"Gamer" and a person that watches television

[LeoXCV]

You're probably wondering what's with the weird thread name, truthfully I couldn't think of anything else.

Anyway on to the question of this thread.
Why is it a person that plays games has the tag of "Gamer" whilst someone that watches television has no tag?

This was a question that popped out of a youtube video that was a guy going on about how he hated the tag "Gamer", which I stupidly decided to comment on stating some of my own views on what the guy said (You can imagine how that went). He basically complained for a little while about how people tag someone that plays games for their entertainment medium as a gamer and then they judge them based on that tag, yet someone who watches television as an entertainment medium has no tag.

Anyway the main reason I ask this question here is simply because I want to hear some outside views that don't come from the comment section of youtube. My own view is that it's because being a gamer requires you to follow a learning curve, just like a musician or a skateboarder; whilst watching television or listening to music doesn't really have any learning curve at all so a tag would be pointless.

P.S. Ignore all mistakes and incoherent babble, I'm sleepy

 

[LeoXCV]

Yes they do it's couch potato.
The term couch potato has been around before the term gamer came about, long before.

I knew of couch potato but I thought it was a much more general term, as in they don't have to specifically be watching television. They usually are, but that isn't the key thing.

 

[Winterfrost]

>Casual
I think you mean Casual.
kidding! I do the same, actually, when I'm not playing games I watch Netflix.
Or when I'm not in the mood to play games, I watch netflix
Or when I don't want to watch netflix I play games.
and when I don't do both, I go outside.
And going outside is bad, but seriously, there shouldn't be a label for a person that does both. It's normal, everyone does it from time to time...well not everyone. But the average gamer I guess, someone like me has to have the TV going on while I play games as a background noise. Or right now I'm on the computer, while watching netflix on the TV making this post.
So I'm saying it's...not a label. It's normal.

 

[CheeseKao]

Someone-who-sits-on-their-butt-with-their-eyes-focused-on-the-television-er.

 

[ROCKMAN X]

I knew of couch potato but I thought it was a much more general term, as in they don't have to specifically be watching television..

How about idiot box ? these connotations are weird anyway

what's so special about furries,brownies that it needs a specific term ? idk i don't want to know >_> as long as people stop bragging about being a "Hardcore" gamer i'm cool with it.

 

[darkslayer13]

because watching television is so common that not watching television in a country where it is easily available is considered an unusual trait. considering watching television to be part of your identity would be like considering wearing pants part of your identity . video games on the other hand are something most people don't spent large amounts of time on therefore people that do spend large amounts of time on it are notable and being a gamer is something that could reasonably be part of someone's identity.

 

[VOLPE]

I can honestly say that i am a gamer i use video games to escape the world around me and de-stress. i get lost in the story and forget what was bugging me and just enjoy the game i let out my frustrations and afterwards i feel great lol this might sound pathetic but video games arent a hobbie for me nor are they an addiction(however hip hop dancing im addicted too) video games are more like..a favourite food..i dont need to have it every day but i wnt say no and i feel great when i have the chane to induldge lol