Rant: "Gaming is Pointless"

Throughout life, I’ve heard my fair share of bad takes and misconceptions of gamers from people who do not play games or who are farther along in life than myself. Some of these statements ranged from “being unmotivated” to “lazy” or “living off their parents”. Upon hearing these statements, it stirred something inside of me and made me a little upset to hear such things. I think that in many cases, the opposite can be said about gamers – and there are more perks than flaws.

Regardless of any hobby, interest, topic, etc. there are always going to be an extreme case – people to stop at nothing to enjoy their hobby. While this typically is not a healthy practice, gaming is not the only place that this occurs. It’s not just to primarily pick on gamers for staying inside all day and not being ambitious. And I think in many cases, they are quite the opposite. I think having a passion for something and having a hobby does not automatically make you lazy or less ambitious than other people. There are plenty of people who are lazy and not ambitious that do not play video games.

On top of this, I believe that video games can assist a lot in teaching you valuable professional skills. By playing games you aren’t simply wasting time, you are also coming up with ways to not die, beat a level faster, make a process more streamlined, etc. Any of these qualities are things employers seek in their applicants, people who can help notice problems, improve them, and work effectively. There are steps that a gamer needs to take to transfer the skills from the screen into the workplace, but generally, they have learned how to be more efficient or think faster from playing games. This can lead to more success in a competitive, fast-paced environment.

Many misconceptions regarding gaming still circle today but being a gamer does not make you lazy or less ambitious. Hopefully in the near future, these close-minded people start to realize the perks gaming offers.