As the picture on the right demonstrates, all geeks are NOT created equal. While some may display a healthy interest in math and science, others cover their bodies in tattoos of Boba Fett or the Linix penguin and would happily wait in line for two days for a new iProduct. Well, today is the day to embrace your inner geek, no matter where you fall on the nerd spectrum. May 25th has officially been declared Geek Pride Day and organized events are scheduled from Calgary to Tel Aviv.
The Spanish seem particularly engaged in geekdom. They not only organized a 300 person human pacman in Madrid last year, but in 2006 went as far as adopting an official Geek Manifesto (in English). The Rights and Responsibilities of a Geek outlined in the Manifesto can be found below.Geek Rights:
- be even geekier
- not leave your house.
- not have a significant other and to be a virgin.
- not like football or any other sport.
- associate with other nerds.
- have few friends (or none at all).
- have all the geeky friends that you want.
- not be "in-style."
- be overweight and have poor eyesight.
- show off your geekiness.
- take over the world.
Geek Responsibilities:- Be a geek, no matter what.
- Try to be nerdier than anyone else.
- If there is a discussion about something geeky, you must give your opinion.
- Save any and all geeky things you have.
- Do everything you can to show off your geeky stuff as though it were a "museum of geekiness."
- Don't be a generalized geek. You must specialize in something.
- Attend every nerdy movie on opening night and buy every geeky book before anyone else.
- Wait in line on every opening night. If you can go in costume or at least with a related T-shirt, all the better.
- Don't waste your time on anything not related to geekdom.
- Befriend any person or persons bearing any physical similarities to comic book or sci-fi figures.
- Try to take over the world.
We leave you with an unknown - but probably oft-used in certain circles - geek quote:
"My Pokemon brings all the nerds to the yard, and they're like you wanna trade cards? Darn right, I wanna trade cards. I'll trade this but not my charizard."Happy Nerd/Geek Pride day everyone!
My husband's cell phone ringtone is that song those bears sing in one of the Star Wars movies. He also has plans to attend the Star Trek convention in Las Vegas this summer. I suspect he may be a geek and therefore I may owe him some sort of Happy Geek Day card and/or gift. Please advise.
ReplyDeleteIt is a disservice to Geeks everywhere to use Nerd interchangeably. Not all Geeks are nerds, and not all nerds are Geeks. True Geekdom is earned, whereas nerdiness can be stumbled into.
ReplyDeleteAnon #1) Pick up the new Wired magazine or some craft beer makes by brew "geeks". Seems a good way to celebrate
ReplyDeleteAnon #2) How can you tell the difference? Size of the fanny pack?
Has the Mad Spaniard seen this? I'm withholding comment until he does. ...Not sure what to think about "brew geeks" either, except somebody I know owes me some craft beer...
ReplyDeleteI'm simply happy to know that we recognize geeks throughout the world. We recognize everyone else, so it's about time Geeks unite, except at Star Wars movies!
ReplyDeleteRegarding the rules and rights: It is maybe a bit simple to celebrate geekiness in a 'manifesto' that is really nothing more than the definition of a cult of personality. I mean really if you replace every mention of 'geek' or 'nerd' for 'jock', and tweak a few of the statements... You get my point; it really could be a cover letter statement for any interest group. I think the thing that I personally identify with most as a geek/nerd/whatever is not the social culture it creates, but rather the outlook on our experience with the world around us.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of technology being developed out there, and as someone who has invested himself in a scientific education, I try to do all I can to stay current and latch onto those ideas and the technical details behind what makes them work. The stuff that keeps my interest is 'cool', then it gets serious if I think about it enough to start wondering about the hidden mysteries within or think that other ideas might improve it somehow.
After that then I start talking... thats when everyone gets it. GEEK. Maybe I should be embarrassed. Oh well. At least I am engaged and thinking about things. Its better than talking about the latest transitions in my clique's social hierarchy. Or the regurgitation of radio borne misinformation.
Geeks are individuals who think about things and ideas - and maybe have a job that rewards analytical prowess. That perspective is different than the prototypical media consumer or Joe sixer. And that is something worth celebrating. Raise a glass to technocracy!!
Nate: Thanks for contributing to the blog.
ReplyDelete"Geeks are individuals who think about things and ideas - and maybe have a job that rewards analytical prowess."
You nailed it.
I'm with Nate, but we must admit that technical/analytical attitudes applied to every aspect of human behavior results in very diminished odds of successful social interaction. And perhaps pure rational thinking is not the proper cognitive tool for all occasions. I would submit that geeks are people who just don't know when to stop in their search for the causes and mechanisms that move the world around us. A goo d example are brewing geeks. While knowing (and tasting) the IBU, ABV, different6-row grains varieties and roasting degrees, hop additions, specific gravity etc. is greatly rewarding, sometimes it gets in the way of simply enjoying a beer. Engineers can be quite interesting people to listen to in their technical conversations, but not necessarily the best company to enjoy a ride in a roller coaster. Just my 2c. And for the record, the Spanish variety of geek/nerd in the link (frikis) are really über-geeks, the way far out pack.
ReplyDeleteThe Mad Spaniard
Mad Spaniard:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your contribution to the blog.
"Geeks are people who just don't know when to stop in their search for the causes and mechanisms that move the world around us"
Spot on amigo.
Excellent article! From an aspiring Geek's point of view, but definitely not a Nerd, I embrace my brainy geekiness but can quote Cosmo and Cosmos (the magazine and Carl Sagan)at the appropriate moment. Viva los Geeks!!
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