Airsofter Temper Tantrum

[Tom Andrews]

I find it amazing that two regular posting sensible airsofters are arguing over the meaning of a word, a word that can't be more than about ten years old when applied to airsofters.

 

How can anybody decide where in the order of offensive descriptions it lays is beyond me.

 

I've always seen it as a mildly mocking term for someone who turns up in pristine outfits, matched from head to two in the same camo, a virtual over kill in camo.  I've never considered it as an ultimate insult, just a little bit of light humoured banter during the day.

[spetsnazdave87]

I wouldn't say it's an ultimate insult at all, or even a middling one. It's just tapped into something I've been seeing a lot more of lately (not generally from Fireknife, he was just the spark for that).

 

Anyhoo, if that wasn't what you meant FK then apology accepted.  Let's move on. When my film software updates we'll have someone else to pick apart

[FireKnife]

Well maybe my use of things like ' ' and ' ' do get missed. Often I have had my posts taken literally when they are meant as light humour or odd banter. But usually it is by a person over on Zero In that is clearly wrong, here it is a decent player that just sees things with a different light to me.

 

Personally I am not out to have a go at someone that is different in how they style themsleves. Hell I get a kit out of running around in strange loadouts and with pistols myself.

 

It is just that you do get bad players and I just use Geardo as the way to say bad player and choice of kit, to distinguish them from the other bad players. In the same vein you have the PTW Owners Elite Club, I know some nice people that own a PTW, they are good players but others are not and thus you have the above ti say 'PTW owner that has to point out to everyone that he owns the damn thing and how operator it makes him look'.

 

So for the tl;dr I do apologize for any mis-directed comments or understandings, it is not right to hate or even dislike people as they like to be a bit different, far from it, it should be encouraged. However we should all point out the flaws of those that have attitude issues or can present a danger to the day, whatever the hell they wear.

 

'FireKnife'

[jal3]

It's a group mentality thing. If you have a group of experienced/confident players vs what's interpretted as a less confident player, they will play tough and laugh at the him rather than respect his opinion.

Hell, it's the same scenario when 1 guy has an issue with 5 guys behavior friday night. "Hey please stop that " "lol *fruitcage* you get lost kid".

 

When you combine this with groups that have outside influence, it makes them act bad because they hide "behind" their group rather than seeing themselves making the wrong decision.

Geardoes who kick doors in, destroys stuff they shouldn't and perhaps use pyro they shouldn't, because they consume a bit too much media material.

And speedballers who overshoot people, don't show any compassion etc because they really want to play paintball (The competetive mentality in paintball makes it look more like a psychopath convention than a sports event).

 

And in the middle are the casual players who lose.

[renegadecow]

Geardo, as I personally see it, is a word used to describe that little corner of the airsoft community that seem to think that an arrogant attitude is allowed just as they can afford more high quality gear than the next player.

Thing is, you seem to be the only one who uses that word in such context. Otherwise, a perfect way to call someone of that description is an elitist. Geardo really is just a sub classification of geekdom; a person with thorough knowledge and use of tactical clothing and equipment for military/LE. Reenactors are all geardos and even people assembling sci-fi loadouts based on film and fiction can also be considered being a geardo. I can be called a geardo for 19th century western *suitcase* too. If I started prancing about in my high boots like I owned the place and slapped anyone with a riding glove for so much as looking at my piece, I'd be an elitist *beep* who so happens to be a western geardo.

[Jibbity]

That is different.

 

That is a slang derogatory word used to describe a race of people and one that is used to inspire prejudice and race hate.

 

Geardo, as I personally see it, is a word used to describe that little corner of the airsoft community that seem to think that an arrogant attitude is allowed just as they can afford more high quality gear than the next player.

 

As for calling them an *albatross* yes but then any player with a bad attitude that looks down on others can be called an *albatross*. I personally just use the above word for those that do it while sporting better kit and using that as one of there reasons to belittle others.

 

This can either go on and on or stop here really. The word I use is Geardo, to me it means a person that plays in good quality kit and has a very disrespectful view to other players. This is my opinion, if you don't like it then great I am sure we all don't have the same opinion, but I am not going to change what that word means to me and I don't expect those that oppose me to change in any way either.

 

'FireKnife'

This is exactly the sort of justification that rednecks in Tennessee used all the time for referring to people as N****rs. Using a term that is not focused on the actual problem just propagates hate and anger. A jerk is a jerk is a jerk.. 

[AFV]

hmmmmm so basically (from what i gather)

 

 

Geardo: Someone in expensive kit and a large ego/a complete and utter twit.

 

 

*edited for finding a loophole with the swearblocker*

[hitmanNo2]

You see, this seems to be the problem.  A few people use the term in derogatory manner.

 

To me, a Geardo is someone that spends a lot of money on RS gear to be as accurate to whatever unit/group e.t.c. they are portraying down to minor details.  Not really my bag but I certainly respect the enthusiasm, devotion and attention to detail it requires.

 

As has been previously said, sure, some Geardos think the fact they are running the latest gear means they don't have to follow orders in a squad scenario from someone they feel is beneath them as they're wearing DPM or whatever, or take hits e.t.c.

 

But the same can be said for any group. It's down to how much of a tit they are.  They would be acting the same whatever they were wearing.

 

Not everyone that drives an expensive car is a douchebag.  The same applies to Geardos.

 

It just seems popular to bash these generalized groups for whatever reason.

[gunnermaniac]

Geardo is not in the dictionary, no Etymology is clear. It obviously has several meanings.

 

The pejorative meaning debated in this thread is exactly that - a stereotype. Get over it. Stereotyping is banter which I am sure if we are honest all of us participate in. We all know the stereotypical views of paintballers and LARP players on this forum...

 

Fireknife took a unfair pasting here.

 

'He who has not told a blonde joke, let him throw the first stone' - Jesus...

[scorch]

Agree with gunnermaniac.

 

Handbags away fellas, we're better than this.

[Habakure]

Hey, my old hand bag matched my black ops loadout and had its own Velcro patch (the patch is my lovely ghost in the shell sac series, The Laughing Man). But my wife made me bin it (minus the patch), as she thought it might offend female players.

 

Is it sick of me to say am looking forward to the video? Morbid curiosity, is morbid.

[AFV]

i think we should change the subject to handbags in airsoft.

 

In my opinion, marshals should be given handbags full of bricks to beat people who dont follow the rules. Its legit...

[Baddbaz]

Thought I was on zero in for a moment there lads when I read this thread . Thought this was a friendly lighthearted forum .

Come on agree to disagree and make up guys ..

And I agree with a few of the others . Fireknife didn't deserve a pasting over nothing ..

[spetsnazdave87]

I'm fine here, FK's explained what he apparently actually meant. All cool as far as I'm concerned.

 

I also suggested we move on on page 2

[FireKnife]

Anyway, I am still waiting for another funny video to arise, preferably one that is one of those comical disputes where both a gear heavy player and a rental player get into a spat just because one claims that his plate carrier meant he didn't feel his hits while the other player argues the FPS of his gun and how he should feel it (please note the word 'comical' above before anyone worries).

 

This is exactly the sort of justification that rednecks in Tennessee used all the time for referring to people as N****rs. Using a term that is not focused on the actual problem just propagates hate and anger. A jerk is a jerk is a jerk.. 

 

But there is a wide difference between racial hatred and simply pointing out the flaws of another player by use of a collective word. To call someone a n00b is just not the same as the N, P or any other racial offensive word is it? While I see your point saying 'oh that person is acting a bit of an Elitist, why not just play the game guy' is never the same as '*fruitcage*-ing <insert racial expletive here>, coming over here and taking my job' etc.

 

'FireKnife'

[spetsnazdave87]

Well, here we go....

 

 

 

Annotated to let you know what's going on as the audio isn't as distinct as I'd like but you should be able to hear everything with the volume cranked.

[jal3]

[Im going space]

some people....

[Baddbaz]

Reminder to self .do not play at that site . Marshalling non existant. Two wrongs do not make it right . Would not waste my money on a site like that and would definatly never return for a second game . An so glad that the sites I play at are properly run with good marshals and decent players

[spetsnazdave87]

Sorry man but you could not be further from the truth. Marshalling was excellent all weekend- those two had been warned previously but carried on. It was a 30 acre site with a hundred players, vehicles and aircraft (!) in play at the time and yet the head marshal was still on the scene pretty much immediately. Those two were thrown off the site soon after (did you read the end of the video?).

 

I don't really play skirmish games anymore but I was extremely impressed with Airsoft Plantation and would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. Please don't judge the site and the staff (who were all superb) based on three minutes of footage of a couple of morons kicking off. In terms of value for money I rode 4 different vehicles over the weekend including a helicopter ride, had 32 hours of non stop, dynamic and thoroughly entertaining airsoft and had a whale of a time for £100- if that's a waste, you have some seriously high expectations!

 

Honestly don't judge the site based on this three minute clip out of 32 hours of game. I had a great weekend and these two clowns didn't bother me for more than 10 minutes out of the entire time.

 

Edit: if by 'two wrongs' you mean me returning fire through the fence I agree with you but I didn't want to sit around and get shot at. 

[FireKnife]

Is that you on the cam Dave?

 

If so you need to lay off the sandpaper Martinis .

 

Still that is worryingly bad confrontation on her part, sadly have been on the end of similar things myself. I just ignore them and move on, glad to see so did some of the people in this video.

 

Either way, well done on not playing the game goes to them.

 

'FireKnife'

[spetsnazdave87]

Aye there's a possibility my tumours are coming back. Getting an appointment sorted out at the moment to check.

[FireKnife]

Aye there's a possibility my tumours are coming back. Getting an appointment sorted out at the moment to check.

 

Ah my apologise, I just thought you had a rather husky voice in said vid.

 

Either way this video reminds me of the reasons that people stop playing this hobby, the sad few that spoil it for others.

 

'FireKnife'

[spetsnazdave87]

You weren't to know dude don't worry about it if I took offence at every time someone thought I just had a sore throat I'd never go outside haha.

 

Again these were two players out of about a hundred. Not indicative of the site or player base whatsoever. Met loads of awesome players and top sportsmen on both sides this weekend.

[FireKnife]

That is true, when it is one in about fifty that act that way and you have a large enough site to avoid them it isn't so bad.

 

When you have about one in five and you are playing indoors it can be a whole different kettle of fish, I don't mind banter and a bit of 'really was that the best way to behave' but as both videos on here show some just well need to sit out for five minutes, put some whale song on and relax.

 

In fact I might do that next game, see how calm it makes me even when plastic is going past my head at 300fps.

 

'FireKnife'