Boards›Player Behavior

Is "noob" just a meme or considered an actual insult?

Madjack01·7/15/2019, 10:58:43 PM·1 votes·2,099 views

I call myself noob all the time and rarely think twice when I call others noob. The word sounds ridiculous and I always thought that it has gotten 'meme' value and can be used to make fun of things that looked amateuristic.

But holy shit do people look for ill-intent when you use it like you just drowned a puppy. I don't get it. Did I just get unlucky or is 'noob' considered an actual insult?

A question neighbouring to this one: Is there no room for not taking your fellow players (and yourself) completely seriously in an online environment and express that? I'm not talking about primitive insults (you suck #joke) disguised as 'humor', but teasing banter about skill in a ridiculing fashion. In every other environment people will avoid you if you can't take (or dish out for that matter) a bit of teasing. What makes this so different? That it's written? That it happens in the safety of our homes? (would that mean that people are more open to this if they played in a public location?). Or are we just assuming that every other person is against us and trying to diminish us in an online environment?

P.S. This is not a complaint about wanting a more lenient policy regarding toxicity in LOL. I don't condone people who are unable/ or just unwilling to control themselves. I just would like to reflect on where the boundaries are and the reasons why they are there. So if you disagree or don't like something I've said, I'd like you to consider to disagree with a comment, but upvote the thread so that others see it and can leave a (disagreeing) comment as well.

7 Comments

Umbral Regent7/15/2019, 11:24:47 PM3 votes

"Noob" is still very much an insult, no matter how flippantly you use it. It's pretty much ridiculing players by saying that they play like they're new, regardless of how long they've been playing or how skilled they actually are.

Is there no room for not taking your fellow players (and yourself) completely seriously in an online environment and express that? I'm not talking about primitive insults (you suck #joke) disguised as 'humor', but teasing banter about skill in a ridiculing fashion.

I fail to see the difference in weak insults and ridicule with the "banter" label slapped on it. You don't give any examples of "banter", so there's even less room for me to see a distinction.

You're pretty vague in general as to what you mean here, so I'll just say this; people are more inclined to enjoy respect and positive interaction than disrespect and blithe comments meant to ridicule them. That's practically a universal constant amongst people, and I seriously doubt that there's many environments out there where people openly embrace being mocked.

Telephone Booth7/16/2019, 12:03:55 AM1 votes

When i play sc2 co-op, i often ask in chat for any newbs who want brutal random mission carries, and i think nothing of it. (I copy paste a message that says "any newbs want some brutal random mission carries?") 1 out of maybe 5 times, ill get some guy tell me "youre not gonna get anyone ifyou call them newbs" or "omg dirtymick youre insulting them!"... things along those lines. Its annoying. Being new to something is not a fucking insult. People are so self righteous and egotistical its disgusting.

Its like they just want the drama of seeing someone insulting and they can step in and feel good about themselves... or theyre bored and they just want to be entertained by someone being offensive. Like they think im gonna respond in an asshole-ish way, so theyre ready to be entertained by it.

Sure, I can use newb as an insult. But in life, its the message youre trying to convey, combined with terminology. In life, context matters. Maybe in a game of league, with an automated system, i can understand why context doesnt matter. But in real life, no, newb isnt ALWAYS an insult.

And im doing these new players a favor, getting them bonus exp to level up their commanders faster and have all the upgrades. But some people think im insulting them. I would never flame them, i tell them if we lose its my fault and im sorry if i fail you. God forbid they get called a newb when theyre new to a game lol.

Tuition Fee7/16/2019, 5:29:33 AM1 votes

It's fine as long as no one reports you imo. Only use it in a teasing context towards a duo.

AJStarhiker7/16/2019, 12:39:21 PM1 votes

Both. I see it used ironically about as often as seriously.

Personally, I'd put it on the low end whem used as an insult.