Hooksexup Dating poll: Which is your favorite kind of geek?
By Alex HeiglApril 16th, 2012, 12:30 pmComments (9)
Last week's installment of Talking to Strangers took place at Comiccon, and one of the interviewees held forth on the difference between nerds and geeks. So that got us thinking, which kind of geek reigns supreme? We took the debate over to Hooksexup Dating, asking, "Which is your favorite kind of geek?"
Book geeks and music geeks led the way, each taking 23%. Perhaps surprisingly, the most vocal responses came from the book geeks, one of whom used the opportunity to vent: "Your Kindle doesn't count as a book. Sorry." Film geeks were next, with one Dater responding simply: "Steven Spielberg. Enough said."
The fill-in category captured a diverse range of geekdom, from foodies to cosplayers and IT guys. A few users offered a more holistic view of the world of geekdom, noting that they preferred the "combo platter geek," or "the eclectic geek." One lone individual bravely noted the sexiness of the Shakespeare geek, and was then stuffed into an e-locker.
Speaking of lockers, nearly 11% of Daters expressed a marked distaste for geeks, presumably while shooting pool, scoring with babes, and doing sweet BMX tricks.
Lastly, the poor sci-fi geeks were left out in the cold, with only around 9% of the total, which deeply hurt one member of Hooksexup editorial, who owns Blade Runner on DVD, Blu-ray, and Laserdisc.
But really, most Daters were tolerant and inclusive of all geeks and nerds: "Anyone with a passion is usually pretty fun to hang out with," read one comment, while another noted that "any geek who's not a snob is cool." Finally, though one Dater expressed a preference for book geeks, their comment was more universal: "I love all geeks." *sniff* I'm sorry. I just have something in both of my eyes.
Commentarium (9 Comments)
There is hope for us after all!
I hope that the 11% who hate geeks are still in high school.
If you think a Kindle doesn't count as a book, that just means you like being seen reading Tao Lin on the subway. Get over yourself. Text is text, content is content. Unless it's something like House of Leaves it doesn't matter. Even a real 'experience' book like Infinite Jest is easier on the Kindle, you don't have to lug a 2 book with you, and you get to any of the 200-or-whatever footnotes with a single button press. Also, owning an e-reader doesn't mean you forget real books. I use a Kindle, and I still go to the library weekly, I still stop at used book stores whenever I walk past them.... Yeah, so that's what I think about that issue.
That was very geeky, Sean.
You seem defensive, Sean. Had a little guilt when you made the switch, didn't you? That's ok, I think a lot of people do.
I wasn't trying to imply that Kindle users don't appreciate literature, just that I wouldn't classify them as book geeks. Being a book geek means owning a shit ton of books, all of which you have read and possibly written notes in. It means loving the smell of old books. It means having to buy a favorite book two or three times because it keeps falling apart from carrying it around and reading it over and over. It means getting into passionate arguments about the cover art of the newly re-published editions of Faulkner.
Being a book geek means you like BOOKS. Not Kindles. The content may be the same, but the format was part of the question.
The Kindle may be convenient and logical; and you obviously seem to enjoy owning one. But part of being a geek is having an obsession that defies logic and convenience.
I would suggest that YOU get over YOURself, but I've never been very good at the ad hominem part of the comments section. Enjoy your Kindle!
Coming up on the next kindle!
Aroma dispersion unit: for those of you who cant give up the shit smell of the paper or the addictive buzz of the ink, the next kindle will feature an aroma dispersion unit to ensure your reading experience is as inconvenient as it has always been.
Also for an additional 9.99 you can have the "Book Wear/Tear" app. It will artificially create the wear and tear that you would expect on a real book on your ebook. Now you can buy your favorite ebook again and again and again.
Kindle, revolutionizing the reading experience, one hipster at a time.
Thanks, Peter, I try.
I think this comes down to the definition of "geek," as well as the difference between a "literature, novels, or reading geek" and "book geek." I read a lot and collect my favorite books. I pick up things that look cool and/or cheap if they pop up at used book stores. I guess I just see more value in reading than showing off what you read on a shelf. And this is coming from someone who still has a book-collecting-overflowing-shelves "problem."
Man, way to water down your poll.
Film geek is meaningless. Everyone likes movies. Book geeks conjure images of Smart People Who Read. And music geek is just an alt-indie-hipster type with an inferiority complex. "Sci-fi" geeks....man, that's the uncut stuff. The Neon-Lit China White Fly-You-Fools. So keep your fluff piece.
Dropped the ball on this one, kids. We expect better.
Um... thanks?
Now you say something