Cringe in Airsoft

I'd say my two biggest dislikes in this sport are:
People who don't who don't play fair (trigger spammers in cqb to the point it is essentially full auto, people who camp spawns, people who go to a game with the express intention of hurting someone ect.) I've always maintained from the beginning that everyone paid to play, just like you did, and that it is a moral obligation to not act like a prize bell piece on the field. In the hopes that all players can walk away after having a good day. I'd rather be able to give someone on the opposite team a hi five, than have their day ruined because I thought it would be badass to laser them in the back of the head at 5 feet.

The other one that gets me, almost more so, is people who rock up and then act exclusionary to other people on the field, because they somehow think they're "cooler" than them. Like schoolyard kinda attitude. It's fairly rare in the communities i've encountered over the years, but some people seem to forget that they are also playing toy soldiers in the woods.

I don't care what you look like, what kit you run, how new or experienced you are, I don't care if you have silly patches or ones you think are badass, if you act like a decent person, and play the game with honour, you deserve respect, because you are making the sport better.

When I started airsoft around 14-15 ish, I was a very nervous and anxious lad, I was going through a lot in life, and didn't have any healthy distractions, the relationship between me and my old man had reached a point of breaking, and airsoft was a last ditch effort to find some common ground. I will never forget the big, gruff looking people who took us in and treated us with nothing but respect, something that I had never really experienced at that time, outside of my own household. I'll never forget the way we were always included, never left alone in the safe zone, within 3 times of going we were invited to join a team and play a birthday event at the outpost. I'll never forget my rental gun dying in the field, being to socially awkward to want to say anything and some big badass dude setting down his lsw next to me to use, whilst he fixed my rifle for me.

To me, that is what airsoft is about, a community of like-minded people sharing in a mutual hobby. One based on respecting others and being honourable. At nearly 30 now, I carry the same mindset those folks did, i'm always happy to have a chat with someone, if I see someone struggling, I help. If everyone on the field had a little consideration for those around them, this sport would be unrivaled. Human nature dictates that not everyone will do so, but I still see those good eggs out there.
I totally agree with all these points. Kindness is sometimes lost with some people in this sport and they forget it's only a hobby we've all paid to play not a serious real life war game. I feel alot of the arrogance in the sport has grown from the computer game world and slowly migrated into Airsoft.

I'm all for inclusion in the sort and will gladly help anyone out who needs it.
 
For sure, I can definitely see how some of the competetive nature could spawn from that side of things, given how much of the mainstream market is dominated by excessively ranked games. However i'd probably say a lot of it comes from just the times we're living in at the moment, frustration is abound and it can be very easy to forget to leave it at the door. If you feel like you have no control, it is common to try and control something elsewhere. Folks like that often just need a change of perspective, a funny joke or a mini mission to fixate on, when I was having a rough day i'd make an objective for myself, holding an advantageous spot, or finding a sneaky way to push a defense, that way i'd still feel that sense of accomplishment, if I needed it. 😁
 
I totally agree with all these points. Kindness is sometimes lost with some people in this sport and they forget it's only a hobby we've all paid to play not a serious real life war game. I feel alot of the arrogance in the sport has grown from the computer game world and slowly migrated into Airsoft.

I'm all for inclusion in the sort and will gladly help anyone out who needs it.
I do suspect that some of it comes from gaming; however, I also suspect that a lot of of it comes from an increasing general atomisation of society and an increased level of arrogance and self-centredness among some sections of society. In my working life, I interact with a very large number of young people aged 18-25; in the last few years, I have dealt with far too many who seem to think that rules of behaviour and general decency do not apply to them, and who are utterly arrogant, self centred and solely focused on their gratification. I suspect that spills over into airsoft.
 
I do suspect that some of it comes from gaming; however, I also suspect that a lot of of it comes from an increasing general atomisation of society and an increased level of arrogance and self-centredness among some sections of society. In my working life, I interact with a very large number of young people aged 18-25; in the last few years, I have dealt with far too many who seem to think that rules of behaviour and general decency do not apply to them, and who are utterly arrogant, self centred and solely focused on their gratification. I suspect that spills over into airsoft.
That is very true. Alot of society is now ignorant. My Mrs works in Tesco and the amount of rude customers in just one shift is ridiculous. They had the bread oven break down other week but people still got pissed off with the staff personally rather than understanding and accepting it's out of their control. Takes piss.
 
I have 3 patches. 1 is the flag of the International Brigades from the Spanish Civil War, (but is often mistaken for some kinda gay pride flag, not an issue, I wish I was cool enough to be gay) the second is an Irish flag and the last is a custom one off patch on back of my helmet that says K.M.A.G.Y.O.Y.O which is from a country song and means 'Kiss my ass guys, your on your own'
 
That is very true. Alot of society is now ignorant. My Mrs works in Tesco and the amount of rude customers in just one shift is ridiculous. They had the bread oven break down other week but people still got pissed off with the staff personally rather than understanding and accepting it's out of their control. Takes piss.
I think its the accessibility and instant gratification we have now in society. Everything is available all the time, food, entertainment, money, other people etc etc. When we were young (listen to me!) none of this was.
 
Talking of patches, remembered some others I got recently, the bottom 2 are self explanatory, the top one im winding the wife up about, so she has some native American ancestry on her dad's side, cherokee I believe, so when she saw the top one she asked what it meant, I told her it was a cherokee word, she asked what it says, I told her:
The
End
Of
World
As
We
Know
It
She still hasn't cottoned on 🤣 20260329_142433.webp
 
I don't think we can just blame the yoofs for a lack of manners or common courtesy as many of the most judgemental self entitled arseholes I've met have been of the older generations. After all where did the kids learn such behaviour?


I think it's only fair I post pics of my patches so you can all tell me how cringe I am IMG_20260329_191321090.webp
 
I don't think we can just blame the yoofs for a lack of manners or common courtesy as many of the most judgemental self entitled arseholes I've met have been of the older generations. After all where did the kids learn such behaviour?


I think it's only fair I post pics of my patches so you can all tell me how cringe I amView attachment 21107
Unfortunately, I think that many of da yoof learn their behavior from online sources.

I love the Black Knight patch; the Lad and I played as the People's Front of Judea a couple of times at Imperium. I still have my beret badge.

IMG_2430.webp
 
Well patches isn't something I 'collect', these have all come with rif's, the exception being the AFUK patch (I have another one somewhere) that I bought via the classifieds.
1774810498012.webp
 
Which brings up the question of why aren't the parents monitoring what they're up to online? Far too many are wanting to be their kid's mate first and parent second
That is a good question. Unfortunately, the vast majority of those that I deal with seem to be rebelling against strict traditional family backgrounds.
 
That is a good question. Unfortunately, the vast majority of those that I deal with seem to be rebelling against strict traditional family backgrounds.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think we should go back to Victorian style parenting as being too strict will backfire but too much freedom is just as bad. To me what's needed is for parents to sit down and have a conversation, as uncomfortable as it is for both parties, (and make sure it's a conversation not a lecture) about these things
 
Don't get me wrong, I don't think we should go back to Victorian style parenting as being too strict will backfire but too much freedom is just as bad. To me what's needed is for parents to sit down and have a conversation, as uncomfortable as it is for both parties, (and make sure it's a conversation not a lecture) about these things
I don't disagree with you; that is how I brought both my sons up and they have turned into very decent young men. In my previous comment, I was trying not to directly say what I was trying to say when I mentioned "strict traditional family backgrounds"; perhaps I could have added the word "cultural".
 
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