@Squimpleton: You're absolutely right- but sometimes that superficial level isn't even achieved.

@Aibyouka-kun:

@curly haired boy: Excellent point. Never thought of that.

@Aibyouka-kun: I'm curious about one thing. When movie goers are at the same movie, they are having the same experience. While gaming is an active medium, couldn't I say the same thing about two people who play the same game?

@Killrig: I agree with you, my feeling is that "gamer" conjures up an imagery in too many people not in keeping with being part of an identity, but an all-encompassing identity by itself. I don't think that's the reality, and that's my struggle with it.

@Recoil: He could sure tickle a few secrets out of me...

@Brythefry: Hooker plays with______.... has a lot of fun ways to end it haha.

@ademu: I'm going to plagiarize my response to someones similar concern. I don't know if it lends clarity or not, but what the hell. And just know that you'll never get an argument from me about there being douches in all walks of life ;).

@Rampage: I admittedly am, but I'm getting there. It really has nothing to do with expressing my love for the hobby, I just try and avoid saying 'gamer' because of my concern it would conjure up some untrue stereotype that doesn't arise through a different phrasing.

Indulge me for a moment while I enjoy that I got my star and a feature on speak-up with this.

@Clixx13: Excellent point. There are levels of enjoyment, elitism, etc. accross all of those.

@traintracks: I certainly hope so. My personal experience hasn't been so great- maybe it's because I was in a shallow city like Miami.

@pixelsnader: I totally agree with you. I guess my point wasn't to go "BAD WORD, BAD WORD" and say stop it, but rather to point out that it conjures up an image in the layperson's mind that is not based on fact.

@Rampage: Well, I envy you. I think if you dropped the word "gamer" on a blind date, you'd lose a person's interest almost immediately.

@Kiva_Vargas: I love nerd. There's no good reason why haha. I'm a proud, self-described nerd.

Ask yourself, what would you guess a general person's reaction would be if you described yourself as a gamer to them initially?

@Possums: Exactly! It shouldn't be that way.

@pixelsnader: But if it's a societal negative connotation, it can be tough to get around.

@Nintendo Tim: It's not about the word being bad, its the idea behind it. I guess I think that 'gamers' should not hold themselves above anyone who plays games. We're all on the same team, so we shouldn't buy into any seperatist stigma.

@Dschmeling: It's not often in life there are moments of true, earth-shattering inspiration. I'm glad we could share this.