To Geek or Not to Geek

Earlier this week The Society for Geek Advancement threw their first charity event, GeekOut ‘09,  to launch the organization. Since then I’ve encountered a few blog posts rallying against the alleged appropriation of Geek culture.  Basically, self proclaimed geeks are upset that the people featured in this video aren’t “legitimate” geeks, but rather just people who are trying to cash in on the newest cultural trend. I have to admit, seeing the video does make uncomfortable, and I understand people’s point. When I think of Geeks, attractive people partying for a good cause at the W hotel doesn’t immediately come to mind. But whether Shaq is a geek or not isn’t as interesting to me, as much as the fact that people are fighting over who is or isn’t a geek in the first place.

The definition that the SFGA uses is pulled from wikipedia:

“A person who is interested in technology, especially computing and new media… who has chosen concentration rather than conformity; one who passionately pursues skill and imagination, not mainstream social acceptance”

This definition didn’t really seem sufficient to me. Poking through that same wikipedia article reveals a few of the details they left out:

A derogatory reference to a person obsessed with intellectual pursuits for their own sake, who is also deficient in most other human attributes so as to impair the person’s operation within society.

And:

A person with a devotion to something in a way that places him or her outside the mainstream. This could be due to the intensity, depth, or subject of their interest. This definition is very broad but because many of these interests have mainstream endorsement and acceptance, the inclusion of some genres as “geeky” is heavily debated. Persons have been labeled as or chosen to identify as physics geeks, mathematics geeks, engineering geeks, sci-fi geeks, computer geeks, various science geeks, movie and film geeks (cinephile), comic book geeks, theatre geeks, history geeks, music geeks, art geeks, philosophy geeks, literature geeks, historical reenactment geeks and roleplay geeks.

There are two important elements present here: 1) Being called a Geek was, for a long time derogatory. Growing up, when someone called you a geek, they weren’t aiming to compliment. 2) There  a ton of types of geeks. Liking Sci-Fi doesn’t make you geeky the same way liking sports or comedy doesn’t. Liking Sci-Fi too much makes you geeky. When you spend so much time obsessing over something that it hinders your ability to connect with people, then you’re a geek. That’s the difference between a sports fan and a sports nerd. Healthy fandom vs. unhealthy obsession. Everyone loves technology, everyone loves sci fi, merely liking incredibly popular things that used to be associated with nerds doesn’t classify you as a Geek anymore.

Don’t misunderstand. I love geeks and the people who love “geeky stuff” alike. I appreciate that people are taking back a term that was once used to hurt our feelings. The term has become synonymous with “enthusiast” more than anything. But really guys, I’m glad people don’t judge me by my interests alone. We’re all still the same passionate quirky people we were as adolescents… but I’d like to think that I can relate to people better now, I’d like to think my obsession with comic books wont keep me from leaving the house, I’d like to think that the time I spend talking about movies wont end disastrously because I’m the only Star Trek fan in the group. What I’m trying to say is; we’re all adults now. We can all get along. Throw a charity event and invite all your glamorous, Hollywood friends, because you’re supporting a great cause. Amass tons of fans based off your celebrity status as a child star on a syndicated sci-fi Tv series. I love it all. But maybe we can move away from all the labels, a touch. I hope we’ve grown up enough to be who we are without having to qualify ourselves as “Geeky” to be part of the tech community. On the other hand, I hope that those who didn’t venture out to the party because of some preconcieved notions about “cool kids” make it out next time. It would have been fun to go to the party, I like a ton of the people who were there. I know them because we often get together and obsess about New Media… in hip bars. Is that too geeky? Maybe. Or maybe it’s too hip. Just don’t call me a fart knocker, and we’ll call it even.