The word “geek” gets thrown around a lot these days. Chances are you’ve used it or heard others use it when referring to people who are super into certain hobbies or interests, especially technology or comics.
But what exactly makes someone a geek?
Let’s geek out on the meaning behind the title!
A geek is a person who has an intense passion or obsession with a niche subject or activity.
We’re talking topics ranging from comic books, video games, and fantasy sports to niche sciences, tech, gadgets, and more obscure things like medieval cosplay.
These self-identified geeks tend to immerse themselves deeply in accumulating intricate knowledge, memorizing details, and leveling up skills related to their geeky area of choice. Their delight comes from mastering geeky trivia and minutiae that casual hobbyists might find eccentric or obtuse.
Being called a geek used to be more derogatory, insinuating social awkwardness. But thanks to the mainstreaming of historically geeky passions like superhero movies and tech innovations, the label has lost its negative stigma.
Today, being a geek is often worn as a badge of honor!
I picked my online alias, abdugeek back in 2014 for the same reasons. My family used to call me Abdu, a nickname they had because of Abdullah. And since I was fond of tech, gadgets, software, hardware, and even comic book movies from early childhood, I added geek to it and that’s how it became abdugeek.
I now even have relevant online blogs/sites for these geeky passions, such as Marvelism for Marvel Cinematic Universe and comics, TechTout for the latest tech news and updates, and this site (NoobSpace) for the latest how-to guides, listicles, and gadget reviews.
Even NoobSpace’s name has a story, noob means beginner. You can learn more about it here: What is a Noob?
So what fuels people’s geeky fires?
For many, it’s about finding a community to belong to. Connecting with like-minded coequals allows geeks to engage in shared activities related to their area of expertise.
It’s often hard to find like-minded individuals but do-able. It offers them a chance to leverage encyclopedic knowledge that might otherwise seem redundantly niche and dull. Trust me, it’s a great feeling to finally find one’s tribe!
The next time you come across someone exhibiting geeky levels of enthusiasm? View it as admirable rather than absurd. After all, don’t we all have something we geek out on secretly?
Give geeks leeway to indulge in their intellectual catharsis amongst fellow weirdos.
Who knows – you might even want to join their ranks someday!