How to Be a Geek Without Being a Waste of Skin

"Fandom" is a term used to describe the subculture of people who enjoy a wide range of off-the-beaten-path forms of entertainment including comic books, science fiction, and role playing games. People involved in fandom tend to be a very open and accepting group, willing to overlook even the most grievous of social faux-pas.

This kind of over-indulgence may be the reason that many outsiders view fans as social outcasts. Because fans never have to learn to overcome their shortcomings within their group, they never quite learn how to function in "mundane" society. Fortunately, it is possible to be both a fan and a productive member of society.

Most fans become social outcasts because they simply lack the ability to communicate with regular people. This is not necessarily a matter of not knowing how to talk to people so much as a case simply not knowing what to say. Many fans are entertaining, even erudite, when discussing fandom, but turn into babbling idiots when any other topic is breached. Because they focus so much time and energy on their hobby, these fans often don't know how to talk about anything else.

While finding other, less marginalized, hobbies will give a fan something to talk about, the best solution is to learn how to make routine small talk. Because fans usually meet one another in a setting where common interests can be assumed, they can launch right into in-depth discussions of Batman's utility belt or Shatner's latest hairpiece without the usual "getting to know you" conversation. When they meet someone who doesn't share these interests, they're not sure what to say. To avoid this awkwardness, practice having conversations that do not have a specific topic and do not presume a common interest.

Another thing that often makes fans the subject of ridicule is their frequent attempts to "freak the mundanes" by loudly proclaiming their geekiness in some way-perhaps wearing their Klingon regalia to a public place or loudly singing Monty Python songs. This type of activity is probably a defense mechanism on some level, but most fans seem to believe that it will make people think that they are eccentric or weird, and therefore "cool." Nothing could be farther from the truth. Most people see this type of thing as a moronic display of social ineptitude, if not a desperate cry for help.

Even fans who can avoid these first two traps often get into trouble when the conversation turns to fandom-related topics. When given an opportunity to tell someone about their hobby, many fans fail to realize that the other person doesn't want to know everything about the subject, and will provide more information than necessary. If someone asks you about your fan activities, realize that they're probably just doing so out of politeness or idle curiosity. Keep your answer short, informative, and to the point. If they want to know more, they'll ask.

Other factors, like the widespread low opinion of personal hygiene among fans, can affect a person's ability to function in "the outside world," but the fan's obsession with his interest is often the fundamental reason for his social outcast status. Some fans look at their hobby as a lifestyle, and-aside from going to work to fund their fan activities-rarely do anything not related to fandom. By accepting that fandom is just a hobby, and developing interests and friends outside of the fold, it is possible to avoid being labeled a pariah.