Are you a socially awkward ESO gamer?

Megabear

The poll is ANONYMOUS.

Consider this. Long ago, avid gamers were generally considered at least a bit nerdy and/or socially awkward, at least it was so when I went to school in the 90's. Not something you'd want to tell your potential g/f if you know what I mean. It's still true.

End of story.

Kidding. These days all types of people are avid gamers and the aforementioned stigma has waned, albeit not completely eradicated. Times have definitely changed.

The question I'd like to ask is if you, the ESO community, fit into the former stereotypes of past days. I admit to having been one right up until senior in high school. All I did was study, read and play basketball with other uncool kids. Completely awkward around people and shy to the death. Then I went the opposite direction, senior year serving as a transitional period, then flipped completely in college. I wish I hadn't (my grade suffered) but it is what it is.

rotaugen454

I'd answer, but then someone might make fun of my answer...

Megabear

rotaugen454 wrote: »

I'd answer, but then someone might make fun of my answer...

I have a great soft spot for "nerds", because I used to be one. Couple years back during a vacation, I saw a comic book store and walked in with my wife because I hadn't seen one in forever. There were a group of guys playing board games and I was so happy to see them. It was like real life Big Bang Theory. My wife and I sat down with them and watched them play for about half an hour and took a bunch of group pictures. Lots of smiley faces that day.

Marabornwingrion

Naaah.

Rouven

rotaugen454 wrote: »

I'd answer, but then someone might make fun of my answer...

You have "Get off my lawn!" as a signature, you can handle that!

I'm not good at nor a fan of smalltalk. But I know how to behave. My wife taught me that. Social butterfly there, so I hide behind her. That's not awkward, that's strategy.

Defilted

I have no issues with social situations. Big crowds or small, or 1 on 1 conversations. they are all fine and I enjoy them.

ookami007

Other than gaming, I am:

* A kids entertainer (magic, balloons, etc) and mental magician
* A comedy hypnotist
* Abjunct faculty at two colleges teaching computer and life improvement courses
* A web developer
* An indie game designer (6 games published so far)
* Author (2 books published)
* Internet marketer

So I doubt I fit into ANY stereotype.

Am I socially awkward? Yes and no. I am naturally an introvert, but I've learned to fake extrovertism (ok, not a word) enough when I need to - for shows, teaching, etc.

Am I a geek/nerd? TOTALLY. I can quote Princess Bridge, Monty Python, Spaceballs, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings with the best of them. And yes... I TOTALLY saw Thor Ragnrock the opening night!

SirAndy

I hate people ...

Megabear

Defilted wrote: »

I have no issues with social situations. Big crowds or small, or 1 on 1 conversations. they are all fine and I enjoy them.

I'm a mix of both. I never enjoy social situations but I handle them very well when in one. You'd never know that I prefer to be alone.

ookami007 wrote: »

Other than gaming, I am:

* A kids entertainer (magic, balloons, etc) and mental magician
* A comedy hypnotist
* Abjunct faculty at two colleges teaching computer and life improvement courses
* A web developer
* An indie game designer (6 games published so far)
* Author (2 books published)
* Internet marketer

So I doubt I fit into ANY stereotype.

Am I socially awkward? Yes and no. I am naturally an introvert, but I've learned to fake extrovertism (ok, not a word) enough when I need to - for shows, teaching, etc.

Am I a geek/nerd? TOTALLY. I can quote Princess Bridge, Monty Python, Spaceballs, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings with the best of them. And yes... I TOTALLY saw Thor Ragnrock the opening night!

I already love you lol. I'm also a natural introvert but have adopted to be extrovert in social settings. Can't say I'm a geek/nerd in the same way as you but I do enjoy reading more than anything else. Even gaming.

Hippie4927

I'm not socially awkward but I am an introvert. Some days I am highly social and run with a group but most days, I keep to myself and don't want to talk to anyone.

paulsimonps

I am diagnosed with Aspergers so socially awkward was a trademark thing for me for a long time. But never been awkward online, always been much more comfortable online. That said, experience goes a long way and the type of setting changes how I would react. Not as awkward as I once was.

geonsocal

surprisingly, I actually do fairly well in social situations...i just prefer ample personal space for a good bit of the time...

Cyn_v84

I answer a thousand phonecalls a day in my job.
I'm co-GM of my guild and I do all recruitments.
I love being this little social creature, but as soon as someone IRL talks to me, I crawl back under the rock I came from and look at them like they should just drop dead. Also have a nack of saying all the wrong things, so YES, super socially awkward

But I love my contradictorial self

RABIDxWOLVERINE

Well where do I start? I was born in 1990 and growing up I was always shy but I was an athlete and that helped a lot when it came to making friends and opening up a little. In HS I guess you would say I was one of the "cool" kids. I hung out with the in crowd and was known by everyone but I was always still shy. I was always socially awkward and I didn't have a positive outlet so I lashed out a lot, at other kids, teachers, my parents, etc. I would even go as far to say I dealt with my social anxieties by being a bully. I was always afraid of being bullied so I instead became one to protect me from my insecurities. Its no excuse for how I was but as I grow older I have tried to look back and figure out why I was such a jerk. Part of it was my dad but most of it was, I think, do to my social awkwardness and trying to be something I wasn't because I wanted to be "cool".

As I get older I notice more and more that I am socially awkward. (Luckily, I found a wonderful woman in HS and married her). I have a hard time meeting new people or talking with others, even family. Maybe my brain is wired wrong I'm not sure but I am definitely Socially awkward. Ive been working on it by participating in Guild Text Chat and even join a friendly guild who I am slowly talking to more. A few months ago I never thought I would do a trial or vet dungeons because I was afraid of doing bad (these forums didn't help that, every thread in between the whining threads or the nerf this thread is "why do ppl suck at this game" threads). I now have completed nSO multiple times and just recently was able to complete nAA and nHRC. I'm also starting to do vet dungeons with guild groups and it has made this game so much more enjoyable and I already enjoyed the *** out of it.

Sorry to babble on but I wanted to share my experience and offer an insight into me. Also my wife doesn't care about gaming and thinks its a waste of time so its nice to converse with like minded individuals.

Have a great day y'all!

Megabear

RABIDxWOLVERINE wrote: »

Well where do I start? I was born in 1990 and growing up I was always shy but I was an athlete and that helped a lot when it came to making friends and opening up a little. In HS I guess you would say I was one of the "cool" kids. I hung out with the in crowd and was known by everyone but I was always still shy. I was always socially awkward and I didn't have a positive outlet so I lashed out a lot, at other kids, teachers, my parents, etc. I would even go as far to say I dealt with my social anxieties by being a bully. I was always afraid of being bullied so I instead became one to protect me from my insecurities. Its no excuse for how I was but as I grow older I have tried to look back and figure out why I was such a jerk. Part of it was my dad but most of it was, I think, do to my social awkwardness and trying to be something I wasn't because I wanted to be "cool".

As I get older I notice more and more that I am socially awkward. (Luckily, I found a wonderful woman in HS and married her). I have a hard time meeting new people or talking with others, even family. Maybe my brain is wired wrong I'm not sure but I am definitely Socially awkward. Ive been working on it by participating in Guild Text Chat and even join a friendly guild who I am slowly talking to more. A few months ago I never thought I would do a trial or vet dungeons because I was afraid of doing bad (these forums didn't help that, every thread in between the whining threads or the nerf this thread is "why do ppl suck at this game" threads). I now have completed nSO multiple times and just recently was able to complete nAA and nHRC. I'm also starting to do vet dungeons with guild groups and it has made this game so much more enjoyable and I already enjoyed the *** out of it.

Sorry to babble on but I wanted to share my experience and offer an insight into me. Also my wife doesn't care about gaming and thinks its a waste of time so its nice to converse with like minded individuals.

Have a great day y'all!

Was a nice read. Have a great day too!

Tasear

I always been me.

Sometimes I lived in my own little world but I tend share my world and make world a more lively place. Now on other hand sometimes just hate the world and ready to rage wars. As to say, I tenter on brink of good on evil.

Am I socially awkward, it depends how you define it. Charmistic in small crowd leading groups or and conversation, I suppose I wouldn't be, but... I tend to bring up interesting and definitely not normal ideas. Really it's all about how you carry yourself. I can be oddest person you will ever meet, but if I can convince you odd is good then I am socially acceptable.

menedhyn

No, i'm not socially awkward, I just have very low tolerance for some people... okay, many people. It's just as well that I prefer my own company.

Bah!

Froil

Yeah I don't do well when it comes to talking to others; I'm not eloquent, I prefer to not talk and when I do, I often say something wrong, nonsensical, uncomfortable, lightly sexual or otherwise cringey.

Kanar

I'm an adult and have to work, so learned how to act around people. Probably a lot consider me kind of weird but it's an endearing weirdness borne of honesty and no patience for some unnecessary social norms.

As a kid I was more shy, and am still not afraid of silence the way some people are.

Oakmontowls_ESO

I am definitely an introvert but once I'm comfortable around someone I can be annoying. I can have trouble going up to people and making friends like extroverts can do but once I get over the initial fear I'm usually fine. I'm probably just like all the other nerds.

Amadis001

Dumb question. Aren't we all?!

Shardan4968

I don't know what to say so I will just write that I'm socially awkward introvert with no friends, but I have guild which needs me and I'm not fat.

Tandor

Megabear wrote: »

rotaugen454 wrote: »

I'd answer, but then someone might make fun of my answer...

I have a great soft spot for "nerds", because I used to be one. Couple years back during a vacation, I saw a comic book store and walked in with my wife because I hadn't seen one in forever. There were a group of guys playing board games and I was so happy to see them. It was like real life Big Bang Theory. My wife and I sat down with them and watched them play for about half an hour and took a bunch of group pictures. Lots of smiley faces that day.

The smiley faces were probably because your wife was the first female they'd seen in a long while, apart from their Moms !

Megabear

Tandor wrote: »

Megabear wrote: »

rotaugen454 wrote: »

I'd answer, but then someone might make fun of my answer...

I have a great soft spot for "nerds", because I used to be one. Couple years back during a vacation, I saw a comic book store and walked in with my wife because I hadn't seen one in forever. There were a group of guys playing board games and I was so happy to see them. It was like real life Big Bang Theory. My wife and I sat down with them and watched them play for about half an hour and took a bunch of group pictures. Lots of smiley faces that day.

The smiley faces were probably because your wife was the first female they'd seen in a long while, apart from their Moms !

They seemed a bit surprised and genuinely happy, not due to a female presence (sigh).

Aurie

Actually I don't give a damn what anyone else thinks

deepseamk20b14_ESO

Not socially awkward. Been in the lime light a lot. I honestly just don’t care for most people anymore. Growing grumpier in my old age I guess. Though it’s funny that I dislike people and play an MMO. Maybe that’s why I focus mainly on PvP hahaha. Kill’em all and let talos sort them out!

Robo_Hobo

I'm always pretty silent/shy, offline and online, at work, back when I was in school, in public. The exceptions are when I'm with good friends, and I start to open up more, but even when I'm surrounded by good friends, online or offline, after a while I still seek some personal space and hide in the back or stay silent. I'm trying to work on that a bit because I want to do more group content stuff in ESO like veteran dungeons and normal trials.

At work nowadays for lunch breaks, I cross the street and go to a restaurant to sit down and use my laptop alone, rather than be in my work's break room with everyone else.

Only my fiance really gets to see me as the really talkative and super silly I can be deep down sometimes :P

Rosveen

Sort of. I used to be extremely asocial, to the point of needing therapy. I got better, my behaviors are mostly normal now, but I'm still rather withdrawn and not very good at starting or maintaining friendships. It takes a long time before I feel comfortable in a new place, both in the real world and in the virtual one, that's why I avoid joining new guilds. I deal alright with communication in written form, I like hanging out on forums, but you'll probably never hear me on voice chat. Which is a bit strange, considering how often my job requires me to speak on the phone. Everything can be learned, I guess.

AlienatedGoat

I'm only socially awkward because I don't like most people/the public.

I find the majority of people I'm forced to interact with to be vain, materialistic, and shallow. I have little in common with them.

Loralai_907

I don't people well. But it doesn't really bother me and I rather enjoy less peopling. People who just randomly show up at my house exhaust me, because I have to be "on" when I'd rather be off. I rarely interact in game, or when watching people stream. It isn't that I don't want to interact, or don't want to ever know any of you ever, I just can't get past the feeling weird about talking "live" part. I'm just more reserved around people I don't know, and apparently that extends to through the screen, not just face to face. Like, I'm fine here. I can do this or Facebook or Twitter or whatever else that isn't quite really interacting with people directly. And I spook easy. So that's helpful too.

Ilsabet

I'm an unabashed nerd but also function just fine in regular society. I'm not aggressive about my nerdishness, so I probably seem like a normie unless someone notices the anime pins on my purse or understands the references I make. I'm an introvert but I don't really have an issue talking to people when there's a reason to talk to them. I've never been stylish, but the clothes I've been wearing for the last 15-20 years still fit me just fine and nobody could call them outdated. I was never one of the cool kids, and got picked on in school for being quiet and a goody-two-shoes, but I also learned the value of being nice to people and doing things that made me happy.

So... nerd, yes; socially awkward, not really.

Also I'm a girl who plays D&D, so take that as you will.