American geeks

[ryderawsome]

I am awaiting university replies and am especially excited because it means I will finally be coming to America to live there. It just occurred to me that I don't really know geek culture in the states though and was wondering how pervasive it is. Would I be lucky if my university (west coast if that makes a difference) has say a roleplaying and sci-fi club or is that sort of thing common? I know the last time I was in LA there seemed to be a great deal more comic book stores than there used to be and I am hoping that's a good sign.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

It unfortunately depends on the area. When Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver came out, everyone at the collage I went to carried a Poke Walker. There's a comic book store within walking distance of me, (I'm in a large city in Florida). If you're in LA, I think you'd be good, but that's on the other coast, so I really couldn't say.

 

[Mr.Cynic88]

You shouldn't have a problem. Geek culture is "in." I go to a school in the middle of the rural midwest, and I'm never at a loss for geek talk. Should be even easier on the West Coast.

 

[Fappy]

There's nothing to worry about if you're in a densely populated area. Though, I suppose it's worth mentioning that some of my friends from bumblefuck-nowhere-South Georgia are among my geekiest friends.

 

[thesilentman]

All those stereotypes about Americans being rather judgmental on this is quite false. I have a lot of friends who are happy geeks over here. You'll have no trouble fitting in at all.

There's no better time to be a geek now in America. Just make sure you don't go off with any shady groups and all, but that's common sense. Hope you enjoy your stay at Uni over here.

 

[Dangit2019]

The bullying geeks thing really just stays in High School when it comes to the states for the most part.

In college, everybody's just trying to do their own thing, so you'll have no problem finding other niche hobbyists or general geeks.

 

[gritch]

I'd say geek culture is fairly pervasive (at least here at a Midwestern university I'd imagine it's similar on the west coast). I've seen advertisements for Minecraft clubs, DnD groups, anime clubs, a brony club, etc plainly posted in public spaces. There's definitely going to be people who share whatever interest you have and if you look hard enough you'll definitely be able to find a group to join.

 

[SonicWaffle]

It unfortunately depends on the area. When Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver came out, everyone at the collage I went to carried a Poke Walker.

I just had to Google what a Poke Walker was, and...what the hell?

I've played Pokemon. I remember it. You got your little red one or your little blue one and you put it in your big grey brick and then you played the game until you stopped. It didn't try and make you exercise before you could capture monsters! What a totally bizarre idea...

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

It unfortunately depends on the area. When Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver came out, everyone at the collage I went to carried a Poke Walker.

I just had to Google what a Poke Walker was, and...what the hell?

I've played Pokemon. I remember it. You got your little red one or your little blue one and you put it in your big grey brick and then you played the game until you stopped. It didn't try and make you exercise before you could capture monsters! What a totally bizarre idea...

A fairly recent thing made by Nintendo, you really shouldn't be so surprised it forces you to exercise.

The Poke Walker though had the benefit of getting you mons that you couldn't otherwise get (like surfing Pikachu),
you had to walk around 10,000 steps for one of those. It also had an interactive feature when you were around other people. You'd touch two together and the Pokemon inside them would play and return with a gift.

 

[SonicWaffle]

A fairly recent thing made by Nintendo, you really shouldn't be so surprised it forces you to exercise.

Fair point.

The Poke Walker though had the benefit of getting you mons that you couldn't otherwise get (like surfing Pikachu), you had to walk around 10,000 steps for one of those.

Surfing Pikachu. A Pikchu. Which surfed.

And people wonder why I never got into the later generations of Pokemon

It also had an interactive feature when you were around other people. You'd touch two together and the Pokemon inside them would play and return with a gift.

You sent your Pokemon on playdates?! That's pretty wild. I thought you were a Pokemon trainer - you're meant to be raising the little bastards to viciously claw, bite or electrocute every cuddly little critter they encounter, not become the vewwy bestest fwiends with them!

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

Surfing Pikachu. A Pikchu. Which surfed.

And people wonder why I never got into the later generations of Pokemon

Surfing Pikachu first appeared in Pokemon Yellow version, which was the next version from the original red and blue.

It also had a cameo in Pokemon Snap.

You sent your Pokemon on playdates?! That's pretty wild. I thought you were a Pokemon trainer - you're meant to be raising the little bastards to viciously claw, bite or electrocute every cuddly little critter they encounter, not become the vewwy bestest fwiends with them!

Well yeah that's kind of what it is... but that's not good marketing for a company that likes to be family friendly. They only viciously claw, bite or electrocute other Pokemon for sport, or because the other Pokemon is working for the bad guys, in which case it's okay, but it's never the Pokemon's fault, it's always the trainers forcing them to do bad things.

It's also worth noting that when you're fighting these evil trainers, it's appropriate to attack the evil trainer's Pokemon (which aren't evil), but not the evil trainer him/herself with your Pokemon.

 

[BabySinclair]

They almost always exist, at least in Florida. You may have to hunt around but in a university setting I can guaranteeing there will be people getting together to be geeks together, outside of videogames it's much harder to be one without others and it is that social aspect of geekdom (TCGs, P&P RPGs, miniatures, real boardgames) that makes it so engaging. There is a level of initiative you'll need, if you see a few people playing Magic, go introduce yourself, I've made plenty of friends in college by keeping a spare deck or two in my bag in the event I saw people playing in the Student Union.

 

[SonicWaffle]

Surfing Pikachu. A Pikchu. Which surfed.

And people wonder why I never got into the later generations of Pokemon

Surfing Pikachu first appeared in Pokemon Yellow version, which was the next version from the original red and blue.

Ooh, I actually had that! Well, I stole it from my cousin. It was a pretty WTF game, all told. I get that Pikachu was a big hit on the TV show, but as a Pokemon it was shite compared to the original starters, so making the player use one was just weird.

Well yeah that's kind of what it is... but that's not good marketing for a company that likes to be family friendly. They only viciously claw, bite or electrocute other Pokemon for sport, or because the other Pokemon is working for the bad guys, in which case it's okay, but it's never the Pokemon's fault, it's always the trainers forcing them to do bad things.

So bloodsports, magical dogfighting, or dodgy self-justification for beating up those who are being forced against their will into unpleasant actions. Like child soldiers!

For a family-friendly game, it's still all kinds of fucked up

It's also worth noting that when you're fighting these evil trainers, it's appropriate to attack the evil trainer's Pokemon (which aren't evil), but not the evil trainer him/herself with your Pokemon.

Good point. It seems like the most powerful person in the world of Pokemon is not the one with the strongest monsters, but the first one to create the handgun. If you just shoot the bad guy without a protracted animal battle, I guess his monsters will give up and go home.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

Good point. It seems like the most powerful person in the world of Pokemon is not the one with the strongest monsters, but the first one to create the handgun. If you just shoot the bad guy without a protracted animal battle, I guess his monsters will give up and go home.

Even without guns, a well placed Charizard would get the job done just fine. The bad guy's monsters most likely don't want to fight for him anyway, so skip the battle with his reluctant slaves and go right for him, but the heroes never do that, it doesn't even occur to them.

 

[SonicWaffle]

Good point. It seems like the most powerful person in the world of Pokemon is not the one with the strongest monsters, but the first one to create the handgun. If you just shoot the bad guy without a protracted animal battle, I guess his monsters will give up and go home.

Even without guns, a well placed Charizard would get the job done just fine. The bad guy's monsters most likely don't want to fight for him anyway, so skip the battle with his reluctant slaves and go right for him, but the heroes never do that, it doesn't even occur to them.

Yeah, but a Charizard is expected, not to mention a little hard to hide. How about a hand grenade that just looks like a Pokeball? You can waltz right up to your enemy, with them thinking you're about to challenge them to a monster battle, and just stuff your poke-nade into their cleavage before running away.

Thinking about it, what is it that keeps captured Pokemon in line? In a one-to-one fight with a human, even the weakest have moves which will let them come out on top of that battle. If they really don't want to be working for the bad guys (interesting question, do Pokemon have souls? Are they aware of evil? Do they know that what they're doing is wrong?) they could just turn on them when they're released from the pokeball and claw their fucking face off.

 

[Dangit2019]

It's a true testament to how geeky America is becoming that this thread has turned into a Pokemon debate.

 

[BeeGeenie]

As others have said, "Geek Culture" has become very mainstream in the US. You should have no problem in a University setting, especially if you're in a densely populated area.

 

[Adventurer2626]

Around the Midwest there's plenty. Maybe not as many as I'd like but it's growing. Universities are rife with geek culture ^_^ .