On Being a (Semi-) Professional Geek
September 21, 2011
You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders – The most famous of which is “never get involved in a land war in Asia” – but only slightly less well-known is this: “Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line”!
~Vizzini, “The Princess Bride”
One of these men is a complete putz, the other is a pirate
Know what I really hate? Being outsmarted, outwitted, or being told something I didn’t already know. That’s normal for most geeks. When we find someone geekier than ourselves, bad things can happen. Take today for example. I’m selling an old magazine for two bucks on eBay. Two bucks. Not two thousand. Someone harangues me for inaccurately describing its condition and sends me three whole pages about detailed comic and magazine grading standards. Don’t butter my buns and call me a biscuit, for Cthulhu’s sake. It’s two bucks. Get over it.
Which brings me to the many levels of geekiness. I myself am one of those geeks of all trades, specializing in no geekdom but relatively fluent in several. Ask me about astronomy or ancient history or Star Wars and I’ll be able to hold my own. On the other hand, other traditionally geeky realms (comics, music, engineering) remain as enigmatic and distant as the twin suns of Tatooine. I’m just not interested as much and thus know relatively little. Geeks, as it turns out, are much like everyone else in that way.
No geeks here...beam me up
There is that lovely notion of the Renaissance man or woman (think Benjamin Franklin, Nikola Tesla, or Leonardo da Vinci). The one whose knowledge in twelve different subjects is dizzying. I think our culture expects most self-proclaimed geeks to be something of that sort. I’ve met geeks who could take apart a Macbook blindfolded but who know little to nothing about anything non-electronic. Ditto for those music geeks who couldn’t change a flat tire if their life depended on it. Specialization in one area of geekdom is common. On the other hand, I’d much rather have expertise in a number of fields than mastery in just one.
Why did that haughty eBayer upset me so much? Was it that he knew so much more than I did in some esoteric field? Or that he felt compelled to rub it in my face? Maybe both. There have been many times when I’ve been in the presence of those much geekier (and certainly, smarter) than myself. My usual reaction was to try and glean something useful or interesting from the conversation. If it turned out to be something beyond my sphere of interests, slyly changing the subject was always an option too. Anything related to computer programming or advanced mathematics would otherwise put me in a deep sleep.
Cosplaying...it's a geek way of life
I’m quite happy being a self-described, semi-professional geek. Chances are I can work out most common computer glitches, calculate my geographic position using only the stars, differentiate ancient Norse runes, or recite the periodic table in a pinch. I might also be able to retell Greek myths or list the star systems of the Old Republic without breaking a sweat. There’s things I’m good at and things that I’ll never be able to master.
As for the snotty eBayer, well, they’ll just have to reckon with my dazzling intellect and/or mastery of the Jedi mind trick. Just don’t tell him about my lack of immunity to iocane powder. But then, no geek is ever perfect.
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Funny…I would tell you that the original definition of “geek” is a circus performer who bites the heads off chickens. But that would make me an info geek. Or a bloggy trivia geek. Or something like that…
Someone had told me that before, and it mildly freaked me out. Language changes in strange ways. Thanks for dropping by!
Agreed. As someone with deep-seated texture issues: I don’t even want to think about it!
Which I suppose is why I shared it so willingly with you…
Thanks for the laugh today — fun post.
ciao
I used to interchange “geek” and “nerd” a lot, but am noticing there is some distinct difference I cannot put my finger on…
I think geeks are the ones whom we’d want to date for their brains, and nerds are the ones who never get dates because of their brains. If I had to guess. Thanks for the feedback.
I’m gonna quote that.
A friend showed me this Venn diagram recently, which kinda (but not 100% accurately) sums up the differences: http://www.neatorama.com/2009/09/16/are-you-a-nerd-dork-geek-or-dweeb/
Love this Venn diagram! Definitely nice to know I fall mostly under the Geek definition but with slight tendencies towards Nerd.
Great book – American Nerd: The Story of My People by Benjamin Nugent
People might get riled up if you call them nerds – it implies anti-social vibe. I once got told off for that reason
Awesome post! Thank you, Prawn!
You’re welcome, and thanks for stopping in.
“Don’t butter my buns and call me a biscuit, for Cthulhu’s sake.”
~ it’s lines like this that make me love geeks.
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
Thank you…and I’d say “May the Force be with you,” but that’s so cliched. So I’ll stick with my thanks.
I can never specialise in one area – too many interests. But reciting the periodic table and using stars as directions aren’t bad skills to have.
Too many interests is better than too few, right? Thanks for stopping by.
Life isn’t fair, highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling something.
One of the great truisms of all time. Thanks for stopping by, and glad you enjoyed the post.
Still chuckling aloud… Thanks for a good read, and congrats on Fresh press!
I’m glad you enjoyed it. May the Force be with you, and thanks for stopping in.
That e-bay guy sounds like Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons!
I’m a geek but don’t tell anyone, it’s a secret.
That was my initial reaction as well..whom am I dealing with, Comic Book Guy?
So glad you enjoyed reading the post.
I feel the same way as you about being a “Jack of all trades, master of none”. I’d rather have a decent amount of varied knowledge, than a huge amount in just one area. But although being able to perform minor vehicle repairs, keep a vegetable garden, put siding on a house, and write and speak in proper English are all great things to have in one’s personal life, it can make professional life frustrating. Ah, well.
And based on your post, I suppose you won’t take kindly to my telling you that there are mistakes in your Princess Bride quote.
Congrats on FP.
Ah, yes, I realized the misquote after the fact. (Insert facepalm). I’m quite happy to be a jack of all trades and master of none…specialization, as Heinlein once said, is for insects. Many thanks for stopping in and taking the time to comment.
I believe the term ‘Geek’ represents a clique of people who haven’t forgot to have fun.
“Growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional.” So true indeed! I’ll always be proud to say I’m a geek. Thanks for stopping by.
That is my favorite quote from the Princess Bride, and I have been known to yell it while smiting down weaker opponents. Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
Nothing like lording one’s esoteric knowledge over a weaker opponent, for sure. Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for stopping by.
I’m sorry, but some eBay buyers are the worst! I had to quit when I sold costume jewelry, and the person would not return it to me, wanted a full refund because there wasn’t any “real” jewelry, and gave me bad feedback. *UGH* On the other hand, this person gave you the inspiration to write a Freshly Pressed post
Congratulations!
Thanks so much…and so glad to hear I wasn’t the only one with a crazy eBay experience. But, as you said, it inspired me to write this. Thanks, and glad you enjoyed it.
Yesterday I had to come to grips with the fact that I am not a geek. And now, I see I may actually BE one. I am not generalized. I am a specialized geek. Thanks for that!
There’s nothing wrong with being a geek. Geeks are gonna be the ones to save the world from the football heroes and cheerleaders run amok (I think.) Glad you stopped by!
Geeks and Nerds Rule.
Yes we do…it’s getting that across to the mundanes that’s the problem.
I actually enjoy being told stuff I don’t already know.
Sometimes I do (hard for me to admit.) Depends on whether it’s a subject of interest.
Personally, I think both ways can be interesting.
I think I’m a nerd, rather than a geek. I can quote goodness knows how many Doctor Who episodes, and ditto with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, but I’ve only seen a couple of the old Star Treks and can only quote them slightly. (Let me guess, they don’t have money where you come from…)
Whatever I am, I am NOT ASHAMED OF IT!
Oh, and congrats on Freshly Pressed
You’re fine just the way you are is what (and for the record, I’ve never been a Trekker/Trekkie either.) Doctor Who is more my cup of tea. Many thanks for stopping by!
It’s easy being- or at least sounding like- a geek nowadays. Cthulhu is a fictional beast created by H.P. Lovecraft in 1928! I love Wikipedia. Loved this post, too.
Congrats on bringing a little geekdom to the front page.
Thanks so much…I can never write too much about being a (proud) geek.
This is the greatest time in the history of the world to be a geek! Our knowledge and skills are rewarded like never before. We make more money. We’ve got the best movies, TV, toys, etc. The proliferation of electronic devices has never been greater.
Yes, sir–it’s great to be a geek.
Indeed it is…now, I just need to write a version of “The Big Bang Theory” in which geeky women (who aren’t gorgeous) are idolized. Thanks so much for stopping by and weighing in!
I think there is something to be said about taking a more “liberal arts” approach to geekdom. Fun post!
Absolutely…specialization is for insects, after all. I’d much rather be knowledgeable in many fields than an expert in one or two. Thanks for stopping by!
Awesomesauce post, and congrats on being Freshly Pressed.
I am also a semi-professional geek, and generally out-geek any of the “norms” I hang out with. …And then I spend half an hour with my husband’s comic geek friends and feel all clueless and stupid and (horror of horrors!) normal.
(But please don’t call me a nerd or I may have to scratch your eyes out. Plus, I can kill you with my mind.)
Goes to show even geeks can be out-geeked sometimes…I have that feeling every time I’m around techies or music geeks. I could always Force-push them away, but that would just be mean. Glad you enjoyed the post.
Ack. And after hitting the ‘submit’ button, I realised I’d misquoted the quote I was quoting. Damn it. In my head, the follow-up conversation goes something like this:
You: You got that Firefly quote wrong. No geek cred for you.
Me: What? But I’ve watched Firefly a million times. Getting a quote wrong is absolutely, totally and in all other ways inconceivable.
You: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Me: I swear by my pretty floral bonnet, I will end you.
You: If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.
Me: —
You: Also, I can kill you with my brain.
Geeks of the world; unite!
Except, reading about some of your multi-discipline skills, I’m not sure if I can class myself as a geek any longer.
I think I shall retain amateur status by simply quoting films excessively, smiling anytime someone references The Princess Bride and pretending to know a little about music. I’ll leave the navigation by stars etc to you full on semi-professionals.
Great read btw, really enjoyed it.
I’m glad…and anyone who loves “The Princess Bride” is already a winner in my book. Inconceivable that someone could not like that one. Thanks very much for reading!
I think it’s funny when people assume I know a lot about computer hardware, or programming, just because I use the computer a lot. I’m usually pretty good at finding my way around new websites, and I even figure out new programs pretty quickly, but I know next to nothing about hardware or programming.
Interesting…maybe it’s like how everyone assumes I’ve read every book that’s ever been written because I work in a library? People have strange ideas, don’t they? I’m glad you stopped by and enjoyed the post.
I should have know that you work in a library! A library is like a giant Geek-magnet. I find the most interesting people in libraries and one of my oldest and dearest is a Librarian.
Love your blogging skills. They make me want to geek out and read your entire site in one day–unfortunately, I have other nerdy things to do, like obsess over movie trilogies and sketch George Lucas characters.
Geek on! I’ll be following your blog. C:
The Force will be with you…always. For the record, Star Wars is the best series ever. I’m even hooked on Clone Wars now. Best of luck to you!
[...] the original post: On Being a (Semi-) Professional Geek « Prawn And Quartered Categories : Geeky [...]
hahaha love this post!
-grace
Glad you did; thanks for reading!
[...] Plan: I am a decently versed or (Semi-) Professional Geek, see http://prawnandquartered.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/on-being-a-semi-professional-geek/, so my first thoughts were to blog on my many adventures to conventions and large-scale [...]
Glad you’ve started a blog…I’m now following!
Final picture made me smile, great post!
This is not the smile you’re looking for…move along. Glad you enjoyed!
These are some interesting insights. I enjoyed the post!
Many thanks for reading; so glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Its getting them to admit their knowledge is, um, cloistered – when I saw Comrade Edgaredgarberger discussing the spread of Christian heresy in Asia with a mathematician, and the math geek put his hands on head and said “databank, retrieve”, I knew there was something wrong.
That’s hilarious…do you mind if I use that one with my math geek friend? Thanks for reading!
Great post! Fun, insightful and witty
I’m gonna like you ^^
I think I’m gonna like you too, as I just subscribed to your blog. Thanks for stopping in!
I’d rather spend time with a geek than a superficial person any day. You get a like and a follow simply for mentioning Cthulhu. Geek on!
I appreciate the compliment, and I certainly agree. What’s life without a little esoterica?
Dull, dry and empty, I believe. Thanks for the subscribe! You’ll find esoterica there, albeit of a different flavor
Hope you enjoy it.
Great post! It’s fun. Congrats on being FP
Thanks for stopping by; glad you enjoyed it.
Awesome post! Thank you, Prawn!
Life isn’t fair, highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling something.
I actually enjoy being told stuff I don’t already know.
Hahaha, great post! It’s fun knowing bits about lots of different subjects. Weather, web design, music, photography, Calvin and Hobbes….it all balances out somewhere.
I have to admit that while I’m very happy to be heading out into nature tomorrow, I kind of wish I could participate in the LOTR marathon that’s going on….
http://tehcatspajamas.wordpress.com/
One can never know too much Calvin and Hobbes, or quote it too excessively (same goes for Monty Python and Spinal Tap, among others.) LOTR too. Gonna go check out your blog now…
Geeks rock!
We will rule the world one day as truly benevolent dictators who excel at trivia. As much as love being really great at one thing, I have to say it’s actually kind of fun knowing a little bit about many things. Makes you much more fun at parties…and geeks are getting invited to those now you know!
You know, I always wanted to be a Benevolent Dictator (think Marcus Aurelius or one of the Ming Dynasty) when I grew up, not to mention beating everyone else at Trivial Pursuit. Unfortunately have achieved only one of those goals. Thanks for reading, and so glad you enjoyed it.
I always love meeting someone new who likes some of the same, geeky stuff that I do. I don’t know why it is so fun to quote Star Wars, Firefly, Princess Bride, Star Trek, etc, but it makes me smile every time I see a quote. I, too, get rather irked when someone asks me something and I don’t know the answer; I take pride in my “Geek of all Trades and Master of None” status!
I think we’re kindred spirits…I’m reading your blog just now and laughing my head off. Thanks for reading!
Reading the post it seems you are a bit of a Star Wars geek. I just watched (and posted on my blog) a fan documentary on Star Wars Ep.IV. I usually aren’t into things like that and I never listen to any commentary on DVDs but this was good – all the gossip, lost films etc added into the whole movie – worth a look, let me know what you think of the video please.
http://goldcoaster.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/star-wars-begins-a-fantastic-fan-made-documentary-for-ep-iv/
I am definitely gonna check that one out tonight…and Lucas can kiss my wookiee. Thanks for the tip!
I didn’t know I’d be reading the ramblings of an injured semi-professional geek this morning, when I clicked on your link on Freshly Pressed. Darn.
Um…thanks?
I’m one of those geeks who could actually take apart a MacBook blindfolded. I’m a tech geek, primarily because I work in the area. But like you said, it’s better to be good in a wide variety of fields than just one. Because if you’re good in just one, you become what they call a specialist. I enjoy science, runes, languages…books, science fiction…ask me anything about those things and I’ll blow you away. Literally.
Ashley
I might just have to do that, as my science skills are adequate but could be improved. And the MacBook skills are impressive…most impressive.
Your blog header is awesome. I <3 that movie.
D9 is one of the great movies of this past decade, for sure.
i like those pics
Thanks, and glad you stopped by
I think it is ok to be a geek. I think that a lot of the stuff that you think is cool is cool too. My mom and my aunt are showing me cool things like Star Wars and the Princess Bride. They are even teaching me how to blog and helping me read other blogs. I like your blog a lot.
I wish you luck with your blog. It’s a great way to meet like-minded people all over the world. Thanks for stopping by to read mine.
This was a nice post!
Even I don’t like these unidirectional geeks…they just show off all the time because they live their own domain, anything else as you said, is alien to them..ha ha
Glad you enjoyed it…and yes, those hyper-specialists can be very eccentric indeed.
Love your homepage picture, by the way. One of the special moments I will always remember in film. Interesting post, too. Like how you get the point across that geeks have their own factions just like “normal” people do. There are different categories of geeks, just like there are different categories of douche bags, writers, materialistic girls, and sports fanatics.
Indeed there are, and all the different sorts of douchebags seem to come to my office on a regular basis. Which is one more reason I write my blog. Thanks for the comments!
Murphy’s Law of The Geek
An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less until he knows absolutely everything about nothing.
I had not heard that, but I’m adding it to my vernacular forthwith.
As a nerd, I resent the fact that we were not fairly represented in this post. We consider ourselves a similar strain as geeks, yet we remain distinct from geeks among the overall social misfit population.
I hope I haven’t alienated any nerds, dweebs, or dorks in writing this post, yourself included.
The ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ is really much better, in my opinion!
Perhaps that is because of an Indian education!
I too can recite the periodic table!
Great post and ‘grats on being Freshly Pressed
Many thanks…the periodic table is a personal point of pride for me too.
Is one still a “geek” if the word “geek” has changed to mean, “one who gets all the ladies and a high salary and a summer home in france”?
I’m still working on getting a cute boyfriend and a villa in South Africa. Maybe one day.
Gave up eBay a couple of years ago because of instances like you described.
I’m only still at it because I find selling my body to science pretty repulsive.
Semi-professional geeks of the world…unite! I might be able to read Futhark, recite chapters of Lord of the Rings from memory, explain the reasons why Unix is crap, and describe the education system of medieval Europe easily, but don’t give me a computer and screw driver and expect anything less than disaster.
Lemme just put it this way…last time I attempted to cook, the fire department had to be called. Thanks for stopping by to read.
Thanks for making me spray coffee everywhere laughing at this post
Cheers,
Colin
Check out my blog site ReallyDeepStuff at http://www.reallydeepstuff.com
You’re welcome…and I gotta say, your blog made me do exactly the same thing.
Being out-nerded can get discouraging, especially when writing. And the anonymity of the internet makes it seem more and more acceptable to be a pedantic twit – which is distinctly different than being a geek, I would argue.
Message boards and Yahoo News stories are infested with pedants (many of whom have terrible grammar skills) the way Florida’s coast is infested with sharks, no?
Geeks unite!!! I think everyone is a geek in their own way, I know to much about sports. I could tell you the score from a year ago, and the batting average he had. We are all Geeks. I like your statements
Thanks! I used to memorize the stats on the backs of baseball cards. Feel free to laugh as you see fit.
hilarious! i gotta say, i’m a bit of a nerd. not a geek so much, but a nerd for sure. i’m clumsy and know odd facts. i’m silly and a little quirky. maybe i’m a dork. hmmmm.
http://www.icouldntmakethisshitup.wordpress.com
Well, we’re all a little quirky (I was reading your post about hair…I have a short, spiky hairstyle but it works for me.)
Hello, I posted a request about seven hous ago trying to find out how to change your header in a ‘free’ wordpress blog. Exactly what you did in this ‘Narrow Theme’ by WordPress. But I see it didn’t pass your screening. I was just wondering if the asking was too much. You could have just said it here. I thought my request was just something simple.. no obscene language, no political inclinations, or phornographic stuff.
Just hadn’t had a chance to respond yet. It’s the “Ambiru” theme which you can change in your Settings through the Dashboard. Hope that helps.
We consider ourselves a similar strain as geeks, yet we remain distinct from geeks among the overall social misfit population
Even geeks have sub-strata and variants…and there are thousands.
Gosh, I thought I was a nerd for being a graduate student and watching the it crowd… But I guess not!! Be proud of geekmess!
Absolutely it’s cool…I just draw the line at watching “The Big Bang Theory.”
very nice……..
Geeks are so in right now anyways, it doesn’t matter how geeky you are anymore. Geeks rock… I’ve seen it.
I believe I’m a geek on the middle ground between non-nerd/non-geek and full-on nerds. When I play my mmorpg, I know I am dealing with a bunch of nerds and I am no where on the same platform as them. They know things about the game that I have no time to know about and I feel like it’s not my business to know because they already know it for me. However, I know my characters inside and out.
Anyways, rock on geeks, rock on!
As long as we know our own geekdoms well, that’s all that matters.
I wish I were more geeky/cool, but maybe I am and I just don’t know it. So glad you stopped by for some geeky love.
Cool…
Good luck
Uh Mad Heather shall we have fun stormin’ the castle???
Loved it!
Geeks and nerds prevail!
I always have fun while storming the castle. Gives me an excuse to break out my crossbow.
Geeks getting upset by other geeks? Inconceivable!
A wise man once said that the “geek shall inherit the earth”… but now all the geeks have to fight over which geek will hold top spot.
Just keep me away from the Star Wars vs. Star Trek fight… that’ll be killer.
That’s like having to decide between Bushido Karate and Kung Fu. Impossible. I’m glad all the fellow geeks are enjoying this one.
Great post, not least because you opened with a quote from The Princess Bride (which I blogged about earlier this week). I always find it tough to be outsmarted on stuff I think I *should* know more about, like art or music. Maybe it’s a sign of my insecurities…
I think all us geeks are slightly insecure, otherwise we’d just be garden-variety faux hipsters. Thanks for reading, and glad you enjoyed it.
This have me a laugh, thank you! May the force be with you!
uponatlas.
And may the Force be with you…always.
thank you for this posts
Similarly, I’m a big Transformers and comics geek. Someone at work started mouthing off about Star Trek to get under my skin. Didn’t care. People assume geekery in one thing translates to them all.
Agreed…geeks are not geeky about every subculture their is, nor do we all live in our parents’ basements. I’d say “Live long and prosper” but might fear for my life if I did.
Nice post, I know how it feels to be “out-pwned” in the geek sense. I like to consider myself to be above the intelligence line but when I meet a fellow geek or nerd who’s above me, I tend to get defensive, I don’t know what sets it though. At times, I think it’s cause of their need to put me down but at other times I think it’s cause of my geek pride
I think it’s what puts everyone under the same category though- being below someone. Everyone can relate to that. Whether you’re the boss, you’ll have someone someone who’s the boss of you.
“The stronger becomes master of the weaker, in so far as the latter cannot assert its degree of independence — here there is no mercy, no forbearance, even less a respect for “laws.”- Nietzsche
Thinking about it now, I think it’s really because of their need to put me down, who wouldn’t get defensive or offended by that?
Hey very cool website
[...] 3. Never be in the way of an Asian land war – Geeks strike back [...]