Is it bad...

[Moristans]

The argument is just semantics at that point. They are exactly the same thing. The point is the feelings that Cherry has about gaming all men have about something.


Vllad

Ok, first, let me state for the record that I can give two shits about people's perception of my manliness. That's why I'm a gamer, I wear Japanese kawai T-shirts, and I have no qualms about going with my girlfriend to see The Time Traveller's Wife.

That being said, if you are that concerned about being judged on your manliness, put down the gaming mouse and the n52, back slowly away, and go join a fast pitch softball league. Pick up a hobby that involves power tools, or at the very least, a hobby that requires you to collect tools. Big tools. Black and Decker type tools. And duct tape. Lot's of duct tape.

I'm definitely with Jake on this one.

Your argument is completely logical Vllad. All men have passions. Having passions defines being a man. Therefore, whatever your passion may be, it's manly. However, manliness, for those who prescribe to such a thing, is based on perception, not logic. You have to change the preception, not argue logically.

If you're a gamer, you're a geek. Period. Embrace it. Find a girlfriend who doesn't care, or balance it out with properly manly things like fantasy football.

It's survival of the fittest on a different platform. Think about all these MMOs and online FPSes....it's the same old dance of trying to be better than everyone else to prove you are the dominant male. Video gaming is the ultimate man sport for people with no physical prowness. Dweebs still have the same primal need to be the best at something.

All that is true. However, like Jake says, being the best at just anything and beating everybody else at it is not what makes you manly. That's exactly how manly men get around that whole "I'm better at this than you" thing.

It's what you participate in that is percieved as manly. I can talk about killing streaks and how many times I got to call in a helicopter strike in CoH all day long, but I'm still a gaming geek. I roll up my overall leg and show off the scars from the double ACL and PCL reconstructive surgery on my knee from my high school football days, I'm a man.