Which comes first? D&D or Geekiness

[blargney the second]

I geek out on all my hobbies. I tend to choose activities that can withstand long-term intensive focus: RPGs, computers, swing dancing.

-blarg

 

[Nellisir]

I took the last option. I used to be a geek, but 10 years of age and construction work later, I'm alot more muscle and alot less nerdy.

(I don't actually beat geeks up...much.)

;-)
Nell.

 

[Wombat]

While I chose the third option, this is not entirely the truth.

The truth is that there is a crossover subset that includes both people who play D&D and geeks, but neither group majorly consists of the other. And people into computer/console games are another group that participates in both of the others without entirely encompassing either.

Of the two groups, geeks are a far larger group than people who play roleplaying games. Geeks, as a class and almost my definition, include a lot of techno-nerds, programmers, goths, odd-end alternative music types, historians, and several other "marginally social" types (I happily participate in some of these subgroupings); some roleplayers are incredibly well-adjusted socially, have no technical, scientific, artistic, or musical expertise whatsoever and have many other non-geeky traits.

Of course all of this from the PoV of a guy who was considered only a marginal geek back in the late 70s (didn't have the pocket protector or scientific calculator, etc.) and thus only became a geek-after-the-fact. The current definition of geek (as I have heard it applied) is far more inclusive than back in my day

 

[ShrinkyLink]

I think D & D tends to attract the 'trainspotter' type of geek:the sort who tend to obsess over a hobby to the exclusion of any other hobby or social interaction. Having said that, most of the people I know who play D & D are very well rounded people: ranging from a respiratory technician to a fourth degree martial arts instructor.

I think the majority of D & D players are not 'geeks' at all, in the perjorative sense. They are people who simply enjoy the game as a hobby--and have other varied interests. Sadly, the media tends to focus on the type who live, breathe, and refuse to do anything else than play RPGs. The sort of people Gen Con have to tell to shower daily.

 

[Altalazar]

Without doing a double-blind scientific study, I can't answer this question.

Though I am of the opinion that probably everyone has some bit of geekiness in them somewhere, but not everyone plays D&D.

 

[IronWolf]

I think a geek/nerd will be more apt to seek out D&D or at least find the game most fun when introduced to it. For some reason it just seems to strike a chord with those types (me included). Now that's not to say it can't work the other way around, but I think the majority of time it is the geek/nerd being attracted to D&D.

 

[Wraith Form]

I beat up geeks. Well, actually I don't--I'm just a big teddy bear inside--but I could.

I look nothing like a D&D player. I actually shower every day and wear deodorant. I'm aware of current fashion & music trends, and if I can afford to I even buy/wear them.

Most people--let me re-phrase that, most gamers--vacillate between surprised & shocked to find out I'm a gamer.

OTOH, I plead the 5th when asked if I'm a nerd or a dork....

 

[Wraith Form]

II think that generally speaking geeks are attracted to D&D and their geekiness is further reinforced by D&D....a vicious circle of geekdom. But seriously, I have known plenty of D&D players who were geeks but plenty who no one could ever call a geek. I personally feel pleased when a girl I am dating looks as me nonplussed "You play Dungeons and Dragons?" I think that if more folks didn't look the part, the D&D=Geek stereotype could become less and less a reality. Those who where surprised I played D&D were also far more open minded about learning what the game is about than if I had an overt geeky quality. They got to see that there is nothing weird about gaming and folks outside of the socially maladjusted can have such a hobby.

Amen.

 

[the black knight]

I beat up geeks.

 

[BOZ]

i was definitely a geek long before i got into D&D, and i will still be a geek if i give up D&D.