Fake geek girls-male insecurity or icky fandom ruiners?

[Trotskylvania]

Do these people actually exist? I mean, no, really, do they actually exist? Because I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the topic. Why do you feel someone would pretend to be interested in something, for no real reason what so ever?

Pear pressure. If something is popular with the cool kids and you want to be a cool kid you pretend to like it. And with the so called "geek culture" becoming popular it makes sense that people will try and infiltrate their circles for the same reason. There will always be people who are like that. And some of them just newer grow up.

No, not really. And even if people are faking it, they are not faking it to get in the new cool kid's table. I've never met a geek girl who wasn't genuinely interested in whatever hobby it was. The only time anyone ever fakes it is to save face among their peers, and with this outpouring of comments I can see why.

Because, when you get down to it, geeks/nerds/whatever you wanna call us can be downright vicious and cliquish. "How can you call yourself a fan if you haven't X", where X is some arbitrary feat, like read a certain comic book story, or have a tournament competitive Magic deck, or have more than one army in 40k.

[Olthar]

"Fake geek girls" is a wholly disgusting and misogynistic concept. There's really nothing more that needs to be said.

[Norstal]

Somebody who believes that claiming to be a fan of X-men without knowing literally ANYTHING about one of its key characters is an inherent self-contradiction.

......so?

So ze are not ze purest bred of ze nerd race und they must be eliminated. Vill you not understand herr NA?

[-violetz-]

"Fake geek girls" is a wholly disgusting and misogynistic concept. There's really nothing more that needs to be said.

To be labelled 'geek' has become increasingly popular, especially among girls, so they shun their previous social appearance and start to wear sweaters that have #geek on them somehow thinking that it actually makes them such - it doesn't. That is what this thread is about.

[Dakini]

My other half plays this. He's made other people really upset because he doesn't play with sleeves and he'll play for graffiti ante.

Granted, he and a friend are also making money off other people playing this. My partner lives in Japan, which means he has easy access to Japanese Magic cards. He gives these to his friend in the US whose (surprisingly profitable) business is now selling Magic cards and they make giant piles of money because for some reason, people are interested in cards they can't read.

I imagine that these people who they are selling to are the same people I see on my facebook wall complaining that California rolls are a horrible abomination to sushi that is insulting to Japanese culture...

Ugh. So many people are bizarrely obsessed with Japan and Japanese culture. I mean, Japan is a nice place, but there are a lot of nice places and they're all special and weird in their own ways and everyone bastardizes everyone else's culture. Japan is actually really terrible for bastardizing everyone else's food even. I've had bibimbap that was just rice and sauce. The Japanese version of curry is just a sauce with seasonings and no solid chunks in it that you're expected to eat with a spoon next to your rice (not on your rice). I've seen spaghetti that had ketchup as sauce.

California rolls at least look like stuff you can acquire in Japan (I'm not sure if you can get them there... I don't typically eat meat so I wasn't on the look out for them, next time I go I will though).

I've also had people tell me that going to Japan was wasted on me because I just went to visit my partner. The first time, I did touristy stuff, but I didn't spend a day in Akihabara buying video games or in Ikebukuro buying manga therefore this was a waste of a visit event though I'd rather see my other half and look at shrines and temples and stuff.


...also when I move there, I'm totally going to one of the penis festivals.

[Purpelia]

Pear pressure. If something is popular with the cool kids and you want to be a cool kid you pretend to like it. And with the so called "geek culture" becoming popular it makes sense that people will try and infiltrate their circles for the same reason. There will always be people who are like that. And some of them just newer grow up.

No, not really. And even if people are faking it, they are not faking it to get in the new cool kid's table. I've never met a geek girl who wasn't genuinely interested in whatever hobby it was. The only time anyone ever fakes it is to save face among their peers, and with this outpouring of comments I can see why.

Because, when you get down to it, geeks/nerds/whatever you wanna call us can be downright vicious and cliquish. "How can you call yourself a fan if you haven't X", where X is some arbitrary feat, like read a certain comic book story, or have a tournament competitive Magic deck, or have more than one army in 40k.

Everyone can and is like that. It's part of being human. Humans are bastards unless specifically noted otherwise on an individual basis.

[Hatsunia]

What about this person?

"male virgin shaming"? Oh come the fuck on do you people HAVE to be walking persecution complexes all the fucking time?

It's no persecution complex.

[Grenartia]

Somebody who believes that claiming to be a fan of X-men without knowing literally ANYTHING about one of its key characters is an inherent self-contradiction.

......so?

There's no such thing as a peaceful war or calm storm.

Kirk is such an integral part of the franchise that if you *haven't* heard of him, you've probably been living under a rock or something.

1. I heard of him, but I don't know who, exactly, he is. 2. You realize how old the episodes Kirk was featured in, right? If I were to pick up the newer works in Star Trek, I wouldn't exactly know who he is. Just as someone probably doesn't know what the 1940s Captain America was like or what the old franchise was about. And I find it absurd that anyone would go "LOL FAKER" if they like the new Avenger/Marvel movies and became fan, but don't know the old series was about.

Though as a general note, I don't know much about Star Trek. I just don't know why you people would pull up a True Scotsman on fans entering the series. 3. Even if they are "faking" it, they are showing a modicum of interest, interest that normal people wouldn't show. Turning them away just validates how weird geeks and nerds are to the general public.

1. Doesn't matter.

2. Yes, and it doesn't mean that those who want to watch those episodes can't. I watch them every week, assuming I'm at home.

3. Interest, I can understand. However, claiming that "I've always been a fan of Star Trek", and yet having absolutely no clue that there exists a character named Captain Kirk, screams posery.

[Purpelia]

What about this person?

"male virgin shaming"? Oh come the fuck on do you people HAVE to be walking persecution complexes all the fucking time?

It's no persecution complex.

Quite right. Apparently thou it's an american thing. Where I am from you outgrow thinking like that by the time you finish high school. There was actually an enlightening discussion on that topic on another forum a few months ago. And it seems that the prevalence of many things including rape in american culture can be drawn to that thing in particular and the overemphasis on the importance of sex in general.

I heard of him, but I don't know who, exactly, he is.

If you answer: That guy from "Star Trek" that will be quite enough.

[Greed and Death]

I imagine that these people who they are selling to are the same people I see on my facebook wall complaining that California rolls are a horrible abomination to sushi that is insulting to Japanese culture...

I've also had people tell me that going to Japan was wasted on me because I just went to visit my partner. The first time, I did touristy stuff, but I didn't spend a day in Akihabara buying video games or in Ikebukuro buying manga therefore this was a waste of a visit event though I'd rather see my other half and look at shrines and temples and stuff.

You did not ? that is a criteria for all government science grants all the phds and grad students must have a day in Akihabara buying video games and in Ikebukuro buying manga. I am afraid your career in science is now ruined.

[Olthar]

"Fake geek girls" is a wholly disgusting and misogynistic concept. There's really nothing more that needs to be said.

To be labelled 'geek' has become increasingly popular, especially among girls, so they shun their previous social appearance and start to wear sweaters that have #geek on them somehow thinking that it actually makes them such - it doesn't. That is what this thread is about.

Bullshit.

[-violetz-]

To be labelled 'geek' has become increasingly popular, especially among girls, so they shun their previous social appearance and start to wear sweaters that have #geek on them somehow thinking that it actually makes them such - it doesn't. That is what this thread is about.

Bullshit.

Do you call yourself a geek?

[Red Team]

This thread is still going?

[Greed and Death]

Do you realize guys who work out more tend to be more sexist and chauvinist on average and that male virgin shaming is as wrong as slut-shaming, right?

"male virgin shaming"? Oh come the fuck on do you people HAVE to be walking persecution complexes all the fucking time?

It is a requirement to be a Geek. You would understand if you were a geek instead of a wedgie giving Jock.

[Nailed to the Perch]

What about this person?

What about her? As far as I can tell from that very hard-to-hear video, she is a Doctor Who fan who wanted the new Doctor to be hotter. If a male fan objected to an actor they didn't find attractive being cast as a character they liked, would that somehow magically make him a "fake geek"?

[The Corparation]

Pear pressure. If something is popular with the cool kids and you want to be a cool kid you pretend to like it. And with the so called "geek culture" becoming popular it makes sense that people will try and infiltrate their circles for the same reason. There will always be people who are like that. And some of them just newer grow up.

No, not really. And even if people are faking it, they are not faking it to get in the new cool kid's table. I've never met a geek girl who wasn't genuinely interested in whatever hobby it was. The only time anyone ever fakes it is to save face among their peers, and with this outpouring of comments I can see why.

Because, when you get down to it, geeks/nerds/whatever you wanna call us can be downright vicious and cliquish. "How can you call yourself a fan if you haven't X", where X is some arbitrary feat, like read a certain comic book story, or have a tournament competitive Magic deck, or have more than one army in 40k.

I think the problem is though that sometimes having done/seen/know X is kinda really important to understanding the subject matter. And when you run into a fan that's a self proclaimed "geek" for liking the subject and then lacks basic knowledge its generally kind of frustrating. I.E. Claiming to be a Huge Star Trek Fan and yet not knowing the difference between Kirk and Piccard, you can't be an actual fan and be clueless as to two of the series biggest characters.(I have met such a person) That said that the "fan" that knows jackshit about the topic issue isn't a problem with just girls. I've run into plenty of fake geek guys. I think that the "Fake geek girl" idea is bullshit, but that doesn't change the fact there are fake geeks out there.

[Greed and Death]

What about this person?

What about her? As far as I can tell from that very hard-to-hear video, she is a Doctor Who fan who wanted the new Doctor to be hotter. If a male fan objected to an actor they didn't find attractive being cast as a character they liked, would that somehow magically make him a "fake geek"?

Yes, geeks must object on acting ability or some other relevant trait.

[Purpelia]

I think the problem is though that sometimes having done/seen/know X is kinda really important to understanding the subject matter. And when you run into a fan that's a self proclaimed "geek" for liking the subject and then lacks basic knowledge its generally kind of frustrating. I.E. Claiming to be a Huge Star Trek Fan and yet not knowing the difference between Kirk and Piccard, you can't be an actual fan and be clueless as to two of the series biggest characters.(I have met such a person) That said that the "fan" that knows jackshit about the topic issue isn't a problem with just girls. I've run into plenty of fake geek guys. TI think that the "Fake geek girl" idea is bullshit, but that doesn't change the fact there are fake geeks out there.

Quite. It's kind of like running into a person who claims to be a programer but can't even name the difference between pointers and references.

[Olthar]

Bullshit.

Do you call yourself a geek?

How is that relevant to anything?

[Nailed to the Perch]

What about her? As far as I can tell from that very hard-to-hear video, she is a Doctor Who fan who wanted the new Doctor to be hotter. If a male fan objected to an actor they didn't find attractive being cast as a character they liked, would that somehow magically make him a "fake geek"?

Yes, geeks must object on acting ability or some other relevant trait.

Hahaha, geeks not having stupid nitpicky objections to everything, and instead only caring about "relevant traits" - that's a good one.

[Trotskylvania]

No, not really. And even if people are faking it, they are not faking it to get in the new cool kid's table. I've never met a geek girl who wasn't genuinely interested in whatever hobby it was. The only time anyone ever fakes it is to save face among their peers, and with this outpouring of comments I can see why.

Because, when you get down to it, geeks/nerds/whatever you wanna call us can be downright vicious and cliquish. "How can you call yourself a fan if you haven't X", where X is some arbitrary feat, like read a certain comic book story, or have a tournament competitive Magic deck, or have more than one army in 40k.

I think the problem is though that sometimes having done/seen/know X is kinda really important to understanding the subject matter. And when you run into a fan that's a self proclaimed "geek" for liking the subject and then lacks basic knowledge its generally kind of frustrating. I.E. Claiming to be a Huge Star Trek Fan and yet not knowing the difference between Kirk and Piccard, you can't be an actual fan and be clueless as to two of the series biggest characters.(I have met such a person) That said that the "fan" that knows jackshit about the topic issue isn't a problem with just girls. I've run into plenty of fake geek guys. I think that the "Fake geek girl" idea is bullshit, but that doesn't change the fact there are fake geeks out there.

But see, you're talking about a fake fan, not a fake geek. These are people who are feigning interest in a single subject, probably to fit in or save face. Or hell, ever thought that someone can really like something and not know a whole lot about it. I was a massive fan of Star Trek from the very first episode I watched. I didn't know who the hell anyone was, but I knew I liked the show and wanted to watch more.

[Greed and Death]

Yes, geeks must object on acting ability or some other relevant trait.

Hahaha, geeks not having stupid nitpicky objections to everything, and instead only caring about "relevant traits" - that's a good one.

Like for instance I did not like Windows 7 because it was too user friendly.

[Trotskylvania]

Hahaha, geeks not having stupid nitpicky objections to everything, and instead only caring about "relevant traits" - that's a good one.

Like for instance I did not like Windows 7 because it was too user friendly.

Fucking casuals. True geeks use Unix-like systems

[The Corparation]

I think the problem is though that sometimes having done/seen/know X is kinda really important to understanding the subject matter. And when you run into a fan that's a self proclaimed "geek" for liking the subject and then lacks basic knowledge its generally kind of frustrating. I.E. Claiming to be a Huge Star Trek Fan and yet not knowing the difference between Kirk and Piccard, you can't be an actual fan and be clueless as to two of the series biggest characters.(I have met such a person) That said that the "fan" that knows jackshit about the topic issue isn't a problem with just girls. I've run into plenty of fake geek guys. I think that the "Fake geek girl" idea is bullshit, but that doesn't change the fact there are fake geeks out there.

But see, you're talking about a fake fan, not a fake geek. These are people who are feigning interest in a single subject, probably to fit in or save face. Or hell, ever thought that someone can really like something and not know a whole lot about it. I was a massive fan of Star Trek from the very first episode I watched. I didn't know who the hell anyone was, but I knew I liked the show and wanted to watch more.

The issue though is that the fake fan is claiming to be a geek due to their claim of belonging to the fandom.. Just starting to watch something and becoming a fan, that's different, but it's the people who have claimed to always have loved something and are then clueless as to the basics, that's where I run into problems. They aren't a fan and they are not a geek for being a "fan"

[Norstal]

1. Doesn't matter.

2. Yes, and it doesn't mean that those who want to watch those episodes can't. I watch them every week, assuming I'm at home.

3. Interest, I can understand. However, claiming that "I've always been a fan of Star Trek", and yet having absolutely no clue that there exists a character named Captain Kirk, screams posery.

God I hate those numbering things. They completely destroy the structure of an argument and makes open for a wide number of irrelevant fallacies as the debaters focus on each one.

1. Yeah it kinda does. Wasn't it your argument that only a true Star Trek fan knows who Kirk is? So if they don't know who a particular character is or confuse the character with something in a particular series, so what?

2. Maybe they don't want to. Maybe they don't like those older episodes. Maybe they only like the works in its current iteration. What, exactly, is wrong with liking the entire series by liking the current iteration of it?

3. Let's say I meet an anime poser (I'm going away from the Star Trek analogy because I am more familiar with anime). This poser doesn't know who Haruhi is, don't know what Pokemon is, thinks all anime is the same, etc. but claims that she/he likes anime just because she watched an episode of, I don't know, Code Geass.

Of course I'd be annoyed, but at the same time, what's the rational course of action? Do you just reject someone like that? Or would you try to immerse them, attempt to recommend other works based on what they currently like?

Because, let's all admit it, we all started as a poser. When I started in anime, I know fuck all, but I like it all the same. Does that not make me a poser before? So there's nothing wrong with being a poser. A poser is equivalent to a newb or noob in gaming. Chiding them for being a noob doesn't help anyone and only gives you a superiority complex. And if they don't like what you recommended or, they stay as a "poser" so what? You just keep helping them. Like you would train a noob into a pro.