Geekery, a many-splendored thing

April 16th, 2008

I continue to be absorbed in an activity as geeky as gaming but with only limited intersection. Before the curtain fell on our last performance of  The Scarlet Pimpernel, I failed to resist the temptation to try out for the next musical being staged at the same theater, The Full Monty. I’m thrilled to say that I got a great part, and rehearsals are well under way.

Instead of rolling dice, logging into LotRO, or shuffling decks of event cards, most of my spare time is absorbed in learning how to strip and trying to hit a high C#. At least I’m getting play a role, though not to roleplay.

The breadth of knowledge that my fellow cast members demonstrate for obscure musicals and the careers of stage actors easily rivals the compendiums of rules and exceptions that gamers memorize in pursuit of their favorite hobbies. I suppose this is typical of any activity that requires a higher level of skill or talent (or both) than the average person has.

I noticed the same phenomenon among magicians, back when I was active in the amateur magician community. Magicians displayed the same impulse to collect things relevant to their chosen hobby that gamers often do, too, obsessively buying more lecture notes, instruction books and videos, and props than they could ever hope to use. (And no, I was definitely not immune to this impulse.)

Even my wife’s knitting group is clearly a collection of yarn geeks.

Is anyone not a geek? The people I see around the office certainly try to come off as geek-free. We certainly live in an era where geekiness is mainstream. I certainly hear comments pooh-poohing science fiction and video games far less often than I used to (though tabletop roleplaying gamers remain a subject of mirth for many).

Do we have the Internet to thank for this widespread acceptance of geekery? Does the fact that science-fiction blockbuster films give us believable dinosaurs instead of jerky claymation miniatures that only a truly imaginative fan could enjoy contribute? What about the fact that gaming consoles and computers now give users consistently immersive and engaging (and accessible) entertainment free of dot-munching yellow circles?

Geekery is now the inescapable norm. The borders of geekery get blurrier and blurrier, and the definition of “gamer” gets fuzzier. Where once there seemed to be a divide between those of us who self-identify as gamers and those we labeled as “casual,” we now see a spectrum. And even that spectrum is artificial, as the obsessiveness with which some play Bookworm exceeds the dedication others show to EverQuest.

Now if only we can get everyone to recognize that one geekdom isn’t necessarily better than another.

Except for furries.

Everything’s better than furries.

Entry Filed under: Popular Perception