How a stereotypical basement-dwelling, fat, game-addicted nerd changed his life

[Cookie]

If you're happy and you-play-video-games and you know it, clap your hands /claps x2

If you're happy and you-play-video-games and you know it, clap your hands /claps x2

If you're happy and you-play-video-games and you know it. There is one way you can show it, is to learn how to manage your muthafuckin time /claps x2

How do you do this?! So many games, so little time. 🙁


Edit: PS. I liked the article.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Good read. His writing style is relateable and amusing.

 

[BrokenVisage]

OP is not kidding, the article is soooo long it needs 3 separate pages just to fit it all....

 

[destrekor]

Uhh.. a bit of that was real close to home. hmmmm

 

[KeithTalent]

Yeah, it's a good read; I've actually heard him talk about this several times on various podcasts. Unfortunately The Nerdist is pretty damn boring.

KT

 

[Jaskalas]

Uhh.. a bit of that was real close to home. hmmmm

Yes.... :ninja:

 

[Blackjack200]

IDK, I thought the prose was kind of weak; the reward chemical coating your brain in lathery foam was decent imagery, but a robot's vagina? Come on.

As for the content, others have alluded to it, but this guy had a lot more going for him than your typical basement dweller. I didn't really see a whole lot of useful advice in there.

 

[Kaekae]

Good read thanks for posting OP

 

[jessieqwert]

For me, it was joining the Navy.

Has someone written a book about your life and have you read it? j/k 😉

 

[rivan]

but a robot's vagina?

Have you ever pulled Wired from plastic wrap and given it a good smell? It's bizarre and 'robot vag' is about as good as anything I could come up with.

 

[dank69]

Nice to see one of us managed to escape.

 

[CRXican]

Interesting, but he had a big help getting things together. He lucked into a TV gig early in life, so he had some connections to get things going again. Your average college dropout doesn't have the resources he has, and while the principle still applies, most people will find themselves in an /alright/ job they manage to tolerate, hoping they don't get stuck doing OT on Friday.

agreed

somehow he maintained an income to live on his own and sit at home all day?

sounds good to me

 

[Krazy4Real]

Was a good read, but it kinda fell apart at the end.

this.

 

[ViviTheMage]

I already don't want to read anymore after the third paragraph :

"When I was 22, I got a job working as cohost of Singled Out, for MTV"

I do not dislike MTV, but this already explains a lot.

 

[Beev]

The guy isn't funny in the slightest. I know that isn't the purpose of the article, but the humor he forced into parts of it just flat out didn't work.

Anyway, it's nice to see that he turned everything around. I wish everyone would realize they have that power.

 

[yllus]

I didn't think it was written very well. I am also uncertain of how the word "stereotypical" could then be closely followed by "got a job working as cohost ... for MTV".

 

[CRXican]

give him a break, he's not a writer, it was easy to read at least

it is strange that he went backwards and downhill after MTV

 

[Blackjack200]

give him a break, he's not a writer, it was easy to read at least

it is strange that he went backwards and downhill after MTV

OP said he was a good writer; that's the only reason I complained. I don't expect much better from a magazine like wired anyway, that's why I don't read it.

Compare it to something like this. Doesn't compare.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178211966454607.html

 

[AbAbber2k]

Interesting, but he had a big help getting things together. He lucked into a TV gig early in life, so he had some connections to get things going again. Your average college dropout doesn't have the resources he has, and while the principle still applies, most people will find themselves in an /alright/ job they manage to tolerate, hoping they don't get stuck doing OT on Friday.

Ya, have to agree. I'm making my own transition out of nerddom (though no where near as extreme as his) except when I come out of it, I doubt I'll have celebrity friends and my own TV show... probably because I didn't go to school with Will Wheaton or land a spot hosting a show on MTV. He would be a loser if he COULDN'T build something out of all the opportunities thrown at him. Most of us aren't that lucky. Show me someone who grew up in the ghetto and is now a CEO and I'll show you someone who had to ability to turn their life around.

 

[Oyeve]

i suppose for some, gaming can be an addiction like any drug.
i only play a couple hrs a week average. thanks to BF3's crappy, not letting me play pos, i have now gone a solid 3 weeks without playing anything and likely many more, as i've not played anything else sicne last month.
i think a few good buggy games can cure some game addicts out there.

It did for me. I actually went back to playing GTA:SA casually. I am looking forward to SR3.

 

[lord_emperor]

How a stereotypical basement-dwelling, fat, game-addicted nerd changed his lifehttp://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/10/mf_hardwickexcerpt/

Read the article. He had his own apartment near UCLA and was never fat. The thread title made me think someone like this....

 

[irishScott]

If you're happy and you-play-video-games and you know it, clap your hands /claps x2

If you're happy and you-play-video-games and you know it, clap your hands /claps x2

If you're happy and you-play-video-games and you know it. There is one way you can show it, is to learn how to manage your muthafuckin time /claps x2

lol

 

[kranky]

Read the article. He had his own apartment near UCLA and was never fat. The thread title made me think someone like this....

From the article: "I had become what I’d always dreaded being—the fat, drunk guy who used to be on television."