NERD vs. GEEK.

This year, there's been a lot of back and forth about what qualifies as being a card carrying member of either or both group. This has ignited a firestorm of angry back and forth and to be honest, I've neither the time nor patience to go teasing out specifics and if you'll bear with me, I'll tell you why.

So which is better, or at least more accurate?
Nerd is pejorative- Geek, while not perfect, is closer to the mark, since it implies knowledge and uninhibited enthusiasm for any subject- comics, math, football- doesn't matter. Anyone can geek out.

Why all the hate?
I think that's why so many folks are so touchy about the term and those they regard as "faking it". Who would want to be a real nerd? It's seriously overrated. Why would anyone want to play at being a geek? Do they not realize the investment of time and involved in immersing oneself in a given subject? Sure, it can be fun- but only if you're into it, which defeats the whole point of faking geekery in the first place.

For such a "classless" society, the U.S. is obsessed with cliques, pigeon holes and gender roles. Add to this an unhealthy distain for intellectualism of any stripe and really, what else can one expect? All that book-learning and smarts might make you uppity and think you're better then the rest of us. That's why Joe the Plumber had his fifteen minutes of fame as a Fox News savant. But I digress.

I suppose that being long term inmates of the nonclementure breeds territoriality and anger at those perceived as poseurs. Mockery is acceptable, muscling in on one's social turf isn't. Add in gender politics and the whole thing devolves into a hot mess that has no winners.

Of course, the overuse of these definitions has itself rendered them somewhat hollow anyway. Look at the box office, at TV, at console games; we truly have inherited the pop culture planet.
So do what you want, have fun and to hell with the haters.

Comrades new and old.

Finishing up an a long term gig gave me a few days to dedicate to painting some minis. I don't know how long I can sustain it, but here's hoping. My own webcomic is taking shape too, and I'm gearing up to returning to it, but for right now, these will have to do.

 

Dwarven Forge.. um.. forges ahead!

Well, it appears 2013 became the year Kickstarter allowed game designers and related creatives to become a viable market force. Stefan Pokorny and the guys at Dwarven Forge spotted a gap in the market and scored a Crit in terms of marketing and appealing to the kid in every gamer. From a funding goal of $50,000, they blew through to a final total of over $1,500,000. It's staggering stuff.

In addition, Monte Cook's Numenera and my friend Dirk Manning have been doing gangbusters for RPGs and comics respectively. Fantastic work!

Hello Gunthar

Hammer Time

This is Gunthar, 9th Level Knight (DnD4) and only surviving member of Slamkill Ventures. He's since found new people to hang out with while he plans to rebuild the family business of paid mayhem.
He has a big Hammer.
He likes to smash things with his Hammer.
His hair is magnificent.