The biggest hypocricy of geeks

[President Moocow]

Whilst looking at thread I noticed a blog that sparked my interest: http://stuffgeekslove.wordpress.com/2008/11/25/conformity/

(credit goes to hermes200 who posed about it)

There are tons of "what geeks love" articles, each very true and highlighting the TRUE stereotype of a geek. The conformity one is one of my favorites just because geeks pride themselves so much about being "alternative" or "different" from "the main crowd" (who usually ignores their pitiful cries for attention) yet geeks are EXTREMELY conforming.

It's a fun read, I'd recommend all the blog posts.

 

[Mikkaddo]

the interesting part is no geek really wants to admit to conforming . . . we have so much pride (sadly most of us as much as any of the "sheeple" we despise) that the notion of saying we DO conform despite striving to be so different is like insulting ourselves.

(also Kirk is THE captain)

 

[delet]

I just refer to myself as 'weird'. Mostly because I'm weird compared to most other people at school, but I enjoy and embrace that weirdness and I love the other people who are also weird. If only I were more social about it...

 

[Sir Kemper]

Technically don't we alternativly conform?

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

It is almost impossible to be completely non conformist, there are just so many people it's hard not to find at least a few that you are like.

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

Eh, as I always say, nonconformity just means conforming to a different standard. It's not just geeks that do this, but everyone who likes to consider themselves different from the norm.

 

[Zacharine]

I for one do not think I'm labelled a geek by my conformity.

I am labelled a geek by my interests and hobbies. For example, I love learning about and training in medieval two-handed sword techniques.

That is geeky. Not if I am being conformist about it or not, or what the geek stereotype happens to be this year.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

I'm glad to see someone using "Geek" instead of "Nerd" once, since Nerd implies some level of intellegence.

Were a group of people who are different from everyone else in the same way... that makes Perfect sense, yes?

 

[faceless chick]

very true article, well said.
my problem with fellow geeks (and my tendencies to be conformist in the world of geeks) exactly.

 

[Mcupobob]

everone comforms one way or another, theres no real stoping it.

 

[Drunk Jedi]

Isn't it the same paradox as the Goth stereotype?

If I can quote South Park: "If you wanna be one of the non-conformists, all you have to do is dress just like us and listen to the same music we do."

 

[Del-Toro]

Every non conformist set is just conforming to someone else. You ever notice how rebellious teens all tend to morph together and become indistinguishable or how Indie bands are identical enough to develop stereotypes? So in other words, unless you are mainstream/generic and realize it, you are a hypocrite, I'm a hypocrite, most of us are in one way or another.

 

[bobknowsall]

Well, I think anyone who actively attempts to be "non-conformist" is a rather pretentious fool. But hey, maybe that's just me.

OT: This article pretty much sums up what I don't like about nerd and geek culture. The worship of Terry Pratchett and Joss Whedon gets on my nerves, and I'm sure I'm not alone there. Yes, Firefly was good, but you don't need to keep reminding us. Mind you, I'm guilty of really liking Radiohead, hah. But I still wouldn't class them as the "best band ever", because they've written songs I really don't care for. They're not perfect, which is something I'm quite aware of. But this type of "geek" never seems to think about the merit of the things it worships. A very conformist attitude, one might think.

 

[Mikkaddo]

I just refer to myself as 'weird'. Mostly because I'm weird compared to most other people at school, but I enjoy and embrace that weirdness and I love the other people who are also weird. If only I were more social about it...

as it was once said "Act weird and let them wonder" live on my friend!

 

[President Moocow]

Those "what geeks love" articles are just lame marketing attempts by websites like cracked.com to attract the "geek" demographic to their site.

^ and so we have our next article in Stuff Geeks Love: Denial.

I for one do not think I'm labelled a geek by my conformity.

I am labelled a geek by my interests and hobbies. For example, I love learning about and training in medieval two-handed sword techniques.

That is geeky. Not if I am being conformist about it or not, or what the geek stereotype happens to be this year.

Well that's the funny thing that's demonstrated through the articles: You're not a geek because of your interests but rather your attitude.

You'd be surprised how many cool people love the same stuff that geeks love. (Then again, they aren't socially awkward or have anything like the attitude that geeks have).

I'm glad to see someone using "Geek" instead of "Nerd" once, since Nerd implies some level of intellegence.

Were a group of people who are different from everyone else in the same way... that makes Perfect sense, yes?

No, it implies some level of condescension.

Also, no, you're a group of people who all THINK you're all different from "everyone else" when really, you all conform, just like "everyone else"

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

Also, no, you're a group of people who all THINK you're all different from "everyone else" when really, you all conform, just like "everyone else"

Actually, I am from a group who understand the bottom half of my post was a joke, a group you don't seem to belong to.

 

[Azure-Supernova]

You see, this is something I've always had to get on at my cousin about. He's reaching that age, just turned 12 and now he's looking for individuality. So he starts listening to metal, comes out of the house looking like a tosser and all of a sudden he's non-conformist. Except when he goes to school, falls back into his conformity and once again becomes the terrible cliche he is.

That being said: We are all the same in that we are different. When my psychology teacher tried to fork off this logic to me that we're all different and individuals, she simply wouldn't accept that we all share at least one thing in commom.

More to the point of the topic, it's hard not to conform. It just makes life damn easier to do so. That way you're not always rubbing people the wrong way.

 

[Daniel Cygnus]

Everybody in the entire world conforms to something. There's no getting around that.

Also, this sort of reminds me of that guy who defined a gamer as someone who could get through Megaman without taking a hit. You can't absolutely define a group. It's just not possible. There are always exceptions to the rule.

 

[Azure-Supernova]

Also I'm now quite insulted by the article.

Spoiler: Extract

Musically, you?ll be expected as a geek to declare that Radiohead is the greatest band of the 20th, 21st, and for that matter any other century. Failing that you have to at least acknowledge They Might Be Giants as ?teh awesome?. If you don?t appreciate either of these bands then obviously you like Britney Spears or N?Sync.

I didn't take well to that. I don't know what Firefly is, I've never heard of Joss Whedon and I can't stand Terry Pratchet. Does this mean I'm not a Geek?