As humans we place a great deal of value in what we do and how it reflects on us. Our minds constantly try to validate the choices we make, even when those choices are intrinsically flawed. It is no different when it comes to gaming.
Often online one will see “bashing” of another’s preferences and choices pertaining to gaming. For instance, while playing Guild Wars, you might come across a World of Warcraft lover spewing about how crap Guild Wars is. Or alternatively, on any given forum, you might see SuperAwesomeForumUserVII stating how much better “First Person Shooters X” is to “First Person Shooter Y”.
But can we really compare these things? And even if we can, should we?
The Spice Must Flow
When it comes to gaming, variety should truly be the spice of life. Imagine a world where we only had Call of Duty’s and Mass Effect’s. Okay, those games are pretty damn awesome in their own rights, but too much of anything is just too much! There comes a point when you need a change, or you will get bored of all the same-ness.
Now imagine a world where your idea of what works is the standard. Sure it would be awesome for you, but what about the other people? What one person may find putrid is another person’s manna from heaven. We cannot make all the people happy all the time, so we need to learn to move on and accept others’ choices, and perhaps understand them a little better.
Apples and Orangutans
So, are your choices in gaming the “right” choices? Can one really say that Halo is better than Dragon Age Origins? Or that PC’s are superior to consoles? Some think it is impossible to compare such things, but I certainly believe one can, depending on the criteria involved. Then the real question is – should we?
When looking at such things we can use either good criticism or bad criticism. Good criticism will offer a look at something holistically, seeing what works and what does not, stating both sides. Bad criticism is just used to attack an idea in support of whoever is stating it and their views. Which are you using when you attack others’ choices in gaming? I am sure many of you are using unconstructive criticism
At the end of it all, does it really matter if someone else loves a game/genre/platform that you don’t? How does their appreciation for something detract from your own experience? Personally I believe many who often bash others’ choices are themselves insecure and looking for validation. There comes a point when a mature person needs to take a step back and accept others’ choices for just that – THEIR choices. We could even learn something by trying to understand their choices.
Walk a Mile
As gamers we should embrace variety and choice in our gaming and our community. Now I do not expect people to get along and sing Kumbaya around the virtual camp-fire, but people need to accept other perspectives, or just move on. Your idea of something is not always shared by all, and it should not be!
So next time you plan to bash someone else’s choices, consider your own and whether or not they are truly superior. Or are you just lashing out with your insecurity?
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