Put down that controller, and be a MAN!

Every so often, you see this sort of sentiment displayed in the media.  Ironically, the last time I heard this, it was in a radio advert for an RC hobby shop of some sort, which is arguably far more geeky.  Needless to say, this idea is totally wrong-headed, but I thought I'd take a moment to outline exactly why, and give a few reasons why gamers make excellent dating material.

1.  Gamers have imagination
There may be exceptions to this rule, but in my experience, alpha-male types (ie, non-gamers) have little to no imagination.  They are the sort of people who don't read books, or have an interest in creative pursuits.  As such, these people are predictable in a dating setting, where the gamer will be more creative, and find new and interesting ways to make their partner happy.

2.  Gamers are not socially inept losers
Despite the stereotype, not all gamers are basement-dwelling malcontents who are incapable of taking care of themselves.  By and large, we are perfectly functional people.  It's just that our hobby requires us to be indoors a lot, sometimes for many hours at a time.  Making friends comes easily for most gamers, online or off, and I'd go as far as to say that gamers are less prone to prejudice towards others.

3.  Gamers have patience
The intensity and concentration that it takes to finally beat a boss or make that tough jump totally translates to real life situations.

4.  Gamers take chances
Studies have been done that prove that gamers are more willing than non-gamers to take risks in life.  While not all risks are good, this behaviour increases the odds of a gamer taking a chance where a non-gamer might not.  The point being, sometimes taking a risk pays off!  Think about that one the next time you're waiting to respawn.

5.  Gamer's brains are better
Despite media bashing, video games improve our brains in all kinds of ways.  Read this for a little more info.

To summarize: