Just thought I’d share something I thought was pretty interesting. I have a mother in law who is… well let’s just say she’s a stereotypical older mom who doesn’t own a computer, just an iPad. During the pandemic, she started getting into Nintendo games and bought herself a Switch. Fast forward a few years later and she’s interested in getting a Steam Deck, since one of her “mom groups” told her about some pandemic inspired games, similar to Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing that are only available on Steam.

When it comes down to it, she doesn’t care about her computer, she just wants to play computer games in a way that’s easy and accessible for her. We’ll be getting her a Steam Deck for her birthday, which in my opinion is just super neat. Even PC gaming is becoming extremely accessible, and it’s a fantastic time to be a gamer.

        • acastcandream@beehaw.org
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          1 year ago

          NPC’s is worse to be honest. It’s generally used to attack people’s social/political values and call them “sheeple” without using the term. Normie is gross but it’s mainly just dismissive and having too high an opinion of one’s own taste/interests.

          Ultimately it’s cringe as hell to say either lol

          • Die4Ever@programming.dev
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            1 year ago

            Normie is gross but it’s mainly just dismissive and having too high an opinion of one’s own taste/interests.

            Really? I always thought it was supposed to be self deprecating, like saying “people who aren’t fucking weirdos like myself”

          • SkepticElliptic@beehaw.org
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            1 year ago

            NPCs is ten times worse because it is used to dehumanize people you don’t agree with, further alienates you away from normal society and pushes you deeper into cult like thinking.

          • NightOwl@lemmy.one
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            1 year ago

            Maybe there should be a contest to see who can come up with the most cringe worthy label.

          • acastcandream@beehaw.org
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            Meh cringe can be effective as a descriptor, but it’s cringe to call people cringe as a personal attack. I’ve described situations as very “cringe-inducing.”

            • TwilightVulpine@kbin.social
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              1 year ago

              Cringe is a thing, but it’s way too common that people use their own self-consciousness as an excuse to try to shame people who are just enjoying themselves on their own corner.

              • acastcandream@beehaw.org
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                Most definitely. I’m more distinguishing it from calling someone an NPC, which has no valid use  other than to dismiss or denigrate.

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        1 year ago

        “We can do better” or worse “X do better” is more cringe.

        It’s just everyone judging everyone like they are worthless. Maybe people want to be part of the group maybe they have an identity with hardcore gamers. They don’t need to do better that’s their right.

        • some_guy@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          What hobby group was I referring to exactly?

          Because I don’t think gamers are a hobby group any more than tv watchers are a hobby group.

          Or do you think maybe I meant “we” as a collective for the people in this thread?

          🤔

    • alyaza [they/she]@beehaw.orgM
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      1 year ago

      it’s definitely a weird term but in more than a few contexts (mostly very online contexts) i’ve found it to be the only suitable terminology because there’s just nothing else which most of the people i talk to will “get” otherwise–it’d be nice to have something a little bit less embarrassing to work with, to be honest lol

      • can@beehaw.org
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        there’s just nothing else which most of the people i talk to will “get”

        The group here may be different from most of the people you talk to.

        Try:

        “the average person”

        Or (mostly joking) “allistic”?

        • alyaza [they/she]@beehaw.orgM
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          “average person” i’m afraid lacks a certain it factor–probably the ironic steeping in terminally online culture implied by even speaking it–that’s implied by using normie. i find in many of these circumstances it just seems out of place also. in a semantic sense i’m not sure “average person” maps to “normal person” either, which is another thing

          • Die4Ever@programming.dev
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            Yeah I’m not sure “average person” works the same… maybe “median person”? 🤣

            The 10% nerdiest people hold 90% of the nerdiness?

            But yeah I don’t think “average person” works, because it’s not a wide enough range and doesn’t include the opposite extreme end

            “non-normies” is a very small group, in this context non-normies would be the most extreme gamers. The “average people” would not include a somewhat invested gamer, and it also wouldn’t include someone who is heavily opposed to gaming, both of which would be included in “normies”.

            • Limeade@beehaw.org
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              I don’t think someone heavily opposed to gaming would be considered a normie, they would be in their own separate extremist camp also apart from the average person.

          • T (they/she)@beehaw.org
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            1 year ago

            As someone alternative that been active in local gothic scenes I also use “normie” to refeer to people that do not engage with subcultures. I didn’t even know it was considered pejorative until this post

            • Radiant_sir_radiant@beehaw.org
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              1 year ago

              I just think of “normie” as the new “vanilla” - every group that uses it, uses it uses it to refer to people who are not a part of that particular group, so its meaning depends on the context but should be self-explanatory and not (necessarily) derogatory.

              As a software guy I like the word for its simplicity and ease of use.