It’s easy to correct someone. Especially if the topic at hand is something you’re knowledgeable and passionate about, it’s almost instinctive. A snap reaction. But it can be just as easy to let glaring errors slide and focus on the positive: that maybe this person committing the ultimate gamer faux pas is actually showing a genuine interest. That they’re making a genuine attempt to understand your hobby.
The following comic, by SomeThomas, reminded me of that.
They may not know enough to express themselves using the dialect you’re most familiar with, but they’re certainly making an effort. It’s the difference between mocking someone for trying to speak your native language for the first time or choosing to smile and help them through it instead. To take them in by the hand instead of shun them as outsiders.
It also reminded me that, yes, it can sometimes be tough to be a gamer. Our hobbies are labelled childish or violent more often than not. We have the “games as art” argument more than the Internet has made “thanks, Obama” jokes. We’re always on the defensive, probably because we’re often made to be.
But maybe the “outsiders” would understand our interests more if we just showed them. So, most of all, this comic reminded me that we should err on the side of inclusivity.
Comments
11 responses to “Reminder: Don’t Just Correct People, Connect With People”
Must be a slow games-news day today. When’s the next big games-expo out of curiousity? Most developers seem to’ve gone back to their caves to work on games rather than taking the time to tell us what’s going on. Damn them and their thick oily (I’m assuming) hides
Why are you choosing this article to “slow news” on? It raises valid points and isn’t just a copy of the comic with no editorial comment.
This was just the last article I came across before realising there’s not been a great deal of actual news on here for a little while now
Okay, I understand now. Was confused before your explanation.
But yeah, January is always slow and not just in the games world.
And people saying “slow news day” is one of my pet peeves. 😛 I just find it rather pointless.
No, that’s called not having manners. It’s only “instinctive” if you have a basic lack of respect for others.
However if the point is that gamers frequently lack manners and/or perspective about how much detail one can reasonable expect non-gamers to have about the esoteric details of the hobby, then I agree.
You don’t see the irony in starting your comment by straight up shutting the author down?
I think it’s ok to correct someone if they’re basing a negative opinion on a fact that is wrong, or spouting off at the mouth and hijacking a conversation with ill informed or just plain wrong information or even trying to convince others to agree with their opinion when it’s based on something that is false and potentially harmful to a situation (much like some politicians…).
There are definitely ways to go about it, some are rude and confrontational, others not so much. It can even start a whole new conversation rather than just kill it.
Wait, I can do this too:
Hey son! Watching the television? No, it’s a computer.
Hey son! Playing games on an iPad? No, I’m reading a book.
I mean, you can have a conversation with people after correcting them. It doesn’t just end there.
That’s what I was thinking as well…isn’t the next logical question “what’s the difference?”
Discussion then ensues?
*edit* this was supposed to be a reply to Thaum’s post.
I sort of feel like this article was written in response to my comment on the kotaku article a couple of days ago about 50 Cent getting something wrong. I even used the term “outsiders”.
It’s an important point to make. If we don’t embrace “outsiders” or casual gamers, we lose potential hardcore gamers. The less of us there is, the more of them there are – this drives game play decisions for publishers and developers and is a reason why we see more and more multiplayer tacked on, or dumbed down rpgs. Consider yourselves ambassadors for the hardcore gaming industry, be patient and educate when somebody has a question or makes an incorrect comment and the gaming industry will be healthier for it.
That was bittersweet 🙁
Need to engage suspension of belief circuit. Need to stop questioning why the dad in the last panel doesn’t know what a 3DS is when they’ve pretty much been raised on nintendo handhelds.
Must pretend new kid is actually playing an iPhone.