shadow
First Post
Although the word "geek" was originally a deragotory term, it recently has been come to be used as a term to describe a specific subculture of people, without any negative connotation. Many members on this board frequently refer to themselves as geeks. Some of them do so with a strong sense of pride.
However, I have recenly come to challenge the assumption of a uniform geek nature. That is to say the idea that all geeks share the same characteristics. The geek hierachy(www.brunching.com/features/geekhierarchy.html) gives some indication of different types of geeks, but it fails in two aspects. First, it only uses the most common manifestations of geekiness (rpgs, anime, science fiction, etc). Second, it assumes that geekiness is a quantifiable unidirectional quality (eg, it goes from less geeky to most geeky).
Traditionally geeks have been defined in terms of passion for computers as well as an interest in role-playing, science fiction, and anime. However, this is overly simplistic. Not all geeks are the same. Certain geeks might like anime while despising LARPS, others may have an intense passion for LARPS while hating both anime and traditional table-top role playing. I'll even go as far as to say that an intense love and knowledge of computers isn't necessarily a prerequisite for geekiness. Afterall, while I like use computers on a regular basis, I do claim to have any special skill in programming or an obsession with them. I thus define "geek" as a person who has a strong passion in any esosteric hobby outside the mainstream culture. Indeed, by that definition a person can be a geek in many different aspects. For example, I don't have a lot of knowlege of computers,Star Trek, anime, etc. but I consider myself a "language geek" because I have an extreme love of foriegn language in a largely monolingual society. I spend hours downloading and installing non-Latin fonts on my computer, translating pointless quotes into other languages, and taking way too many credit hours in foriegn language classes at my university. Of course none of the aforementioned activities are mentioned on the official geek hierarchy, but nonetheless I consider them geeky.
My geek bretheren, the old definition of "geek" is outdated. Geekiness is not defined in terms of ones computer aptitude, love of anime, or devotion to Star Trek. We, as geeks are a very diverse lot. Therefore let us stop squabbling as to what is an inherently geekier hobby. Let us unite and loudly proclaim to mainstream society that we are geeks!
However, I have recenly come to challenge the assumption of a uniform geek nature. That is to say the idea that all geeks share the same characteristics. The geek hierachy(www.brunching.com/features/geekhierarchy.html) gives some indication of different types of geeks, but it fails in two aspects. First, it only uses the most common manifestations of geekiness (rpgs, anime, science fiction, etc). Second, it assumes that geekiness is a quantifiable unidirectional quality (eg, it goes from less geeky to most geeky).
Traditionally geeks have been defined in terms of passion for computers as well as an interest in role-playing, science fiction, and anime. However, this is overly simplistic. Not all geeks are the same. Certain geeks might like anime while despising LARPS, others may have an intense passion for LARPS while hating both anime and traditional table-top role playing. I'll even go as far as to say that an intense love and knowledge of computers isn't necessarily a prerequisite for geekiness. Afterall, while I like use computers on a regular basis, I do claim to have any special skill in programming or an obsession with them. I thus define "geek" as a person who has a strong passion in any esosteric hobby outside the mainstream culture. Indeed, by that definition a person can be a geek in many different aspects. For example, I don't have a lot of knowlege of computers,Star Trek, anime, etc. but I consider myself a "language geek" because I have an extreme love of foriegn language in a largely monolingual society. I spend hours downloading and installing non-Latin fonts on my computer, translating pointless quotes into other languages, and taking way too many credit hours in foriegn language classes at my university. Of course none of the aforementioned activities are mentioned on the official geek hierarchy, but nonetheless I consider them geeky.
My geek bretheren, the old definition of "geek" is outdated. Geekiness is not defined in terms of ones computer aptitude, love of anime, or devotion to Star Trek. We, as geeks are a very diverse lot. Therefore let us stop squabbling as to what is an inherently geekier hobby. Let us unite and loudly proclaim to mainstream society that we are geeks!
