We’ve all encountered them. The grumpy elitists who feel the need to mock and ridicule anyone whose achievements aren’t as significant as they perceive their own to be (self-delusion not withstanding).
They sit in trade chat and belittle anyone who has the audacity to seek help with an innocent question and promptly boot anyone from the guild who doesn’t meet their exacting standards for damage or healing ability.
They mock your gear and spec, calling you a noob for being a casual player or not knowing all the latest PvP tactics.
To them, it’s more than a game, it’s their entire life.
It’s unfortunate, because the vast majority of MMO players are just normal people looking to have a good time, take down some mobs, and maybe pick up a new piece of armor or two. Most players are very helpful, and quite willing to answer questions or help a passing lowbie out with quest advice or a free buff.
This article is not about those people. It’s about the bad apples that ruin the entire bunch. The callous and grating people who, while small in number, can quickly ruin the game experience for everyone.
Yes, I’m talking about the jerks.
Perhaps the best explanation of this phenomenon comes from the guys at Penny Arcade. Way back in 2004, Gabe and Tycho posited the “Greater Internet F-wad Theory.” (Fair warning, the link contains NSFW language.)
Basically, the G.I.F.T. states that the sheltering anonymity provided by the internet, coupled with a ready-made audience, somehow transforms otherwise normal people into total F-wads. Without the consequences that would accompany such behavior in real life, people are free to be the enormous misanthropes they have always dreamed of being.
In order to stand out from the rest of the anonymous mass, people can act out in a negative fashion in order to receive attention. Some think that it’s funny; others actually believe some of the crap they spew. It’s sad that some people are actually as racist/small minded as they appear on the internet; let’s hope they at least manage to disguise it better in real life.
The G.I.F.T. is actually just a clever way of describing what psychologists call the “disinhibition effect.” The lack of any discernable authority, coupled with the “invisibility factor” or fact that people you are speaking to cannot actually see you, leads people to say and do things they would never even consider in real life.
Check out page two for more about elitist behavior and a fascinating insight from The Pope.