I'm starting to think I'm not a "nerd" "gamer" or whatever.

[RaikuFA]

So lately I've been looking at stuff that is commonplace in nerd or gamer culture and... it makes me think I really don't belong.

I can't watch Doctor Who. The archive binge kinda turns me away from it. It does look ok. Only read a few comics, pretty much a few Batmans and Watchmen. I've seen a few episodes of Star Trek, wasn't bad but I pretty much know each episode just from seconhand knowlege over the years. Game of Thrones bored me to tears. Same with LotR(not the books, I hear some people say the pacing in the books are better).

Gaming isn't any better. I apparently suck at tabletop games like DnD and MtG. To the point that I'm trying to find fay ways to play these games by myself. Online games are filled with nothing but manchildren who wanted me dead for not playing how they wanted me to play. I do anjoy JRPG's but that's pretty much a no no nowadays.

I don't know, I just feel lost in familiar territory. Like I feel like I might belong but I really don't belong in the end.

EDIT: I think what the problem is is that I need some damn friends. Ones that won't treat me like shit and just make me feel bad just to "get rid of the dead weight". I'd just like friends that have the same likes that I have and aren't assholes about others likes/dislikes.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Call yourself what you want to call yourself. If you don't feel as if you belong in the 'gamer' or 'nerd' box, don't sweat over it. You don't have to try to be what you're not.

Just have fun as you!

 

[Hoplon]

Yeah i hear that.

If you don't have fun with something don't do it.

And JRPGs are not a no no, what ever some people (me included) feel about them.

People like what they like and the fact that there are lots of different things to like is one of the few joys in the world.

 

[DoPo]

I can't watch Doctor Who.

I've never seen a full episode at all.

Only read a few comics, pretty much a few Batmans and Watchmen.

I don't read any comics. When I was about 10 I got some Asterix and Obelix comic books and read them...all 6 of them. That's most of my comic book reading history.

I've seen a few episodes of Star Trek

Caught some when I was even younger and it was on TV at the time. I was probably 7-ish or so. It was that one with captain Picard (Next Generation, I believe it is called). I can't even remember much aside from Patrick Stewart being in it. Never actually watched more or even seek it out after that.

Game of Thrones bored me to tears.

OK, this one I enjoyed quite a bit.

Same with LotR(not the books, I hear some people say the pacing in the books are better).

Same. I actually went and saw all movies when they were still in cinemas. Because of friends. I'm not exaggarating when I say that when I went to see the third one, I didn't know who most of the guys are. My memories of seeing the movies are pretty much walking into the cinema and walking out...with some Frodo, Gimli, Gandalf and Orlando Bloom in between.

Online games

I almost never ever play. Some very small exceptions...well, one - Dota 2. That's it. Played a bit of WoW back in the day before the first expansion. Also played some Warcraft 3 (mostly customs) and that's the highlights of my "online play" CV.

I do anjoy JRPG's but that's pretty much a no no nowadays.

I don't know what you mean by "no no nowadays" but I never played them. Dunno, they never really caught my eye or something.

With all that said...so? I wouldn't label myself as a nerd. Maybe a gamer, but even then, I say "I play games" more rather than "I am a gamer". I might agree if somebody calls me that but whatever. I am what I am, I don't feel the need to artificially conform to some vague label because I am not a label. Why do you feel the need to make one label define all of you?

 

[L. Declis]

Honestly? Good for you.

I mean, have you seen us geeks? I mean, really looked at us.

We're really annoying. Seriously. Mention Portal and expect six people to start hyper-ventilating and repeating like a PTSD patient "The cake is a lie" or "I'm a potato!" and clapping their clammy palms together in excitement.

These are the same people who will get high and mighty because you had the audacity to think Final Fantasy VII is neither THE BEST EVER or OVERRRATED but merely good; any deviation from their opinion will earn you a half an hour condescending lecture on why you're wrong and stupid.

The sort of people who, when you say you like Batman, they scoff and say "Which one? Golden age or alternate silver age Batman after the reboot?" and if you say "The one who is like this" they will roll their eyes and mock you.

Seriously, if you don't belong, good for you. Enjoy whatever you like, don't be a dick, and go have a life away from things that aren't fun.

 

[Blow_Pop]

You know OP, I felt like that too for a while and then I realised that I've hung around the wrong people for a while. Most of the people I hung around with went batshit over Call of Duty and games similar to. And those just aren't MY kinds of games. I don't have a problem with calling myself a nerd because I am one but that's me being me. But the gamer identification took a while for me to call myself. I'm terrible with card games but still occasionally like playing them. I don't really play tabletop games (mostly because I don't have enough friends close enough to play with me and we have some creepy ass people who hang out in the shops that sell them--like borderline stalker creepy....and not knowing basic hygiene so kind of almost stereotypical gamers). I don't play RPGs really because sometimes I can't get into them and sometimes I'm just not in the right mindset to play them. I don't play MMOs. I only play online with people I know and even then it's a short list of games none of which I'm good at. But mostly I play single player games that I don't have to worry about interacting with anything other than a NPC/AI. I've come to realise, I'm a gamer because I play games and enjoy them. Not because I play this genre or that. Not because I play online or not. Not because I'm good (because I'm not). But because I enjoy them. And have gotten to the point of anytime someone wants to tell me that I can't be one or that because I don't fulfill x quota that I just tell them to go fuck themselves.

However, labels only define you so much as you let them define you. I have many labels I call myself that I use to define myself. Some of which are uncommon and I have to explain to others what they are. But they are my labels for me identifying me. If something doesn't feel comfortable to you for whatever reason, don't go by it. And there is no rule that says to be a nerd you HAVE to like Doctor Who (which coincidentally I do), Game of Thrones, or Lord of the Rings (the books are so much better and the late 70s/early 80s cartoons). And anyone who tells you there is or that you have to is just blowing smoke out of their ass and not worth listening. Think of yourself however you feel comfortable, be yourself, and have fun. That's all that should matter to you (and taking care of any responsibilities you might have that's important too).

 

[RaikuFA]

With all that said...so? I wouldn't label myself as a nerd. Maybe a gamer, but even then, I say "I play games" more rather than "I am a gamer". I might agree if somebody calls me that but whatever. I am what I am, I don't feel the need to artificially conform to some vague label because I am not a label. Why do you feel the need to make one label define all of you?

It's more like I'm just looking for a place to belong. I've wanted to try to make friends through what I like but as I said before, I feel as if I don't belong with them. They were only into stuff I didn't know jack shit about or they got mad at me when I tried playing an online game with them due to me not playing their way. I've tried with other people that my girlfriend hangs with, but all they wanted to do was go clubbing.

 

[Longing]

Same with LotR(not the books, I hear some people say the pacing in the books are better).

Well that's a goddamn lie!

Anyway, you can call yourself whatever you want. If you don't feel comfortable with the label because you don't feel qualified enough for it, just know that nerd ''culture'' is so freaking diverse and scattered, it can pretty much mean anything. People who look down on you because you don't enjoy some more major nerd fandoms are goddamn elitists.

If you really don't want to call yourself that, that still doesn't mean you don't belong in the community. Casual-ism is not the blight some people make it out to be. Just be a geek! There's less expectations lol

 

[smithy_2045]

If you focus on how you're different rather than how you fit in of course you're going to see things that way.

 

[JayRPG]

I get accused of not being a nerd all the time.

I don't think I could identify myself as anything but, even though I relate to a lot of the things you said. I don't like Doctor Who, I have never seen Star Trek (apart from the new movies), I don't read comics, there are entire genres I have never touched on the gaming side but...

I am one of the biggest JRPG nerds you will ever meet, I also love Anime, I am even super nerdy about things that aren't nerdy, like the Wizard of Oz and Willy Wonka. I have a 24 cube display unit filled with stuff that includes several hundred Vegeta (DBZ) figures and collectables, extremely rare first edition picture disc copies of Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9; Also the fairly rare Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children: Advent Pieces collection, near mint original strategy guides for all 3 games and an extremely rare officially licensed Final Fantasy 9 Tetra Master card game set, A dragonzord and Dragon Dagger (Power rangers), a bunch of harry potter wand replicas, every single Tales of and Final Fantasy collector's edition I could find and/or import, Zoids models, Knightmare frames from Code Geass and so much more.

I've got battle ready lightsabers from Ultrasabers, I've got a Zelda WindWaker Wii U, a Tales of Xillia PS3 and matching Xillia 2 controller, a Star wars X360, a Zelda 3DS XL, a Mario and luigi dreamteam 3DS XL and a Final fantasy X PS Vita.

I've got lots of tattoos, working them into 2 full sleeves, and all of them are Gaming/Anime/nerdy: I've got Beatrix and Kuja from FF9, Gaius and Agria from Tales of Xillia, Kratos and a cruxis crystal from Tales of Symphonia, Darth Malgus Lightsaber and an old republic sith emblem, The saiyan royal crest and Vegeta, Mewtwo, Sailor Mercury, The Rain and The Power cards from Cardcaptor Sakura, several pokeballs, the gladiator crest from Aion, the rogue crest from WoW... with plans for Seto Kaiba and a blue eyes white dragon, the elyos emblem from Aion and the Forsaken crest from WoW, the rest of the chimeriad from Tales of Xillia and so much more.

Yet people still look at me and don't classify me as a nerd... it takes some real convincing sometimes... and it usually takes all of this information for them to finally concede!

 

[DOOM GUY]

JRPGs aren't no no's, at least I wouldn't say they are.

Also, you don't need labels to define you, like what you like, and if you don't fit into a certain label because of it, so be it.

 

[Nurb]

If you weren't branded that title in school, then chances are you are lucky. Nerds don't really like being called nerds, so don't worry about considering yourself one. You can enjoy traditionally "nerd" sub-cultures without needing that title. I don't know why people would want it in the first place.

 

[lordloss217]

I get accused of not being a nerd all the time.

I don't think I could identify myself as anything but, even though I relate to a lot of the things you said. I don't like Doctor Who, I have never seen Star Trek (apart from the new movies), I don't read comics, there are entire genres I have never touched on the gaming side but...

I am one of the biggest JRPG nerds you will ever meet, I also love Anime, I am even super nerdy about things that aren't nerdy, like the Wizard of Oz and Willy Wonka. I have a 24 cube display unit filled with stuff that includes several hundred Vegeta (DBZ) figures and collectables, extremely rare first edition picture disc copies of Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9; Also the fairly rare Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children: Advent Pieces collection, near mint original strategy guides for all 3 games and an extremely rare officially licensed Final Fantasy 9 Tetra Master card game set, A dragonzord and Dragon Dagger (Power rangers), a bunch of harry potter wand replicas, every single Tales of and Final Fantasy collector's edition I could find and/or import, Zoids models, Knightmare frames from Code Geass and so much more.

I've got battle ready lightsabers from Ultrasabers, I've got a Zelda WindWaker Wii U, a Tales of Xillia PS3 and matching Xillia 2 controller, a Star wars X360, a Zelda 3DS XL, a Mario and luigi dreamteam 3DS XL and a Final fantasy X PS Vita.

I've got lots of tattoos, working them into 2 full sleeves, and all of them are Gaming/Anime/nerdy: I've got Beatrix and Kuja from FF9, Gaius and Agria from Tales of Xillia, Kratos and a cruxis crystal from Tales of Symphonia, Darth Malgus Lightsaber and an old republic sith emblem, The saiyan royal crest and Vegeta, Mewtwo, Sailor Mercury, The Rain and The Power cards from Cardcaptor Sakura, several pokeballs, the gladiator crest from Aion, the rogue crest from WoW... with plans for Seto Kaiba and a blue eyes white dragon, the elyos emblem from Aion and the Forsaken crest from WoW, the rest of the chimeriad from Tales of Xillia and so much more.

Yet people still look at me and don't classify me as a nerd... it takes some real convincing sometimes... and it usually takes all of this information for them to finally concede!

Wouldn't that make you an otaku rather than a nerd?

 

[MrBaskerville]

As a person who dislikes Superoheroes (frankly, i prefer European comics without people in silly costumes), Valve, Christopher Nolan movies, most tv series and artsy zen games, i can kinda follow you. I don't feel that nerd culture wants the same things that i want and i'm not particularily stoked about this so called "Geek takeover". But it doesn't matter, there's room enough for anyone, i just try to enjoy the things that i want to enjoy and then i stay away from a lot of the other stuff.

 

[shrekfan246]

Good for you.

Because if there's one thing I've learned about the "nerd"/"gaming" community over the past two years, it's that they're the last group of people I'd want to actively be associated with.

Which might make it seem odd that I'm on this website, and indeed much of my free time is spent engaging in "nerdy" things such as films, video games, internet videos, books, anime, or comics, but this is where I make a distinction between the subject matter and its fanbase, because if I know nothing else about the nerd sub-culture who frequent gaming forums, I know that they disproportionately care far too much about the stupidest things (such as a woman's sex life because she was a video game developer and happened to sleep with a games journalist) and they are absolutely incapable of letting go of anything.

 

[krazykidd]

Good for you.

Because if there's one thing I've learned about the "nerd"/"gaming" community over the past two years, it's that they're the last group of people I'd want to actively be associated with.

Which might make it seem odd that I'm on this website, and indeed much of my free time is spent engaging in "nerdy" things such as films, video games, internet videos, books, anime, or comics, but this is where I make a distinction between the subject matter and its fanbase, because if I know nothing else about the nerd sub-culture who frequent gaming forums, I know that they disproportionately care far too much about the stupidest things (such as a woman's sex life because she was a video game developer and happened to sleep with a games journalist) and they are absolutely incapable of letting go of anything.

This this right here.

The only reason people want to be associated with that is because it's apparently cool now.

I personally do not want to be associated to what people call " nerd" " geek" or "gamers". I spend most of my free time playing games, but i'll never associate myself with " gamers".

 

[stroopwafel]

You can cherry pick what you like, there is no need to put a 'label' on yourself. I don't like Dr Who, MMOs, 'traditional' RPGs, modern anime, Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate(or anything else with 'star' in it), nor do I go to conventions dressed as Sailor Moon or play PC games with a pony tail and a Pepsi. Hell, I'm not even a virgin!

I do however love a fair amount of videogames and Batman graphic novels. That probably makes me a geek, but, whatever. I don't care. Also 'nerd culture' has basically been absolved into popular culture. It's all around, from giant billboards on Times Square advertising videogames to modern Hollywood movies that look like videogames. Not to mention the size of the industry itself, that rivals or maybe even exceeds Hollywood.

No better time to be a geek than the present. I never understood why Game of Thrones is considered a show for geeks though. Sure it has fantasy elements but its the human drama that drives this series. In my experience the show is popular among geeks and 'non-geeks' alike.

 

[giles]

Forgive my impudence for a minute, but I couldn't help but look up your age in your profile. This thought process is rather juvenile.
People our age are supposed to be in this sweet spot in their lives - no longer insecure like a teenager, not yet bored of life enough to get into midlife crysis insecurities.
Just live your life in a way that makes you happy and doesn't hurt other people, literally nothing else is important in this silly world.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

So? I don't read comics, I've never played a tabletop game, and I hate playing games online, so you're probably more of a "nerd" than I am.