“This above all: to thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.” – Shakespeare

Being a Geek

I have often wondered why it is so difficult for people to really share their interests with the world, they don’t because they are worried about what someone else might think of them. That seems to be a silly reason to not share all that you are interested in.

You will miss out on sharing your interest with others that have a similar interest and a hobby or a thought spent shared is better than one that is used alone.

For me, I think that as you grow up, there is such a pressure to conform and present an acceptable front, that nobody ever really gets to feel comfortable enjoying something that might be seen as less than acceptable. (like the Magic card game) Or more realistically it was not acceptable in my mind. This article is about how silly that thought really was and why we should all embrace our inner geek.

SuperGeek

My interest in super hero culture and folklore was the inspiration for this article, because I have been fascinated with the whole genre my whole life.

The conflict  between good and evil, the duplicity of having an alter ego to protect your true identity, or the hidden power within that I think everyone has, made Superman a natural for me to relate to.

I never shared this with anyone because I really didn’t think that others saw this the way that I did.  Superman is more than a character, he is a symbol of doing the right thing even when it is not easy.  Putting others before yourself, and doing what is best for the greater good.

I guess it is no wonder I thought I was the only one who saw it this way, when you look at the actions of so many which are centered in greed and selfishness.

It is good to know that you are not alone in the universe. As fictional as the Superman folklore is, the idea that he stands for is real.  Truth, justice and the American way! Embrace your inner geek.

Bookworm

Reading has been one of the things that isn’t all that popular among the masses these days, and I can’t imagine why?

Every fact ever studied at an institution of higher learning, and every thought that has ever been thought can be shared and studied through reading a simple book.

The only thing stopping you from expanding your horizons and becoming a more intelligent individual is you not picking up a book and digesting the material. There are many distractions for your brains to process today, and the competition for your attention is pretty intense, but if you have an interest in understanding something, pursues it in books, you will find intelligence and growth that you never imagined existed before.

You probably won’t find this reading the Twilight series, but you never know.  Reading involves using your imagination and once you engage that weapon of your mind there are very few limits that anyone can place on you.

You don’t need a class in a school to learn anything, you can learn virtually anything you want by being inquisitive and pursuing those questions through literature.  This is the coolest thing you can possibly do. Embrace your inner geek.

GamerGeek

It may seem contradictory to follow up a push to read with a nod to video gaming, but I am going to do it, because all things in moderation can have value and I think that this is a genre of entertainment that stereotypes its participants in an unfair and narrow minded light.

There are millions and millions of people who participate in this type of entertainment.  Communities are built around these interactions and real relationships result.  Anything that can bring people together in such a large scale way can’t be all bad.

That doesn’t mean you shut yourself off from the rest of the world, and don’t do anything else.  It means that your gaming is a significant part of your life, it is not who you are, just a part of who you are.  Embrace it and share it. Embrace your inner geek.

Geeky Baggins

With the upcoming release of The Hobbit based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, it occurred to me how much of a fantasy geek I have been in my life.

This was one of the first books I read from cover to cover as a child and couldn’t put it down.  I loved the idea of another world where a small person could have inner strength and accomplish great adventure.

Just like Bilbo Baggins, who hasn’t thought that there is more inside of us than people perceive at first.  I saw the cartoon movie of this around that time, and I watch each production of the Lord of the Rings with great interest.  I can name all thirteen dwarves, all three trolls and that I think puts me in elite company.

There are many people who have interests like this, and others who do not think, may judge you because of it, but that is not important.  If you like Hobbits, or Wizards, or Harry Potter or any other magical, mystical character, you should enjoy the hell out of it and let the rest of the world to leave you alone.  Embrace your inner geek.

To your own Geek Be True

There are many other interests that I have or that you have which might fall under this category from fantasy football leagues to Broadway shows.  Whatever inspires you or allows your imagination to work is a good thing.

So relate to them, enjoy your interests, don’t ever apologize for what you like because it is a part of who you are and that is alright. You need look no further than the large crowds that attend conventions like Comic-con every year all over the world to know you are not alone in any way.   Embrace your inner geek, it beats the alternative.

(Note: I have since seen The Hobbit, in 3D and loved it. The story was changed a bit, but for the most part the first half was great. Riddles in the dark was fan-freakin’tastic!  It was the first 3-D movie I had ever been to and WOW, I was really blown away. )

Related articles

• Who Gets To Be a Geek? Anyone Who Wants to Be
• Geeks. Plain and simple.
• Real Geeks from The Looney DM
• Could a Geek Run the Country?

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