...and they're like
it's better than yours...
...damn right, it's better than yours...
lol.
My senior year in college, my roommate and I basically hung out with all dudes. Of our friends, we were the only ones who had their own apartment and we lived in this shit hole of a place in the East Village.
But we had a playstation. And we always had beer in the fridge and an awesome sound system. That was partially our boyfriends' and boy friends' doing.
My generation was one that grew up on Atari, Pong, Nintendo, Super Mario Brothers, Pac Man.
The whole world of video gaming has become something else now.
I'm playing video games tonight. It's kind of mindless and a way for me to escape the heavy emotional content of my day. Childish? Eh maybe. But it's fun.
By all means, the very essence of video games should disgust and defend my very strong feminist principles. They basically over-sexualize and objectify women. And there are never strong female protagonists in lead roles. The games certainly aren't 'female-friendly.' And you can tell that female characters and avatars are definitely designed by and for the heterosexual male.
But god help me, despite all this...I like most video games. I've actually played a lot, although I can't ever call myself a "gamer girl". First person shooter games, turn-based games, RPGs, MMOs, MMORPGs, etc. etc. -- I've tried them and liked some more than others.
When you're a female immersed in this sub-culture, it's quite an interesting thing how you can get put on a pedestal and treated like a princess...and also be objectified and disrespected all at the same time. Especially when you have to interact with other players in MMOs and you talk to them via xbox chat live or some other form of communication. Mostly you interact with men and pubescent boys. (ick) And when the males hear a voice on the other end that's female...it's like they lose their heads and think with the one below their belts.
You know how much free shit has been given to me in game because I'm female? Lol a lot.
As a female in those scenarios, you get a couple of reactions. It's like, "ooooh cool you're a chick who plays games, let me help you and give you all the shit you need." Or it's like, "Get off nub and LRN2PLAY."
And most of those male players?
They hit on female players. I've told people I'm 4 feet tall and severely obese and I have gotten hit on. THEY DON'T GIVE A SHIT lol. Sometimes it's an ego boost, other times it's just annoying and disgusting.
I could write a thesis about human behavior in these contexts...but I won't. lol.
At the very least, it's amusing. I don't take part in that culture very much any more because I don't have the time or as deep an interest. But I had fun while I did.
People think 365 is addicting because of the interaction? Lol try a MMO. You actually interact with them in "real-time" and can spend hours at a time working on in-game "goals" together.
Anyway...Happy Monday, guys! Hope you all have a great week ahead!
Lol..I would be very interested in your thesis on this. I am not a "gamer" by any stretch of the imagination, but the last game I played in its entirety was Tomb Raider, and mostly because I loved the female character! I haven't been able to get into anything else since. Cool shot, by the way. Love the focus and the colors!
@islandk8 thanks, Kate! Lol i could go on about the interesting things I've encountered about being a female player interacting with others, especially with those multi-player games. Oh god...they either are so surprised when you're a chick who can actually play or they don't give you a chance. It isn't always that extreme though...but you do get hit on A LOT.
Love the commentary. Interesting perspective. Having done all my gaming basically pre-interwebs I don't know how I would have handled MMOs and the like. All I know is that when I was a gaming adolescent and a female was participating I would have been laughed out of the room if I'd tried anything misogynistic. I was pretty low in the pecking order and largely invisible when it came to girls. Still am.
With regards to the shot, I'm with Adam. Great composition.
@timerskine MMOs are so interesting. Sometimes when I play those games, I think people (mostly males) often immediately write me off and assume I may not be able to play. Or maybe they think because I can actually play and they've set their expectations low of me as a female, they might think I'm a better player than I am. I do know this...I've sometimes not spoken on live chat, chosen a male avatar, and try to play off I'm a guy behind the avatar/player and I've gotten way different reactions. It's amusing to me.
@siport actually, I don't play much these days but if I had to choose, I probably would choose action-adventure stealth games. One of my fave games of that genre was the metal gear games. But I've played FPS like COD - not seriously though. Also have played some MMORPGS like WoW but that game is such a time suck and it's not the fun game it used to be... Nowadays, my participation is observing my husband and his friends play. Sometimes I join in. Usually that may be once a month when they devote one day of the weekend to just game out. But last night when husband is working late and I'm bored, I might fiddle around. Do you play any video games?
@fauxtography365 yeah im a Playstation fan and have always had one in my room/house. i dont get to play much now what with a little 2 and a half year old running around and the wife taking up most of my attention but when i do get a few spare hours i still like to play. Metal Gear solid was so much fun on the ps2, and i do play COD but my all time. fav game has to be Resident Evil (scared the life out of me), but am hoping that i get the PS4 and some time to play on it this november :-)
Great shot, great title, and a very interesting read, not a gamer myself at all but I think your observations are true of many situations in life when talking about the male reaction to females in their so called environment. As someone who spends a lot of time in the gym (and a part time PT) I see a similar more direct scenario played out so often in the male bastion of the free weights area.
With regards to the shot, I'm with Adam. Great composition.