to wear "tasteful" stuff only or try to wear some minimalist design that only other "gamers" would recognize.

I'm sure there are plenty of posts in this thread about how people won't get dates if they don't hide the fact that they play games, but I think that's a load of shit. Just be confident; it shouldn't matter. If someone has a problem with it then they're pretty shallow.

P.S. the term "gamer" is awful and should die
 

ys45

Member
Not really, 34 here and I wear game t-shirts don't see why I would not wear clothes about what I like (I also got t-shirt from music bands I like)

My girlfriend is also a gamer , most of my friends are gamer and wear gaming clothes .
This hobby is a part of my life so everyone know I like video games .

Don't really care what people think about me .
 
I'm 20 and at college, and 90% of the time I don't care what people think about me. I wear game shirts and my close friends will think they're cool, and other people usually don't care or don't say anything about them.
But who am I trying to impress? The losers who smoke weed and skip classes? Nope. If I wanna wear a shirt that I think is cool, I'll wear it. If I wanna play my Vita or my 3DS in a public place, I'll do it.
 
I just turned 38 and I'd have to say there has been a few times that I censored (as a gamer) myself due to certain personality types I was around at the time (Military). Mostly because there are still some of those "jock types" that look down on everyone. Which is odd because they all seem to play fantasy football and play the verious sports videogames religiously.
 
I like games and I play often. My friends and I watch the LCS and play league, xbox one,etc. I'm a software engineer as well. However, I go the gym 5 days a week. I drive a sports car. I love football, shooting guns, playing golf, etc.

You can be a gamer without having your face shoved in a handheld and shelves full of amiibos. When I'm with game friends we game. Those same friends also do other stuff. When I'm with football friends we talk fantasy football or college football. We go out in the woods and shoot stuff and ride off road vehicles. I have never been one to take it to such extremes and constantly have my hobbies as part of everything I do. You can fully enjoy many different types of things at the same time.

Tl:Dr you can be a gamer and not fit sterotypes.
 

Kwixotik

Member
No, but I know that it has a place. For example, I don't talk about geeky subjects to people unless I know they have a similar level of interest as me. I also don't wear geeky t-shirts because I'm somewhat fashion conscious and think they look bad.

On the other hand, you might catch me at a bar playing MTG with friends, and there are several nerdy interests listed on my Facebook profile. If someone has an issue with you playing games at a game store, that's their problem.
 

krrrt

Member
I don't advertise that I play games and I hate the term gamer.

I'm like this too. Does not mean I'm ashamed of it. I just don't care for waving my private interests around and don't feel the need to talk about games in real life.

I also never want to be associated with people who identify as 'gamers'.
 

Mbrill82

Member
I love video games and they are a huge part of my life (my leisure time anyways, which I try and have as much as humanly possible haha)

I'm not ashamed of it in any was shape or form and I don't hide it. I don't advertise it really but thats because I don't own a single shirt with ANY type of logo on it. I work in an office and theres a couple guys here who I talk about games with from time to time once I found out they were interested in them too. I'd never start a conversation with someone about games unless I knew they shared an interest, that would be kind of weird.

My wife fully supports my love of games and loves them herself in a much, much more limited scope. My kids, especially son and youngest daughter are game freaks like dad haha.
 

Mossybrew

Gold Member
Nope although I've never really liked wearing obvious gamer t shirts or the like (purely on personal taste - I tend to very minimalist looks and avoid film/music/game gear as it doesn't really deliver that look) but I'd never hide that I game.

Similar here. I don't wear gaming-related clothes but simple stuff to blend in. I prefer to communicate as little about myself as possible to the public.

The people I work with are almost all older than me, by an average of 6-10 years or so (I'm 42). Everyone I grew up with around my age or younger is a gamer to one extent or another, but there seems to be a cutoff just a few years older than me where most "generic adults" think of games as something their kids/teens play and they wouldn't know the first thing about "controlling the Marios" Anyway most folks here know I'm into gaming - I'm usually honest about the "so what did ya do this weekend" questions. I don't catch any flak its more "oh that's cool. Howbout those Seahawks/fishing or camping story/generic old person talk"
 

Miguel81

Member
Yes, OP. That's why I keep it to myself and never mention it. I'm around your age(34), and still love the hobby, but it's not something I want to be associated with in most cases.
 

SOME-MIST

Member
I'm not very blatant about my hobbies in general - including videogames, though if you're in the right place at the right time you can definitely catch me.

I've been playing phoenix wright and summer carnival '92 recca on the subway ride home from work. I talk with maybe 2 friends irl about videogames, and rarely bring it up otherwise.

I do play my 3DS at work (at a tech company) in the break room since we have a tv and Wii U that's in constant use by the other employees, but that's about the extent of my public playing. The one exception is
when mario kart first came out, I played at home for about 3-4 weeks straight... and then someone brought it into my workplace. After a couple of weeks, there was a ranking system at work, so for fun I challenged the top guy. I came in 1st place for the entire set/150cc special cup 3 gold star trophy. He got super pissed but I realized I was kind of the dick for not really saying that I played actively. That was the only time I played against other people here lol
 
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