Fantasy is for losers...

[Scott Bakker]

Last year, The Globe and Mail ran an article entitled "The Geeks Have Won," about the commercial dominance of fantasy in a whole variety of media. As someone who purchased Terry Brooks first Shannara book when it came out, I guess I joined the 'geek team' in its hairy-palmed heyday. But does that mean I should be celebrating our victory?

I thought it might interesting to have a 'group therapy' thread where we can swap stories of fantasy and shame, from fathers hiding your d20's to mothers sitting you down an explaining that 5th level Dwarves aren't 'really real, honey.' Any knee slappers?

As well as to ask more general questions asides, like, what does it mean to grow up a geek in our contemporary culture?

For that matter, what the hell is a 'geek,' anyway?

[Spears&Buckler]

I still have to deal with the nerd/geek stigma and I'm 31 years old! I read The Hobbit in the 6th grade and throughout the rest of my junior high/high school days I always had a book to read. During study halls I would read, instead of doing last minute homework or sleeping. Shame on me for that! I had to field questions all the time like, "What's that? For English class? NO? Then why the hell are you reading it? Because you feel like it? Forget that! Reading is for losers."

Nowadays it isn't much different. I work in the Quality Assurance department of a manufacturing company, and I still always have a book to read. People still tell me what a waste of time reading is and they ask me, "What are you 12 years old?" when they see that I read fantasy. I'd like to see these fools make sense out of The Silmarillion or Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, or the Thomas Covenant books. Hey, they should be able to do it if a 12 year old can. Yeah, right. These guys can barely make out their names when they're spelled out for them.

On a positive note, when I read The Lord of the Rings 18 years ago, my family didn't really know who Tolkien was and elves were only Santa's helpers. Now, with the release of the films, they all have read the books and they know why I was so into reading.

At least my wife doesn't think I'm a geek.

I hope.

[Leiali]

I like the d20 comment, every one of my friends have dice strewn about the house! I went to a house warming party this weekend and I mused on the fact that there are certain things we all have at home:
1. Some kind of Dragon ornament
2. Some kind of Buffy Tribute (usually a poster though in the case of girly houses just the boxed sets)
3.Lord of the Rings goblets
4. Extensive collections of board games. Not just AD&D but lots and lots of board games.

I am coming up to thirty, and I think I am the only one of the lot of us who doesn't role play. The geek thing should be embraced as a lifestyle choice, as it has been by us (by which I mean my friends and I). They all go to this yearly event called the Gathering, we still all do group outings to watch the big sci fi/fantasy blockbuster film, and whenever we have a christmas pub crawl (left over from our university days) there is always a spontaneous round of 'Cthulu Carols'. I love being able to discuss my fantasy/Sci Fi interests with my friends. I can't at work although it is accepted as a valid interest

[juzzza]

What is a geek?

Usually intelligent? I'd say so.

Usually ugly? Probably not.

Usually a loner? Sometimes.

Read/Watch Sci Fi and/or Fantasy? Sometimes.

Good at School? Usually.

Roleplays? Not always.

But guess what, they are also the people who probably invented everything you like to entertain yourself with/watch/play/drive/fly and will probably cure you AND make this place a better planet to live on for your kids.

So you go Geeks, I'll watch your back.

[Rob B]

Geek Stats:

• As I type this, I am wearing a Superman neck tie and a pure silver replica of THE ONE RING from Lord of the Rings.
• I also own silver Green Lantern ring and alternate between wearing it and the ONE RING
• I own a Lord of the Rings chess set and
• I own a replica of Sting
• I own the three Green Lantern and 1 Flash porcelean statues
• I own over 4,000 comic books, and the number increases on a weekly basis to this day
• I played D&D in middle-school and High School
• I've been reading for pleasure, that is stuff outside what school told us to read and more often than not, Mystery, SF, Fantasy or Horror, since middle school
• I regularly watch G4/TechTV (a cable channel almost exclusively dedicated to Video Games
• In my younger days, I was an avid baseball card collector
• I play Fantasy Baseball

I don't think Geek has the same negative connotation as it once did. When I was younger, it generally meant social outcast. But you know what? A lot of the so called "geeky" things I did - (D&D, Comic books, baseball cards), brought my friends and I closer together.

Today, I think Geek simply means you are really into something, I hear car afficionados referred to as Car Geeks, and the like.

And while my wife may not be a "geek" she does indulge me in all of my geekery. The LOTR stuff I mention above? She bought me, as well as the hero statues.

[Spears&Buckler]

Yes! Fitz, you are the king. I also can attest to many of the points you just made. Hey, we should do a SFFWorld fantasy baseball league for the upcoming season. You any good?

[BeardofPants]

Geek Stats:
[list][*]....and a pure silver replica of THE ONE RING from Lord of the Rings.....

Given the cult status of the films, I'd say that's not such a geeky thing anymore. I know tonnes of fan girls who have One Ring replicas.

[Dua]

What is a geek?

Usually intelligent? I'd say so.
Usually ugly? Probably not.
Usually a loner? Sometimes.
Read/Watch Sci Fi and/or Fantasy? Sometimes.
Good at School? Usually.
Roleplays? Not always.

But guess what, they are also the people who probably invented everything you like to entertain yourself with/watch/play/drive/fly and will probably cure you AND make this place a better planet to live on for your kids.

So you go Geeks, I'll watch your back.

Jajajaj I just love that definition.

[BeardofPants]

"What's that? For English class? NO? Then why the hell are you reading it? Because you feel like it? Forget that! Reading is for losers."
At least my wife doesn

I always have my nose buried in a book, and I get that all the time. Some people just can't comprehend reading for pleasure.

[Scott Bakker]

Nothing to worry about BoP, they'll be squeegeeing your windshield soon enough...

I actually have a prediction. There's been a consistent correlation in the decline in reading rates among teenage males and the downward spiral in their academic performance. This performance gap is a serious, and worsening problem. Within a few years, women will more and more come to dominate high-end professions, so my prediction is...

Soon, there will scarce be anything sexier than a man reading a book.

[BeardofPants]

Soon, there will scarce be anything sexier than a man reading a book.

You countin' on that, huh?

Aaaanyway, why read the book when you can see the movie adaption!!??

[juzzza]

Soon, there will scarce be anything sexier than a man reading a book.

Unless the title of said book ends with... For Dummies.

[kahnovitch]

Unless the title of said book ends with... For Dummies.

Or it's the latest Harry Potter.

[saintjon]

Nothing to worry about BoP, they'll be squeegeeing your windshield soon enough...

I actually have a prediction. There's been a consistent correlation in the decline in reading rates among teenage males and the downward spiral in their academic performance. This performance gap is a serious, and worsening problem. Within a few years, women will more and more come to dominate high-end professions, so my prediction is...

Soon, there will scarce be anything sexier than a man reading a book.

I dunno about this one Scott, too many girls get cranky when you are actually able to argue with them about stuff .

[Caitlin]

"Soon, there will scarce be anything sexier than a man reading a book."

Or even sexier still, writing one. Right? Scott?

I dunno about this one Scott, too many girls get cranky when you are actually able to argue with them about stuff .

Cranky? Cranky? Who the #$% are you calling cranky? And if we women argue it's only because the men in our lives are so darn deficient...