This is why I hate "Fake Geek/Gamer Girls"

[The Funslinger]

My opinion is as such:

Come one, come all. Play some games, and all that jazz. I'm the last person who'd make sexist remarks over xbox live. However, the video does make some good points. There are people who just follow the 'in' thing and just pick up the 'geek' culture. And yes, that is aggravating, because those people are vain and shallow. The sort of people that do post statuses about how geeky they are and go on about the Big Bang Theory.

Just enjoy playing the odd Facebook game? Cool, have fun. Interested in 'nerd' culture and want to devote time to learning more about it? Even better. But as I said, there are people that bastardize it to gain social acceptability, like teenage girls claiming to be bisexual, but they'd never kiss a girl, ew. Or people who adopt the title of X exotic religion or cult.

Shallow people like that have always existed, and naturally, people of a certain background are going to get annoyed when those people start stepping on their toes. What the main issue is is that it makes it harder to meet genuinely like-minded people. If it seems like someone has common interests with me, I put my best foot forward and assume the best, and though I will continue to do this through thick and thin, it's very tiring to go through false alarms when it turns out the person I've been trying to talk to about something for the past twenty minutes because they claimed to be in love with it in fact does not give a shit.

THAT is the difference. Though I'll admit the people who jealously guard 'nerdy' pass-times like arbiters of virginity are aggravating in the extreme.

 

[nolongerhere]

Your argument of being a professional basketball player only holds merit if nerds and geeks got paid to be nerds and geeks. As it stands it's a group of people who like shows/movies/books/games/what-the-hell-else that are classified as "nerdy" by whoever the hell classifies these sort of things, and even then I'm not entirely sure what defines one as a "geek" or nerd since I've heard it used in so many contexts, and I doubt anyone really has a solid idea of what such a thing is defined as in this day and age.

Really, I don't know why this issue is such a big thing all of a sudden? For someone to prove that they're a geek or some shit. I have to wonder what the big deal is if they're not? And why are faker gamer/geek girls such freaking monsters in the nerd world? What nefarious purpose do people think they're up to, what is their ultimate end goal?
Because from these types of arguments, the only theory I've got is that there are guys out there who legitimately believe that these "fake geek" women are seeking to somehow affect them, or maybe appear interesting to them so that they can get their hopes up by saying "ha ha, I got you, I was just pretending to like you; I don't even know what Wrath of Khan is," and then collecting and bottling their nerdy tears of sadness because it turns out that they're the main ingredient in a magical elixir... or something to that affect.

Honestly, just let people do what they want to do, and if that includes faking being a "geek", then oh well. If they're really fake geeks, then they're eventually going to betray themselves as such, and they'll end up looking like idiots who don't know anything about what they're talking about; but the real thing that seems to be at work here is the shunning of any and all women from geek culture unless they can pass some kind of fucking test to be able to earn their geek driver's license. The only thing this accomplishes is making "genuine geek" women even more alienated in their own culture. And that's not on the "monstrous fake geek" women; that's on the sexist, insecure assholish men who keep insisting that "fake geeks" are a thing.

Fake Geek Girls are a dangerous breed that must always be watched lest they strike when we let our defences down. [http://www.themarysue.com/jemma-salume-geek-girls/]

Seriously, why is this a problem for people that others are trying to get involved in geek culture. The only reason I can think of is that most of the guys complaining got turned down by some attractive geeks, and decided that they must be fake geeks, because no real geek girl could ever decide to turn down a geek guy, because they're nice and like similar things. It almost seems kinda like the "Nice Guy" thing, and is equally fucking ridiculous. Luke McKinney has a fantastic column calling out and delivering horrific burns to these assholes, [http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-7-most-ridiculous-things-about-calling-out-fake-fangirls/] and I'd recommend it to anyone.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

Im gonna make this easy.

Here are some things that are NOT ok:

1. THOU SHALT NOT: Assume someones knowledge (or lack of) from how they look.

2. THOU SHALT NOT Assume someones total knowledge (or lack of) from how much they know about a specific segment.

3.THOU SHALT NOT Challenge randomly or "test" people who mention games. Ask regular questions about a shared interest sure but dont "test" people in regular conversation. Thats creepy as fuck. Be NICE dammit.

4.THOU SHALT NOT Assume that just because someone knows little about a fandom/hobby they cant be part of it at all or claim to enjoy it. Theres a difference between "Im playing angry birds, games are fun!" and "Im playing angry birds, IM SO INTO ALL GAMES OMG! Im awesome at EVERY game". One is obnoxious and one is simple enjoyment.

5. THOU SHALT NOT Assume that when someone labels themselves they are doing it for YOU or others or attention without even talking to them.

6.THOU SHALT NOT Assume someone takes part in a hobby JUST FOR you without even talking to them. Kinda arrogant no?

7. THOU SHALT NOT Deny that we all are ignorant of something, rather than rub peoples faces in not knowing what you know or enjoying whatever obscure thing you do try showing them it instead.

8. THOU SHALT NOT Assume all people of a specific gender will draw attention and make a big deal out of said gender just because it comes up in conversation or they mention it when asked. Thats normal.

9. THOU SHALT NOT Alienate another person because of their gender.

10. THOU SHALT NOT Try and discourage people from enjoying something by making it a douchy elitist club with "This much childhood suffering to enter".

Basically dont judge a person you dont know. Dont test them either. You dont have the right to assume and infer such negative horrible things about another person from one sentence or conversation and especially not for their looks. I know nothing of comics. But love games. So talking about comics with me would make me sound like a fake nerd. Give people a chance.

Here are some things that are ok:

1. Calling someone out when the reveal they know NOTHING of a topic they are talking about through their own fault. (Ensure its ACTUALLY bullshit rather than a simple mistake.)

2. Calling someone out when they refuse to admit they are only a little into a culture when they claim to be obsessed or its biggest fan over and over DIRECTLY to you. Dont get in other peoples grilles uninvited. If they bring it up with YOU feel free to give any response you want. (Dont be a dick, just say: "Theres a lot more to it! Why dont you take a look at X!")

3. Calling someone out if they directly say their gender makes them "Better" or significantly "Different"/"More deserving" than you. Thats sexism. And its not ok.

4. Calling someone out for being obnoxious in general about gender or how much others know about a subject.

 

[sethisjimmy]

Ugh, this is such hypocritical trash of an argument. First, this guy doesn't understand that nerd and geek are no longer insults, and have come to mean something more positive. It's not that people don't understand what they mean, it's that the word has changed.

And then he goes and tries a HEAVY handed appeal to emotion, basically saying if you were never made fun of, you aren't a nerd. This point right fucking here. This point is beyond terrible. I was never made fun of for being a nerd, so that means I'm not allowed to enjoy the same things as you, or call myself a similar title/label? Beyond that, he honestly doesn't see at all how ridiculously hypocritical it is to be bullied all your life for being an outcast, and then turn around and bully others for wanting to fit in with his group.

I'm so sick of this exclusionist argument, it's trash, and frankly, sad to see bullying victims become hateful bullies themselves.

 

[Chemical Alia]

Overall video games is experiencing a commodification of a culture where what used to have meaning is being sold en masse and this makes people who are actually part of that culture mad.

Okay ... i'll bite.

When did it have "meaning"?

I'm genuinely curious.

Now, gaming started long before this "gaming geek" became a thing.

Some of us on this site were gaming when it first started, literally, we played the very first home video games on the very first consoles.

Now not all of us were stereotypical "geeks". Some of us had active social lives with no personality disorders that seems to be the "in thing" with self proclaimed "geeks" at the moment.

What happened was, these self proclaimed "geeks" came and took OUR thing and made it theirs.

The fact that most of the people saying gaming is "their" thing and non-geeks be damned weren't even sperm when it was getting started.

Not all gamers, since the dawn of gaming, were "geeks". Other "types" of people that are invading this so called "geek culture" were playing games long before this debate became a hot topic.

I know this is feeding it but there are people out there that really do believe that gaming is "theirs" and should be theirs alone when, if it hadn't been for us getting it rolling, there would not be much if any gaming at all.

Oh my god, yes. I got picked on for a ton of things I liked and did as a kid (and as a girl who grew up hating typical girl-stuff), but video games were absolutely not one of them. I grew up solely with girl friends and relatives, and all of my memories are filled with playing video games with them. I never even know this was supposedly a "weird" thing until after high school. In fact, it was my two cousins (who now don't consider themselves gamers by any means) who introduced me to games in the first place, and they were tearing shit up in those flying fortressesof Mario 3 and the secret levels of Bubble Bobble before many self-proclaimed "true gamers" were even born or had memories.

 

[TheCommanders]

Having read through the thread I'm having trouble seeing exactly what people are angry/offended about. Now I know that every subculture/ethnic/group/gender on earth that's ever faced any sort of adversity loves to feel victimized (or at least that's the only conclusion I can draw about people finding problems years after they stopped existing), but this particularly feels like a non-issue. On some level, I think I understand what the video is talking about. Like (I suspect) many others here on the escapist I didn't have a particularly great time growing up, due at least in part to the unusual (for the time) or uncool things that I liked. The thing is, once I grew up and became self sufficient, all these issues pretty much disappeared, as they did for most of the people I knew who were similar. One friend of mine, however, seemed almost to miss the adversity, because thereafter, he saw it in just about any and all interactions he had with people of a more mainstream interest groups, even though there was nothing overtly adverse about their actions.

In short, it feels like some people want to cling on to the underdog feeling they had at some point in their lives because they now realize it made them feel special (or that's how they rationalized it at the time). For me, as long as it doesn't actually effect my interests, it doesn't effect me, and I don't feel any need to force it to.

Final note: The Big Bang Theory is pretty crap and should be ashamed of itself.

 

[Vault101]

[img/]http://i.imgur.com/XRa82.gif[/img]

please define "part of the culture"...in fact define "the culture" for me

if this is an ACTUAL problem *snrrrk* then its not going away anytime soon, much like DLC or assholes online.Find somthing real to complain about

 

[Shadow flame master]

I don't really have a problem with fake geeks or gamers, however, I do get irritated if they mistake a xbox for a nintendo or playstation. Besides that, I honestly don't care if they fake their 'geek' or 'nerd' cred, because for all I know, I could be considered a fake geek.

That's my two cents on the matter.

 

[Chemical Alia]

I'm starting to think that the real nerd subculture is dead anyway. Or rather, not dead so much as buried very deeply on the internet, and less deeply in real life. Time was, you popped onto a dedicated server in an online game, and it had the same kind of friendly, helpful atmosphere as a tabletop game store. That time is long, long gone. Modern gamer culture is nothing like the nerd culture of old at all -- when was the last time you saw someone giving a reference to, say, Dune that went beyond "hey Dune, I heard that was supposed to be a classic, don't I look smart for referencing it?"

Weirdly incidental and just sorta related, but my mom got my middle name from reading Dune, lol. There's pretty much nothing nerdy about her at all, but then again, I don't think picking up a good sci-fi book was considered all that out of the ordinary back when she first read it.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

I'm starting to think that the real nerd subculture is dead anyway. Or rather, not dead so much as buried very deeply on the internet, and less deeply in real life. Time was, you popped onto a dedicated server in an online game, and it had the same kind of friendly, helpful atmosphere as a tabletop game store. That time is long, long gone. Modern gamer culture is nothing like the nerd culture of old at all -- when was the last time you saw someone giving a reference to, say, Dune that went beyond "hey Dune, I heard that was supposed to be a classic, don't I look smart for referencing it?"

Weirdly incidental and just sorta related, but my mom got my middle name from reading Dune, lol. There's pretty much nothing nerdy about her at all, but then again, I don't think picking up a good sci-fi book was considered all that out of the ordinary back when she first read it.

You're actually named after the sister of Paul Atreides? That is awesome.

Edit: That came out kind of sexist. The point was, the Alia from Dune, not just from some baby book or something.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

The bottom line is that people still shun real nerds and look down on them for all sorts of reasons.

This media rubbish and selling "nerd" as a lifestyle by marketing people is a circus. And the people who grew up awkward are just the animals in cages who are there to be stared at. People who play video games should not think that there is anything special about "nerd culture." There is equally little point in judging people who get annoyed by how their problems and personal history are being used in a a humiliating way just so someone can get what they want.

 

[Eri]

I hate fake gamer girls as well, but there are many fake gamer guys too. I hate both.

 

[Yakostovian]

I don't dislike fake geek girls any more than I dislike any other disingenuous person. However, I do think it says something about me that I am less likely to doubt a male's claim to being a geek that loves video games than the same statement made by a female.

I am not entirely sold that a feeling of embarrassment and persecution make us nerds (as the OP's video heavy implies.) I think it is a fundamental part of who I am, and being a nerd is also a fundamental part of who I am. Though I do not believe those two are not intrinsically linked.

So to all that want to be nerds, why not let them? The expansion of our hobbies is more likely for the good than the bad.

 

[Eddie the head]

If that is what a nerd is, I don't have enough self pity to be a nerd.

 

[DevilWithaHalo]

Don't really care for the disucssion, but I did want to amuse myself with this...

How many ten sided die do you own?

Still in my possession? Maybe half a dozen. The large bag was given to a friend.

Have you ever completed Luigi's Purple coin challenge?

Nope. WTF is that?

Can you complete the sentence "A man chooses x x x"?

A Slave Obeys. A lot of slaves around here...

Can you tell me what stat is commonly tied to ranged dmg?

Depends on the game actually. Dexterity, Crit, Accuracy, Perception, etc.

Have you ever been a member of a raiding guild?

Yes, several of them. The Hall Monitors have a special place in my heart.

Can you point out who of these 2 world leaders poses the greatest threat to you?
Montezuma
Augustus Caesar

How do dead people pose any threat to me?

Can you mention 3 different characters from Street Fighter?

Sangief, Giule and Bison. Apparently I'm a bad guy.

Please list videogames you own:

I'm not going through the list.

Please list videogames you have finished (continual progression games excluded):

Every one of them... minus Fire Warrior. That game can eat my ass.

 

[lacktheknack]

How exactly do you be a fake gamer?

If you want to play games...and you play games...

Whatever maybe I just missed all the rigorous qualification standards.

Ah must have been a clerical error on our part.

Excuse me Ill get the forms ready.

Ooh, this'll be interesting. Let's see if I'm actually as not-nerdy as I said I was.

How many ten sided die do you own?

Zilch. What a good start!

Have you ever completed Luigi's Purple coin challenge?

The what?

Can you complete the sentence "A man chooses x x x"?

No, but I can guarantee the finished quote will piss me off.

Can you tell me what stat is commonly tied to ranged dmg?

DEX, right?

Have you ever been a member of a raiding guild?

implying I interact with anyone when I play games

Can you point out who of these 2 world leaders poses the greatest threat to you?
Montezuma
Augustus Caesar

Augustus Caesar, Montezuma is a joke.

Can you mention 3 different characters from Street Fighter?

Most of them, actually, but let's go with Cammy, Zangief and Sakura.

Please list videogames you own:

Too many. Most notable is "almost all the Tomb Raiders", "all the Myst", "Civilization IV/V" and "all the Humble Bundles".

Please list videogames you have finished (continual progression games excluded):

All of the above, except "Half the Humble Bundles".

You mail me the forms and ill let you know if you applicable for a Basic Geeking Licence. Your BGL should arrive in the post in 2-3 days.

Should you want to wear costumes you will have to apply for an Advanced Geeking Licence afterwards and or I can send you the advanced forms, thou you will have to provide your own 3rd party witness for the all night gaming session.

- GSA -
Geek Standard Association

Gee, I wonder what my chances are. Probably not too high.

 

[BishopofAges]

Labels. Labels seem to be the prominent figure in the opening post, the example video, the whole argument/counterargument, and bugger-all that encompasses this age. If you're not something, who are you? That's the question we ask ourselves as early as elementary school, moving forward into the early to late college area for some. I figured out who I am, what I want to live by, and who I live it with. What I cannot put up with and what I can let fly, these are personal preferences. If I am at an arcade playing my way up the ladder on the old Soul Caliber 2 machine and am approached by people, guys or girls, wearing gamer-reference attire, then I will simply ask if they want to play or if they just like to watch. If they play and I am beaten, neat I hope it was a good fight, but I am not going to whip out some shining 8-bit sword and label them gamer or not. Either way, I am going to move on or ask a rematch.

I will be honest, this whole 'issue' seems to hang on the constant updates of statuses from 'facebook'. That in itself is just lame, due to the fact that you're putting waaaaaaay too much energy into reading/interpreting SOMEONE ELSE'S post, but that you are turning on a heel and bringing your HATE back to your fellows and SPREADING it. One thing I learned in school and in life is that the only way hatred spreads is when it is SPREAD, simple yes but it's meaning holds true. Shrug it off and it stops being an 'issue' move on and jingle your pocket full of quarters, play your console of choice, and find some friends to hang with who don't bring depressing things like this 'issue' home with them, hanging on their shoes like so much used toilet paper.

As for 'cred', I will ask in a very George Carlin-like manner, who has 'cred'? Do you? Do I? Who gives out this 'cred' and who takes it away? Where do you keep your 'cred'? Do they check your 'cred' when you buy games or attire? The idea of having your 'cred' tested and your 'label' removed by someone who means less to you than the gum on a bus seat is more lame than said gum being placed on the seat in the first place.

Signed Bishop of Ages, he whose only label is his name

tl;dr: shrug it off, labels suck, I like George Carlin, wasted energy on facebook, Cred means nothing if you give it nothing.