For one, it shouldn’t matter whether the other person who’s bad at the game is a kid, a senior, impaired, a noob, a busy adult or just someone who enjoys that game without putting in the effort to become really good at it: If you’re insulting someone over a game, you should sort out your priorities. I used to do that, because I was a miserable knobhead, but it really doesn’t make the game more enjoyable and made me even more miserable.

But secondly, it’s particularly bad with kids. Yes, life can be unpleasant, and learning to deal with other people’s disapproval is important, but there has to be a better way to ease them into that.

(Beating down on the impaired is also fucked up, obviously. Life has dealt them a shit hand already, so how about making an effort to include them instead? I promise, it’s more mutually enjoyable. Few good things are as infectious as the joy of someone used to being shut out with superficial pity. That’s not relevant to the topic, but I felt it’s worth mentioning.)