Why I Think You Should Shut Up

I was at the game store the other day and witnessed something that disturbed me. Two men were looking at used Wii games, and one of them picked up a copy of Ghostbusters to show his friend.

“Have you played this one, yet?”

That wasn’t the disturbing part. It was what happened next that bugged me.

Before his friend could even respond a stranger who had been hovering behind them decided to get involved. I don’t know his name so we’ll just call him stained shirt boy.

“Don’t get that!” said stained shirt boy.

The other two men sort of startledly looked at him.

“It sucks,” continued stained shirt boy.

“I don’t know, I thought it was okay,” said the first guy who had clearly been about to suggest that his friend buy the game.

“No,” said stained shirt boy dismissively. “It sucked.”

The two gentlemen turned away, but I don’t think SSB was very good at reading body language, and he continued offering unsolicited advice.

“The graphics suck, and the shooting is –” Momentarily flustered, as the million reasons why Ghostbusters sucked flooded his head, SSB went back to his thesis, “it just sucks, I wouldn’t buy it.”

“Uh, thanks,” said guy number two who had put the Ghostbusters case back on the shelf hoping that this would pacify SSB.

I don’t know what happened after this because I left the store, but as I walked out stainy was pointing out other games he thought sucked, and the duo had resigned themselves to dealing with this uninvited guest.

I don’t know any of the gentlemen in the scene, but I do know what I would have said if I had been the victim of SSB’s hapless crusade.

“Shut your piehole.” And trust me, I wish I could be more profane here.

These were just two guys looking for a new game to play. They didn’t need someone else’s opinions shoved down their throat.

Not that I’m against stopping someone from making a bad purchasing decision. I’ve certainly done so myself. The difference is, I said, “excuse me, sir, I’ve played Fantavision, and I didn’t think it was very fun.”

Then I turned and walked away.

The moral here is: don’t be a video game snob.

There are many levels of video game snobbery, and I don’t want to get into each one, but honestly why should I have to? You know it’s wrong. Stop being a jerk.

It’s not wrong to share your opinions, and I can understand why you would get frustrated watching someone struggle with a game’s controls when you are waiting in the kiosk line, but there is no need to be arrogant with your opinions or make fun of someone else while they are playing the game (if you are online it’s still wrong).

Have you ever run into one of those wine snobs who turns up their nose at your $15 Pinot Grigio, or a music snob who can’t shut up about how this band you’ve never heard of is better than anything on your iPod. Well guess what? Every time you make fun of someone for liking a game you hate you are being that guy. Games are supposed to be fun. Don’t kill that experience for someone.

It doesn’t matter if your opinion is right. This kind of behavior is wrong.

And it makes you a ***. Stop being one.