Gamers: Are we really that bad?

A long time ago, I was lead to believe as a child that strangers were bad. Sure, there were certain people that I was told this didn't pertain to. Police officers, Firemen, an ambulance driver. All of those people were set gently into my mind as the "helpful people" that I could trust to bring me home safely if I got lost or hurt.

We've all grown up now, us in the age of people who learned that "Trusting strangers" were bad. This past weekend, my boyfriend and I went to a wedding in Calgary. We had been walking across the street, and an older gentleman was walking across the other way. About half way between here and there, the poor man stumbled and nearly fell in the middle of the street.

Being raised to respect my elders, I jumped at the chance to try and help this man make it to his destination safely. What made the day even more memorable for me is that it was Rememberance Day. So many men and women sacrificed their lives for my freedom today, and for that I am so very thankful. I offered out my arm and asked if I could help him across the street. The man smiled at me and politely refused the help. I can't be sure that it was because of the fact that I was that "stranger", if it was because he didn't want me to see his slight mis-step, or because he was in fact scared of me.

I would never have even thought of hurting anyone, but as I made my way across the street the opposite way I couldn't help but feel the pang of hurt, or was it insult? So many times I would have just let it slip out of my mind without another thought and move on, but my boyfriend and I had been talking about something like this just a few days before. There were a few kinds of people that are given a name, or a tag, that depicts them as someone they are not. Two groups of people came into the conversation:

Bikers, for many years, have been given the "tag" of rough, hard, unfeeling people that ride around the world spreading mayham and mischief behind them like a plague. I have known many bikers in my life, and I can honestly disagree with a lot of those rumors. Most people are closed-minded and only see what is on the outside. They don't see that "Bikers" are people that ride motorcycles and are very wonderful and caring people. Many would stop to help someone change a tire, pick up a stranded person outside of a nearest town and take them to safety. Some would give you the shirts off their backs. But because of being labeled "A_Biker", most people would rather walk the twelve miles in the snow to get the gas, or fix the tire themselves then be helped by the "likes of those people".


But I am not finished! I come to the second group of people that are "tagged" with a label that they do not deserve.

For years, since I can remember there being an internet, I was always taught to be weary of people. So many bad people seem to be lurking around every corner, waiting for their chance to strike out and harm you. Anyone can get on the internet and pretty much get anything they need or want from its coded depths. Some use the internet for fun, some use the internet as an "information highway". I have noticed a lot more viruses, worms and backdoors lately attempting to make that wariness in people thrive and convince me that I really should be cautious of these people. It's all about privacy now. Privacy and those pop-ups that make you want to rip your hair out when you see them.

I have always had a great imagination, and I have roleplayed for many, many years (and still do!). A friend of mine I had roleplayed with for a while had been bitten by the Everquest bug. She was relentless and begged me over and over again, trying to convince me to come on and play it with her. At the time, I thought this was outrageous! She had been taken away from our roleplaying group and gotten "addicted" to another game. I admit it, I was one of the people that had put the "tag" on the online gamers. The tag that told me they were scary people that took my friend's attention away from us. Sure, we'd keep in contact... once in a while when she remembered to turn on her Yahoo chat, or when the game was down on "patch day", whatever that was! And, I'll admit that it was pretty selfish and shallow on my part as well. I looked more at the fact that I was loosing out on one friend when I probably could have found so many more. Hindsight is always 20/20.

A few months later, a box arrived at our door. We were expecting a child and my friend had sent down a box of toys, presents and goodies. I love presents, and at the time, I loved food even more! (I could smell the goodies in the bottom of the box.) Ripping open the box, I pulled the packing macaroni off of the top and the first thing that I saw was a big brown "EverQuest" box, a note saying "Come and play with me, you'll love it! I promise!" taped to it. I stared at the box for days. I didn't know if I was angry at the fact that she had hid the food under it (you really shouldn't hide food from an expectant mother), or angry because I wanted so desperately to see the world held within that big, brown box.

After a week of tormenting myself, I ripped open that box and installed every disk, chewing my fingernails, waiting for it to install. So much ran through my mind as i watched the progress bar inch its way towards the right side of the screen. Why was I doing this to myself? Why would I want to sit and play a game and become a person that does nothing else? Why was I chewing my fingernails when there were bagels!? The one thing that bothered me most was that, if I gave in, would I be such a bad person too? I was told to be so careful, but everything turned out to be okay when I roleplayed on IRC. Sure there were creeps there, too, but I could easily ignore them. The newness of the whole thing made me nervous. I would forever wear the Gamers badge, but at the same time, I wanted to be with my friend so desperately. I decided that I would give it a try. If I didn't like it, I could always just uninstall it, Right?

To make a long story short, I enjoyed the game... for about three years. And then, I went on to enjoy World of Warcraft, another game in another pretty brown box with an ugly Troll's face on it. (Is there a pattern here?) And the day that I can open up the box and install Vanguard: Saga of Heroes onto my newly aquired "gamers computer", I'll be even happier! I can honestly say that I wear that "Gamers badge" with pride now. I have met so many new friends on each game that I have played. I am within a community of people who all enjoy the same things I do. Using your imagination, venting frustration, working together as a team, sharing your happiness with others, and last but not least, HAVING FUN!

I have since forgiven my friend for putting the goodies on the bottom of the box, and opening my eyes to her world. And, as always, she knew me better then I knew myself. (Don't tell her I said that. I'll never hear the end of it!)

There is one more thing I would like to show and share with the rest of you before I close my thoughts. Gamers and Bikers are a lot alike.

A few years ago, I heard of a campaign called "Bykes for Tykes Toy Run" in our neck of the woods. It's when all the big bad mean Bikers in the area get together and collect toys for children stuck in hospitals, sick with various illnesses. It sure is a beautiful sight to see a big black "Hog" roaring down the street with a 2 foot high stuffed bear strapped behind them in the seat. What makes it even more memorable is when a main artery of the city is blocked off to let all the leather-clad bikers roar in together, bikes overflowing with presents wrapped in ribbons and furry ears flapping behind them in the breeze. The Toy Run is on its 23rd year running, going cross Canada, and in almost every part of the world as well, stopping in every city in their area to pick up more and more Bikers until they reach their destination... at the hearts of the children they help across the world. (Kind of brings a tear to your eye just thinking about it, doesn't it?)

Browsing my favorite online gaming comics today, I came across a banner that caught my eye. It was a beautiful green banner with a white joystick, a red cross in the middle of its surface. When I clicked on the link, it sent me to "Child's Play", a place where horrible gamers like us have come together for the last three years and help sick children in hospitals around the world!

For the past three years, gamers and geeks around the world have raised nearly a million dollars in toys, games and cash for sick kids in Childrens' Hospitals across the globe through a grassroots charity called Child's Play.

Created by Penny Arcade, no "Administration Fees" or other nonsense is collected; all gifts and donations go directly to the hospitals for distribution to sick kids.

We share the tag of "bad people" with Bikers, yet we both share similar things. We both have and are people in a community. We would all stop and help the person stuck in the middle of nowhere get to help. We would all help someone change a tire. And, we all help people that are less fortunate then ourselves. From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and every one of you as Gamers in this wonderful community for being so caring and giving! Let's show the rest of the world what Gamers can do! I believe strongly in the "Pay it forward" rule. Do what you can to help people less fortunate, it will come back to you with great rewards someday. Lets help Child's Play break that record this year guys! Let's show the rest of the world that we love having fun, and let it shine through to someone who needs a little extra help making their day a bit more brighter.