#244: Geekdom, Part I

Podcasts Galactic Watercooler
#101

I will say that it’s not all sunshine and lollipops about what everyone likes. I am generally a rpetty respectful person, but as a geek in many regards (I like sci fi and fantasy, indie rock music, etc.), many of the things I like are marginalized or pushed to the fringe by what’s popular. I get to occasionally be part of the wave of popularity created by products such as Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones or The Shins, but for the most part mass media doesn’t want much to do with me. The songs I like are commercial jingles at best and never make it onto the local airwaves. The shows I really like are on cable at best most of the time, and four seasons is about all they’re ever given (see: BSG, Farscape). And those are the SUCCESSFUL ones. So at times it does feel like a culture war where I am fighting for my interests against an overwhelming tide of stuff I have little or no interst in, and it’s hard to feel like there’s a large group of geeks out there when people are far more interested, as a whole, in watching Dancing With The Stars and Private Practics while listening to Ke$ha and reading hot trend by hot trend.

My wife really likes vampire fiction, so I try to be happy for her, because these things come and go. But it sucks (haha) when I think about how vampires are dominating the spec-fic market right now at the cost of other types and tropes, though I have high hopes that AMC’s The Walking Dead and HBO’s Game of Thrones can widen the net some. I don’t like being jealous and annoyed with vampire fans because they get all the attention right now. I hope that there will be more and more room for all of us geeks to enjoy product made for us.

And the critic discussion was wonderful. It’s one of the things that brought me to really enjoy Ebert the last few years. The dude loves movies, but more than that, he judges them on their own merits, by and large, not by some preconceived notion of what a movie should be.

Was a really thoughtful podcast. One of my all-time faves.

#102

Thanks for a genuinely thoughtful podcast about geekdom and critiquing. I think Neal Stephonson said it best with “We are all geeks, now”, and there is certain truthfulness to that. It is now quite common for buy/own box-sets which were once the sole providence of geeks. Is the atypical footballer who can quote his favourite players statistics any different to being an SF fan who can cheefully recite his favourite lines from Fifth Element (Multi Pass!).

I have been quite lucky with my geekdom, in that I have been fairly open about it. Admittedly, growing up in north east England where there is unfortunately a significant thug element I did have encounters that did not end well. Nonetheless, I did not let the BEEP grind me down, and just hung with my friends (who were naturally of like mind).

I have been extremely lucky in that my wife is equally geeky as I, where we will cheerfully mock each other by name calling “GEEK!” and “NERD!” at each other. Our daughters first words were “Mummy”, “Daddy”, and “Jedi”.

Work wise I have been fairly lucky, to a certain extent. I seem to have the reputation of being “the resident office weirdo” which I do not mind in the slightest (why be like everybody else). It does amuse me though, that when co-workers are looking for book or film recommendations, I will be the first person they speak to.

I sometimes forget that not everyone is fully aufait with my references, as I was once asked at the previous place I worked which company I was moving to, and cheerfully replied “Umbrella Corporation”, which drew a blank look of “not heard of them”. When I saw the eyes hazing over as I tried to explain about the company’s role in the Resident Evil franchise, I gave up at that point.

Despite some issues from neanderthals (foreheads so large they could keep the rain off their feet) and co-workers not always following my logic (there is some, dammit!), it has been pretty cool for my geekiness to run free.

Oh, and I SOOOO want a t-shirt that says “Tolerance - it works, bitches!”

#103

By the way, on the subkect of critiquing, offering negative feedback is always tricky. I have been a music reviewer for an online music magazine, and have only once or twice found something I truly did not like, and could not say in all fairness that it was good.

The key is to be constructive, and say why you did not like it, how you feel it can be improved, and where it did work for you. I will never forget one piece of advice by the editor Nick Kyme, which is to be passionate when you write something, as that passion will show in your writing.

I was once the target for mass-flaming when I chose to report (based on a newspaper article which had been published that day) on a certain popular gothic weekend may not be going ahead as no contracts had been signed. As it turns out, contracts were in the process of being signed, and I was ROASTED. Since then I decided to cheerfully report on geek culture on what cool films/series’/books were coming out.

#104

this makes me think of what I tell my students to do for their peer editing writing assignments - don’t just tell the other student what they’re doing wrong. Tell them where they’re incorrect, AND where there is room to improve, AND what they do well. Balance, people. Nothing is all good or all evil, except maybe Sauron :stuck_out_tongue:

#105

Oh, and on the subject of gaming: I have gamed for over twenty years and still love it to this day. Be it behind the GM screen or in front of it. As and when I can (due to life), I generally play Scion or Star Trek RPG, and run Classic Battletech RPG.

As an experiment, I once played two different games during the same time with radically different characters. In the WoD Vampire game I played a Gangrel who exhibited all my lesser qualities, while in the Star Wars RPG I played someone who had all my better qualities (and no, he was not a Jedi for once!). It was interesting to note that while the Gangrel was more fun to play, the Star Wars character was more satisfying. Make of that what you will…

#106

Especially great podcast guys.

I’ve always been a scifi geek and pretty open about it, but growing up I was actually more closeted about religiously watching the PBS home improvement show This Old House. In grad school in the mid-90’s I had a fellow colleague call be a geek (before it was cool) for watching it, which I thought was particularly ironic because he was an avid comic book reader. Always glad to hear the trinity preach tolerance between all the different geekdoms.

[This Old House side note: I always thought PBS could eliminate their need for even minor federal funding altogether if they offered bumper stickers saying “My Savior is a Jewish Carpenter” with a picture of a plaid tee-shirt with each pledge.]

I also really like the discussion of criticism because what makes your podcast so great is that you three have taken it to heart since the podcast’s inception. All too common in online commentary of genre shows is that twists, resolutions or plot points that don’t meet the viewer’s expectations or desires are too easily chalked up to “lazy writing” (one example being the resolution of Starbuck’s story in BSG which brought out the haters in droves; see the many comments on any IO9 posting that mentions BSG). Your discussion crystallized for me that why it is such an annoying and in its self lazy form of critique is because it does not allow for any valid response or further discussion. Then again I guess those who tend to fall back on that particular complaint tend to not to be too interested in discussion but just a unilateral statement of their own opinions as fact…

#107

Agreed. It is weird that people who (generally) get negative responses to their interests often feel the need to turn around and do the same. We need to support each other.

Except for LARPers.

#108

LARPers need support too…

#109

true indeed. A very logical statement

#110

Two tennis balls bounce off of Fastcart, and in the distance he can hear Omras voice cheerfully shouting: “Lightening Bolt! Lightening Bolt!” :smiley:

#111

I hoped my tongue was obviously in cheek.

I keep almost getting involved with some LARP variant (SCA and Darkon, so far) but it never quite happens.

#112

Don’t make me throw a fireball back atcha! d:

Some of my best friends have been LARPers. d:

#113

Actually, one of mine (well, just-plain friend anyhoo) is. He tried to recruit me as a ref/umpire/rulesguy, but I figured the time commitment was too much. Had to think on that for a while, though.

#114

I have ruddy cheaks and a sweaty face. So I’m gonna say I was hammered, But not snockered, and def not schwasted

#115

But about 2 shots away from being fit shaced. :smiley:

#116

so on the geekdom thing, I Was thinking about something I do that could be considered geeky even by our standards so it got me thinking about my keys.
I have five keys on my ring - one for the car (With a lock, unlock button on it) and four door keys, three for my house and one for my parents house.
Thing is the the house keys for my front door and side door are frakkin identical
So how, you may ask, do I tell them apart?
further explanations required, the keys for front and side door have a kind of five sided tp (i.e. key ring end) on them. The keys for the back door and my parents front door are rounded tops.
Furthermore, the key for my parents door has embossed writing on it from the locksmith company, the key for my back door does not.
So very simple really, I have each five pointed key paired on a mini sub ring with the rounded ones. Since one is embossed and one is not, I can tell by feel which key I should use even in the dark.
ok, that’s probably been my longest post so far, is that geeky or is my aspergers just making my unutterably OCD.
In a closing note, the new Konect thingy may make me reverse my long standing prejudice against Microsoft and buy an xbox 360 - it could be my “killer app”.
Phaze
on the “listening to full wave radio online as a Scottish friend of mine DJs on it of a Saturday evening” ID

#117

So this was my first podcast (which subsequently made me join the forum and find all of you wonderful folk who share my interests) and I think it was a great one for a first listen. While I’ve not had any trouble admitting that I am a geek (it kinda runs in the family), I have always found in many situations that I will think of jokes or one liners that are very appropriate and no one but me understands what I’m talking about. So to hear them expressed throughout the dialogue of the podcast and already feel like ‘one of the group’ is a great thing. So great topic, what it means to be a geek! I certainly fit in and it’s great to find a place where there are others out there who feel the same way and have discussions about things that matter! So Say We All.

#118

Welcome aboard Galaxy_rising! Kick back and enjoy. How did you find the podcast?

#119

Thanks Solai! I sure will.
I visited the brothers this weekend and asked older brother, Mr. Lister, Sir, for some good podcasts to pass the time on the drive. GWC was the winner and upon arrival, I just had to sign up for the forum.

#120

Welcome, Mister Lister’s Sister! (sorry, couldn’t resist-er :slight_smile: )