You're a manchild

[jackfaire]

So today I mentioned that I play video games in a meeting at work and I am pretty sure she was joking but the person in charge said, "Grow up manchild"

Even if she was kidding there are other people that haven't been. This has always bothered me because apparently somewhere there is a list of things it's okay to like after childhood is over.

Sports, Reading, Watching TV, etc. Sure go ahead your a responsible mature adult!

Video Games, Cartoons, Comic Books, Graphic Novels, etc What are you doing you need to stop that stuff and grow up.

It seems to be thought that if you unwind by playing a video game then automatically your an irresponsible person that would rather play video games than clean or work or anything else responsible.

I keep wondering if I am not allowed to do the things I find fun what am I allowed to do?

[blas87]

Don't let others make you feel bad about stuff you enjoy.

I played with Barbies until I was nearly 18....and if my parents didn't put them all in the attic, I probably would have taken them with me for drunken slumber parties with my girlfriends.

I love Spongebob....like, too much. He's in my car, my livingroom, on my fridge, in the bathroom, in the spare room, in my bedroom....I have Spongebob anything you can think of (except the toothbrushes because they apparently don't make them for adult teeth).

People pick on me constantly for it, and I really don't care.

Look at how many people like Transformers, toy cars, and enjoy cartoons (and not even adult cartoons like Family Guy).

You have nothing to be guilty for or apologize for.

[DrFaroohk]

I deal with that all the time. "You're wasting your life away playing video games!"

"Well what do you do all day?"

"I watch cars drive around in circles, I watch people throw a leather ball into a hoop, and I watch people's house's get destroyed and then rebuilt, and sometimes, when I'm feeling really really adventurous, I watch people play POKER."

I always want to point out to these people that while they are OBSERVING, I am DOING. I'm actually good at the games I play. Sure its not really a marketable skill, but does everything have to be? And a useless skill is certainly higher ranking than no skill at all.

[DesignFox]

I agree with Blas. Also, maybe it's just the type of guys I hang around, but almost all of them are into video games. After work, if they want to unwind, that's what they do!

Hell, one night a week my SO and a mutual friend have gamenight. They hop on Xbox live, or the computer, and play games. When they play something I'm into, I'm invited, too! There's absolutely no shame in that. Times they are a' changin'! If your co-worker is from another generation, maybe they just don't understand it. Many of us that are now reaching adulthood grew up with video games. They are a part of our culture at this point; not just a kid's toy.

Blas, I KNOW we'd get along now. I LOOOOOOOVE Spongebob! Have since day 1. My Dad loves Spongebob, too! We used to have a giant stuffed Spongebob and Gary sitting on the couch in the living room. I've got a Spongebob blanket I got back when I was in college... My dad has two box sets of DVDs. For my birthday, my sweetie gave me the First 100 Episodes box set (really, after about season 4, they start to be not as good anymore...so it's perfect for me! All the absolutely best of Spongebob in one collection!).

Back when I was in college, a friend and I would meet to watch Spongebob and drink beer. Anyone who teases you is secretly hiding their own obsession with the show. Damn near everyone likes something or finds something hilarious about Spongebob- they just don't all announce it like the rest of us! LOL!

[MaggieTheCat]

Some people are so closed-minded. My husband has some kind of gamer's dream-job; he's a programmer, and works with a lot of other programmers and other geeks. Just about everyone in his department who he deals with on a regular basis (20+ people?) plays video games. We never get laughed at for it when we see co-workers outside of work; in fact, most of them will ask me what games I've been playing recently.

I don't think there's anything wrong with whatever kind of hobby you're in to. I still love the old Gargoyles animated series by Disney (my screen name should be a testament to that, for anyone who knows the characters.)

[jackfaire]

Threadjacking myself for a moment it always feels weird for me to say back in college when I didn't graduate.

I suck at video games and have to play them at easy level but man I love them.

[blas87]

Well see, I really don't care for video games. The most I'm willing to play is when I want to take an hour or more to fire up the old NES and play Duck Hunt or Mario or Die Hard.....and I get so mad at those games for freezing up and the 20something year old system for not working, it's not worth it, lol.

But I really don't judge people who play video games as long as they do other stuff as well. I mean, if all I ever did was play with Sponebob toys and talk about Spongebob and not do my job or take care of my responsibilities, then there'd be a problem, ya know?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

You know, as someone who likes to dress up in costumes and pretend to be someone else on the weekend, I so hear you.

You know what? Screw 'em. The opinions of those sorts of people do not matter. I'm out being creative, making things, playing music, participating in sport fencing, researching things, being social, etc, but oh, no, I'm the immature over the hill child, right? No, I have to paint my head orange and go sit in a football stadium, getting drunk and screaming that "we've won! we've won!" over a game I didn't even frigging participate in with other "mature adults."

Gaaaah. Don't even get me started.

Tomorrow, I plan to further my own child down the path of irresponsibilty and non-conformity by taking her to watch some jousting.

That's right, we're going to watch warhorses charge at each other while their riders shatter lances on each other. We're going to probably jam some music with friends. We're going to watch the leaves turn orange and yellow and red. What a sucky parent I must be for not bringing my kid to NASCAR or to a football game where she can really participate in life and learn what's important.

[AdminAssistant]

While I don't care for Spongebob, I do love cartoons, and yes, I do have two seasons of Garfield and Friends on DVD, thankyouverymuch! (Favorite "modern" cartoons: Penguins of Madagascar and The Replacements - but only because David McCallum is the voice of the car!)

Hobbies are just that - hobbies. As long as it isn't your entire life, then screw whatever people think.

[McDreidel09]

Tomorrow, I plan to further my own child down the path of irresponsibilty and non-conformity by taking her to watch some jousting.

That's right, we're going to watch warhorses charge at each other while their riders shatter lances on each other. We're going to probably jam some music with friends. We're going to watch the leaves turn orange and yellow and red. What a sucky parent I must be for not bringing my kid to NASCAR or to a football game where she can really participate in life and learn what's important.

Will you be my mommy?

I get so excited when the dvds come out for movies I watched when I was little. Just recently, I saw the dvds for Fern Gully and the original Land Before Time. I squealed.

There are some days that I just want to plug in the vcr and put in an old Disney videotape. I love Disney movies! I am going to Disney World for my honeymoon.

Take that society!

[gremcint]

I may be a manchild but at least I'm not a nasty old grump just waiting to explode and people actually like me which is because I'm not a nasty old bat.

[BlaqueKatt]

*raises hand* I have coloring books and crayons-I'm 34-

Dover publishing makes some great coloring books that are for older children/adults-frank-lloyd wright window designs, egyptian designs, celtic knotwork, etc.

[DesignFox]

I love hearing that I'm not the only big kid around. I like to color too Blaquekatt!

McDreidel, I do that, too! I love when old movies get put on DVD. I've got a bunch. Not to mention that I kept my VCR around to play my old tapes on.

And Gremcint, that is so true!

[EricKei]

I would have to say that people who believe that "video games are just for kids" hasn't looked at the numbers lately. At least in the US, the amount of revenue generated by games surpassed that of Hollywood several years ago -- I don't think there's any way that that could have happened if only kids/teens play games. The market appeals to all ages.

Besides, adults play "games" all the time...Especially when it comes to office or relationship-related "politics". Just because there's no screen doesn't mean there's no game being played.

[Stormraven]

Video games, role-playing games, comic books, action figures (though I'm not hugely into them) and SCA/Renn Faire. Can't stand NASCAR, don't much like watching sports of any kind (though soccer's not too bad). But I stopped listening to other people's opinions about such things twenty-odd years ago.