Video games and being sociable

[flyinshark]

Do u guys think that playing video games rather often can make someone less sociable? I say yes.

Hopefully this could become an interesting debate on virtual reality and its virtues vs. its disadvantages.

 

[diplomatic_lies]

Video games don't make people unsociable; people make themselves unsociable!

I bet if you took a bunch of video game geeks and banned them from playing, they would STILL be unsociable.

 

[check_mate_kid_uk]

You obviously are not talking when you are playing in the computer but as for wheather you talk the rest of the time i know some people whi play the computer which do not talk much others which are normal although none that are really outgoing (im talking aobut the people that play way too much)

Remember it might not be what it does to you it could be that people who talk less tend to play computer games more!

 

[Vincent]

I would say that there are people who find it easier to play video games then go out and do things. But then again I have the best times at my friends appartment (assuming we're not drinking) playing halo. So it's really just what you do with it.

 

[diceman]

Well, if you spend too much time playing it, & thats your main love in life, your passion, then of course you'll be a geek / unsociable.

I know people who spend most their time playing games, alone. It's what they mainly talk about, they go out & buy all the big games the day they come out, ect.

The main problem is that you're just sitting there with a controller in your hand. It's for lazy people to escape from the real world & feel like they're achieving something & are important cause they've defeted the final boss on hard mode.
It means they don't have to do anything in real life.

If you play a computer occasinally, you know, maybe 20 minutes before you go to sleep, then theres nothing wrong with that.

If you spend too much time & energy on anything, like reading, movies, cars, running, posting on interent dating forums, you'll be a boring, unsociable geek.

It's all about balance. You should ahve full, exciting life with many things going on.
But for most 'geeks' the only thing in their life is games. or something.

 

[WesCottII]

The point for me, is if I'm playing games, I'm not in the gym, I'm not working for school and importantly, i'm not picking up women.

 

[SuperFlex]

I love it. I can't wait for my friends to go on holiday. Most of my friends are going away with there girlfriends, my family is going away and girlfriends are going with their families. I'm gonna spend a whole weekend playing games. It's gonna be awesome.



No responsibilities, just have fun by my self. AHAHAHAH

 

[Kcman]

Well for me , i do spend an average amount of time playing counterstrike 1.6 , but thats also because i have friends who play on there and carry on pretty good conversation and have a good time online.
the only reason i do this , besides having friends , is cuz most of my friends arent of legal age so they cant go to bars , and im not a clubbing person. but id still leave my game to go out with friends. so as for making people less socialable , id say it all depends on personality or interest level.

 

[flyinshark]

In a video game, you are the boss because you have the controller. You cannot get physically harmed, and you can do whatever the hell you want. If the game annoys you or beats you, you can turn it off with the push of a button.

It's a virtual world where you have total control, and it makes you feel safe and ...well... in control. Then you go out in the real world and someone calls you a dumbass or hits you, and you become afraid. The easy way out is to avoid social encounters and keep playing the damn game.

I used to play video games too much, and i suffered in my interractions with people (especially women) because of it. I fought and finally stopped playing so damn much. I am now going out regularly and love meeting new people. I am much more comfortable around women. I am more sociable! I still play video games once every couple of days, but nothing to be scared about.

I thought i would share this info with you guys. I think stopping living in the virtual world has helped my social skills in the real world a lot.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

It's all about balance. But then again Xbox 360 is due out in November...

 

[McKindley]

I hate video games. I haven't played one in years (with the exception of a football game we sometimes played at work when there was NOTHING to do).

What I really hate is when you go over to a friend's house, and they are all sitting around playing halo all night. Its so boring. Cause its the same thing over and over again.

There's nothing wrong with playing a little when you have nothing to do, but it you have friends over, or could be out doing something, you need to put the controller down.

The bass player in my band didn't play music at all for about a year because all he did was work, or play video games.

 

[flyinshark]

If chicks were digging video games, then maybe it would be a good idea to play them and get better at them.

The fact is that it is often a turn off for women when they hear that one of our pastimes is playing video games.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Originally posted by McKindley
There's nothing wrong with playing a little when you have nothing to do, but it you have friends over, or could be out doing something, you need to put the controller down.

You haven't had three of your buds over playing Madden against each other with a couple of pizzas and some beer have 'ya?

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Originally posted by flyinshark
If chicks were digging video games, then maybe it would be a good idea to play them and get better at them.

The fact is that it is often a turn off for women when they hear that one of our pastimes is playing video games.

A few years ago I had dated a woman who was into video games. We spent much of the winter months at her place in our PJs playing Final Fantasy VII together (yeah, it was a long time ago). It was good times believe it or not.

 

[Vincent]

Originally posted by flyinshark
If chicks were digging video games, then maybe it would be a good idea to play them and get better at them.

The fact is that it is often a turn off for women when they hear that one of our pastimes is playing video games.

See sig

 

[flyinshark]

Originally posted by Francisco d'Anconia
A few years ago I had dated a woman who was into video games. We spent much of the winter months at her place in our PJs playing Final Fantasy VII together (yeah, it was a long time ago). It was good times believe it or not.

Oh i believe you. I know there are girls who really like video games, and i can understand that the 2 of you had fun playing together. I just hope you were also playing in other ways

Originally posted by Vincent
See sig

There are a few things in your signature. Are you talking about the fact that not everything in life is about how many woman u can meet and the importance of not lowering your standards?
-> If so, then yeah, u have a point. If playing video games is your hobby and it doesnt worsen your social life, then don't change it for women.

OR maybe you mean the other message in your sig, that says "NEVER associate with those who share your defects - they will reinforce everything that holds you back".
-> This would mean don't go out with chicks that share your interest in video games, as they will bring you down

I assume it's the first one?

 

[Vincent]

Originally posted by flyinshark
I assume it's the first one?

yes

 

[comic_relief]

I used to be a big time game user (see: $1,500 a year). Then I just went cold turkey and didn't play for a couple months. Now I play a game ten minutes before bed. It really is fun still but not as fun as the real world.

Timesplitters 3 represent

 

[familyguyfan]

For some people games will consume their lives, but they probably wouldn't be very sociable if they didn't have games anyways.

But for other people it can make you more social. A lot of the cool and most popular guys at my school play videogames, most notably Halo 2. A lot of them even have Xbox Live. I've played in a system link game with 7 other guys (none of them were nerds either) and that was a fun, sociable activity. So, I say it can be both.

 

[ScrewIt]

i suppose it depends on the circumstances of gaming.

A) Do you play games cause you're bored, lack real interest in the real world, lack a social life, looking to just put your time to use?

A1) use it as a way of hiding from the responsibilities & problems of reality, and escaping into the virtual realm?

B) Or do you play cause you are a nut over gaming?

C) you practically dont play games, and when you do, it's the exceptional best of the best games?

I believe A & A1 belong under the same category. Unfortunately i have a friend that refuses to do anything out of his norm or at least something considered social at all. He stays home everyday and continues to seek out new games to play all the time. he stares off into his computer whenever he isnt asleep. he carries his laptop everywhere. He refuses to change his habits, so i cant help him.

his social life: you could say it works both ways. A) he chooses not to have a social life so he can play games or you could also say B) he chooses to play games so he doesnt have a socia life.

I'm the C guy. I never really was a big fan of gaming when i was kid, altho i've played my share. Since h.s. on end, my interest for games have practically diminished. Thankfully i have been able to improve my social skills over the years

In a video game, you are the boss because you have the controller. You cannot get physically harmed, and you can do whatever the hell you want. If the game annoys you or beats you, you can turn it off with the push of a button.

It's a virtual world where you have total control, and it makes you feel safe and ...well... in control. Then you go out in the real world and someone calls you a dumbass or hits you, and you become afraid. The easy way out is to avoid social encounters and keep playing the damn game.

I used to play video games too much, and i suffered in my interractions with people (especially women) because of it. I fought and finally stopped playing so damn much. I am now going out regularly and love meeting new people. I am much more comfortable around women. I am more sociable! I still play video games once every couple of days, but nothing to be scared about.

I thought i would share this info with you guys. I think stopping living in the virtual world has helped my social skills in the real world a lot.

I highly agree with you shark. staying home all the time (even if you dont play games) can truly cripple your people skills and personal growth....as you isolate yourself from the real world. I've seen this happen to my friend. Truth is alot of these guys that hide in their virtual world actually lack confidence and suffer from low self esteem, that is why they highly refuse to change their lifestyle around....but the main reason they have low confidence and low self esteem is BECAUSE they hide at home all the time....a double edged sword.

Makes me wonder what nerds/geeks would do next if computers & video games vanished from the face of the earth....