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Prejudice against Geeks/Nerds


Lyanna Stark

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Lately I've seen quite a few occurrences of this phenomena which always baffles me, since I thought it was a thing of the past. This stubborn prejudice against Geeks/Nerds/people who read Sci-fi/Fantsasy/life Star Wars/etc.; why is it still alive and well?

You'd think that with the success of the gaming industry, with all the people owning a PlayStation, a WII, and X-box or a home entertainment centre; with the box office hits LOTR, Avatar, Star Trek, Star Wars (second gen) etc etc, with Harry Potter, Eragon and Pullman on the Best Seller lists, the prejudices against people who consume this type of culture should have stopped.

Instead, it seems alive and well even on this very forum. In fact, only last week I saw a thread in which people were basically meta discussing whether or not there was any point engaging in discussion here about stuff like relationships, since we're on a Fantasy messageboard, are therefor Geeks/Nerds socially inept basement dwelling nobodies.

Why is SciFi/F and gaming (and comics) still seen as inferior or childish, or in general of low quality compared to other culture? And why are the consumers of this, of which we all are a part, stigmatised still?

I am even of the opinion that reading SciFi/F/watching those type of movies/reading that type of comics/gaming actually makes you pretty mainstream. I mean, not even considering how many people like series like "Lost", "True Blood" and "Dr Who", World of Warcraft alone has more players than Greater London has inhabitants.

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The only real instances I still see are self-deprecating in nature. We enjoy making fun of ourselves and our people. :)

Some outdated stereotypes pop up in film and TV once in a while, and the recent spat in the UK papers over GTA highlighted a few gamer-specific ones that are still alive and well, but when it comes to the social acceptance of anyone under the age of 40 or so being into genre-type-stuff I don't know that I see any legitimate shunning anymore.

And I work in a high school, so I assume that I'd see quite a bit of it.

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I think the goal posts have been moved - so everyone watched LOST, but heaven forbid, that wasn't science fiction/fantasy, and neither is Harry Potter or the Road or Avatar or Twilight or what have you. Thats just main stream culture which has spaceships in it, and liking it is not the same as being a geek, which is alltogether weirder and niche-ier and more unpopular and involves various forms of behaviour other than merely liking something with vampires.

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I think the goal posts have been moved - so everyone watched LOST, but heaven forbid, that wasn't science fiction/fantasy, and neither is Harry Potter or the Road or Avatar or Twilight or what have you. Thats just main stream culture which has spaceships in it, and liking it is not the same as being a geek, which is alltogether weirder and niche-ier and more unpopular and involves various forms of behaviour other than merely liking something with vampires.

Moved? Or altered?

All of these new nerd fads, Harry Potter, Twilight, et al. are of such a recent variety. Any stigmas seem to be categorized by the older stuff. The Star Trek loving, Lord of the Rings reading, dice throwing D&Der's...irregardless of who those actual people are.

And ultimately, there's always going to be the one kid smarter in school who blows the bell curve...

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am even of the opinion that reading SciFi/F/watching those type of movies/reading that type of comics/gaming actually makes you pretty mainstream. I mean, not even considering how many people like series like "Lost", "True Blood" and "Dr Who", World of Warcraft alone has more players than Greater London has inhabitants.

the key is to stay closeted. if you go around town in a klingon uniform, then i deconvert back to saul of tarsus and start calling for nerd blood, too.

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I think the goal posts have been moved - so everyone watched LOST, but heaven forbid, that wasn't science fiction/fantasy, and neither is Harry Potter or the Road or Avatar or Twilight or what have you. Thats just main stream culture which has spaceships in it, and liking it is not the same as being a geek, which is alltogether weirder and niche-ier and more unpopular and involves various forms of behaviour other than merely liking something with vampires.

I agree, all these things have become mainstream with Harry Potter and Twilight entereing the scene. However us that throw dice, or read something written above a fourth grade level (enjoyable a read as those sometimes are)are still on the outskirts. Along with those of us who own multiple game consoles, or even own just one, but insist on play something more thought provoking than the latest edition of Mario, Madden, or Halo.

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I think the goal posts have been moved - so everyone watched LOST, but heaven forbid, that wasn't science fiction/fantasy, and neither is Harry Potter or the Road or Avatar or Twilight or what have you. Thats just main stream culture which has spaceships in it, and liking it is not the same as being a geek, which is alltogether weirder and niche-ier and more unpopular and involves various forms of behaviour other than merely liking something with vampires.

qft

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I never seen any prejudice against gamers Downunder, to be honest. Every male here under the age of, I dunno, 35-ish, plays video games. The only real "prejudice" I see is from the older folks who don't really get it, rather than cooler or hipper folks. Games are certainly not considered a nerd thing.

Sci-fi and fantasy probably is considered bit geeky, but not too much - if I mention I like fantasy I am more likely to get "oh I like crime thrillers/non-fiction/autobiographies" or something, rather than receive some beef. Pretty much everyone I know reads books of some kind. Comics, though, are definitely nerdy. Only ever seen uber-nerds reading comics.

TV... not sure why it's even mentioned here. Are any TV shows considered geeky? True Blood? It's mostly about boobs and gore. And a crapload of people watched Lost, a show that's not really traditional sci-fi/fantasy. I think Battlestar Galactica is a better example of genre TV.

I actually didn't realise how many super geeks we had here in Perth until a recent "Pop Culture Expo" me and my brother went to. Lots. I considered myself a nerd before, but no, I felt terribly out of place there (of which I am quite glad).

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Moved? Or altered?

All of these new nerd fads, Harry Potter, Twilight, et al. are of such a recent variety. Any stigmas seem to be categorized by the older stuff. The Star Trek loving, Lord of the Rings reading, dice throwing D&Der's...irregardless of who those actual people are.

And ultimately, there's always going to be the one kid smarter in school who blows the bell curve...

Yes, I agree that they have been moved, but there still seems to be this stubborn prejudice (as spouted by The Star, among others) of gamers/roleplayers/SciFi readers as basement dwellers who only come out in the light of day dressed in a Star Fleet uniform, sort of thing.

I know there have been lots of debates regarding the geek hierarchy (not going to touch whether LARPers, Trekkies or Furries are lower on the rung here :P ) but this is more about the people outside of the "Geek community" (I don't know if there even is one anymore, what with Twilight and Harry Potter) who just seem to loathe everything that is touched by geekdom (be it comics, roleplay, SciFi movies and books, gaming whatevah).

In the past, I've even had people tell me that what I like is pointless, because it isn't REAL. That it's silly to imagine spaceships and other worlds when there is so much to see right where I stand in the here and now.

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I never seen any prejudice against gamers Downunder, to be honest. Every male here under the age of, I dunno, 35-ish, plays video games. The only real "prejudice" I see is from the older folks who don't really get it, rather than cooler or hipper folks. Games are certainly not considered a nerd thing.

Sci-fi and fantasy probably is considered bit geeky, but not too much - if I mention I like fantasy I am more likely to get "oh I like crime thrillers/non-fiction/autobiographies" or something, rather than receive some beef. Pretty much everyone I know reads books of some kind. Comics, though, are definitely nerdy. Only ever seen uber-nerds reading comics.

TV... not sure why it's even mentioned here. Are any TV shows considered geeky? True Blood? It's mostly about boobs and gore. And a crapload of people watched Lost, a show that's not really traditional sci-fi/fantasy. I think Battlestar Galactica is a better example of genre TV.

I actually didn't realise how many super geeks we had here in Perth until a recent "Pop Culture Expo" me and my brother went to. Lots. I considered myself a nerd before, but no, I felt terribly out of place there (of which I am quite glad).

Yeah, I pretty much agree with you TEK, especially insofar as reading and TV are concerned. However, I don't know about every male under 35 playing video games regularly - I know quite a few people across various ages and genders who would still agree wholeheartedly with the message of

, thinking that all gamers fit neatly into the same category as that kid in his dark room.
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I think you'd be hard pressed to find many people in this day in age that don't have some kind of interest that might be considered nerdy or geeky to someone else.

One example of this. I like sports, sometimes in the mornings I listen to the sports guys on the radio. One day it dawned on me.. these guys are fucking nerds. Huge nerds, actually. They geek out about sports and the associated cast of characters in the sports world just as bad as any LOTR or Star Wars nut. And just like the biggest most un-apologetic nerd you knew in high school, they don't even realize that they are nerds.

I think that science fiction, fantasy, comic books, etc are much more accepted now than they ever have been. Even as (relatively) recently as my HS years, I would not talk about some of my nerdier interests when I was at school. That discretion is not really necessary anymore. Part of that is I'm no longer an adolescent and don't care if other people think I'm cool... but really many of those nerdy interests I had are now considered pretty mainstream. Its not 1970 anymore, we've now got a couple generations that have grown up with Star Wars and D&D.

One could sit on a date and mention to the other person that they liked science fiction and I really don't think that it would negatively impact that persons chances of a successful date as long as they carried themselves well overall. If you made it as far as getting a date, the fact that you like Sci-Fi is not going to be a deal breaker. As long as your inner geek doesn't hinder your ability to have social interactions outside of that realm then I don't think anyone will hold it against you that you like sci-fi novels or movies. It adds a little flavor to your personality.

I figure you can be neck deep in as many nerdy interests as you like and avoid any stigma as long as you know how to handle yourself in mainstram social situations. Likes Star Wars = fine. Can't understand that Boba Fett costume is not appropriate for a cocktail party = possible problem.

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I think you'd be hard pressed to find many people in this day in age that don't have some kind of interest that might be considered nerdy or geeky to someone else.

One example of this. I like sports, sometimes in the mornings I listen to the sports guys on the radio. One day it dawned on me.. these guys are fucking nerds. Huge nerds, actually. They geek out about sports and the associated cast of characters in the sports world just as bad as any LOTR or Star Wars nut. And just like the biggest most un-apologetic nerd you knew in high school, they don't even realize that they are nerds.

I think that science fiction, fantasy, comic books, etc are much more accepted now than they ever have been. Even as (relatively) recently as my HS years, I would not talk about some of my nerdier interests when I was at school. That discretion is not really necessary anymore. Part of that is I'm no longer an adolescent and don't care if other people think I'm cool... but really many of those nerdy interests I had are now considered pretty mainstream. Its not 1970 anymore, we've now got a couple generations that have grown up with Star Wars and D&D.

One could sit on a date and mention to the other person that they liked science fiction and I really don't think that it would negatively impact that persons chances of a successful date as long as they carried themselves well overall. If you made it as far as getting a date, the fact that you like Sci-Fi is not going to be a deal breaker. As long as your inner geek doesn't hinder your ability to have social interactions outside of that realm then I don't think anyone will hold it against you that you like sci-fi novels or movies. It adds a little flavor to your personality.

I figure you can be neck deep in as many nerdy interests as you like and avoid any stigma as long as you know how to handle yourself in mainstram social situations. Likes Star Wars = fine. Can't understand that Boba Fett costume is not appropriate for a cocktail party = possible problem.

If my date didn't like Sci-Fi, Comics, Star Wars, LOTR etc - there would be no date!

ETA: And you are correct, Mike and Mike, Dave Moody (on Sirus Nascar)are serious geeks.

Why is it acceptable to go to a sporting event dressed in your favortie players jersey, with face paint, spray in hair color, and other accessories - especially when sporting events happen daily - and when the rare ren faire/con comes around and we dress up, it's the end of the sane world??

Funny story, my friend was dressed in full SCA garb (female, think breasts up to her chin and in everyone's face) and someone asked if she was a Mormon.

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Honestly, I can't see how anyone living in 2010 doesn't recognize this era as easily the best time ever to be a nerd/geek/whatever. Outside of sports and romantic comedies, every single piece of mass entertainment is written by and created for nerds/geeks. Major hollywood stars line up to woo them at Comic-Cons. Billions of dollars are spent making sure that nerds are happy with the Hulk's ripped purple shorts and Captain America's shield is the correct size. Billions sign up daily to be a part one nerd's big dream of popularity on Facebook. And yeah. Vampires, Mystery Islands and Superheroes are pretty much everywhere you look. People know who Frodo is now. And will admit it.

Nowadays, comics and fantasy novels and scifi aren't seen as trashy paperbacks you have to hide in public. They're seen as source material for the next big thing.

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Lately I've seen quite a few occurrences of this phenomena which always baffles me, since I thought it was a thing of the past. This stubborn prejudice against Geeks/Nerds/people who read Sci-fi/Fantsasy/life Star Wars/etc.; why is it still alive and well?

You'd think that with the success of the gaming industry, with all the people owning a PlayStation, a WII, and X-box or a home entertainment centre; with the box office hits LOTR, Avatar, Star Trek, Star Wars (second gen) etc etc, with Harry Potter, Eragon and Pullman on the Best Seller lists, the prejudices against people who consume this type of culture should have stopped.

Instead, it seems alive and well even on this very forum. In fact, only last week I saw a thread in which people were basically meta discussing whether or not there was any point engaging in discussion here about stuff like relationships, since we're on a Fantasy messageboard, are therefor Geeks/Nerds socially inept basement dwelling nobodies.

I think you are looking at two different things here. Everyone, i mean everyone i know plays xbox, and i'm a 30 year old fire fighter. Even the meat head jocks that more than likely beat you guys up in high school will throw down on some madden on occasion. These same people have probably watched Avatar, maybe star trek, and possibly star wars (hard to avoid with our generation).

However, to me, anyone that comes onto a message board consisting of people they hardly know and asks for relationship advice is begging to get fucked with. How in heaven and earth is that considered even remotely normal? If in fact they are not a /nerd/ (I think geeks are a little more refined) they should have actual friends to discuss these issues with. Not some random stranger on the interweb.

I don't think this is a prejudice, i just think that this is a clashing of two different types of people, those who fit well into society, yet like the above mentioned things; and those who like the above mentioned things yet still think it's ok to seek relationship advice on a fantasy message board.

Just my view of it.

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If my date didn't like Sci-Fi, Comics, Star Wars, LOTR etc - there would be no date!

Haha, well yea, I figured that I was kind of preaching to the choir around here on that point. But say I was out with a chick that wasn't really into that stuff. I wouldn't expect to be walked out on if I admitted to liking LOTR or something. I don't think very many people get all judgy about that stuff anymore.

Look, I've said I was sorry!

:lol:

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Honestly, I can't see how anyone living in 2010 doesn't recognize this era as easily the best time ever to be a nerd/geek/whatever. Outside of sports and romantic comedies, every single piece of mass entertainment is written by and created for nerds/geeks. Major hollywood stars line up to woo them at Comic-Cons. Billions of dollars are spent making sure that nerds are happy with the Hulk's ripped purple shorts and Captain America's shield is the correct size. Billions sign up daily to be a part one nerd's big dream of popularity on Facebook. And yeah. Vampires, Mystery Islands and Superheroes are pretty much everywhere you look. People know who Frodo is now. And will admit it.

Nowadays, comics and fantasy novels and scifi aren't seen as trashy paperbacks you have to hide in public. They're seen as source material for the next big thing.

I completely agree with you, and all the evidence point to SciFi/comics/gaming etc being really common and also successful business concepts.

That's why it surprises me so much that this "basement dweller" prejudice has jumped out at me repeatedly lately. Maybe I've just been unlucky. :)

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I've always got a SFF book with me when I go to hearings. Right now I'm sitting in court with a copy of Gardner Dozois Twenty-Sixth Annual Best of Sci-Fi collection. No one has ever snickered that I'm aware of. Also I have a couple of Judges who always ask what I'm reading.

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