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> Geeks are not entirely a bunch of narcissists who want to belong and be creative. Sometimes, and I would say most times, the underlying motive is knowledge ac

by sridca 11y ago

> Geeks are not entirely a bunch of narcissists who want to belong and be creative. Sometimes, and I would say most times, the underlying motive is knowledge acquisition. Underlying? Nope. Selfism, belonging and the like are way more deeper/pervasive (human/animal) attributes than any such superficial (human) motive of knowledge acquisition. Everyone -- be they a 'normal' or a 'geek' -- seeks to belong. And belonging drives much of human activity, be they 'normal' social activities or 'fringe' geek activities.

mercer 11y ago
> Underlying? Nope. Selfism, belonging and the like are way more deeper/pervasive (human/animal) attributes than any such superficial (human) motive of knowledge acquisition. While probably not the norm, I suspect a decent portion of 'geeks' might not be able to pursue belonging, or might perceive this to be the case, so they elevate 'knowledge acquisition' and/or other pursuits that don't require other people. This can apply to kids that don't fit the norm and/or were outcasts or bullied in school, for example. I've met quite my share of solitary figures who while I'm sure they would probably be happier 'belonging', nonetheless prioritize knowledge acquisition or other activities and appear to find quite a bit of happiness in this. And then there are the significant number of people who just are not like other people and do not or barely seek to belong: (some) autists, the solitary figure living in the woods, spiritual seekers ('wandering the desert', sometimes literally). It's quite possible that in a roundabout way, through the internet, a number of these people who do or did not prioritize belonging suddenly find themselves belonging anyways. Arguing that everyone seeks to belong is a bit like arguing that everyone deep down is straight, or wishes to have a partner or children, or any other prejudice we've had throughout the ages based on what is 'common'. If there's one thing I think we should've learned by now is that there's an incredible variety in what makes humans happy, and working toward a society where this can be pursued, rather than assuming that outliers need to be fixed, is a good thing.
- sridca 11y ago
  I never said 'pursue belonging.' One can choose to not pursue an already existing feeling of belonging, as is evidently the case with many bullied geeks. But that doesn't contradict the fact that all humans harbour feelings of belonging (and selfism, etc.) in their bosom. It is human (animal) nature after all. There actually are quite a few hints about this subject in this essay by a nerd: https://medium.com/@maradydd/when-nerds-collide-31895b01e68c https://medium.com/@maradydd/when-nerds-collide-31895b01e68c

by sridca 11y ago

mercer 11y ago

> Underlying? Nope. Selfism, belonging and the like are way more deeper/pervasive (human/animal) attributes than any such superficial (human) motive of knowledge acquisition. While probably not the norm, I suspect a decent portion of 'geeks' might not be able to pursue belonging, or might perceive this to be the case, so they elevate 'knowledge acquisition' and/or other pursuits that don't require other people. This can apply to kids that don't fit the norm and/or were outcasts or bullied in school, for example. I've met quite my share of solitary figures who while I'm sure they would probably be happier 'belonging', nonetheless prioritize knowledge acquisition or other activities and appear to find quite a bit of happiness in this. And then there are the significant number of people who just are not like other people and do not or barely seek to belong: (some) autists, the solitary figure living in the woods, spiritual seekers ('wandering the desert', sometimes literally). It's quite possible that in a roundabout way, through the internet, a number of these people who do or did not prioritize belonging suddenly find themselves belonging anyways. Arguing that everyone seeks to belong is a bit like arguing that everyone deep down is straight, or wishes to have a partner or children, or any other prejudice we've had throughout the ages based on what is 'common'. If there's one thing I think we should've learned by now is that there's an incredible variety in what makes humans happy, and working toward a society where this can be pursued, rather than assuming that outliers need to be fixed, is a good thing.

sridca 11y ago
I never said 'pursue belonging.' One can choose to not pursue an already existing feeling of belonging, as is evidently the case with many bullied geeks. But that doesn't contradict the fact that all humans harbour feelings of belonging (and selfism, etc.) in their bosom. It is human (animal) nature after all. There actually are quite a few hints about this subject in this essay by a nerd: https://medium.com/@maradydd/when-nerds-collide-31895b01e68c https://medium.com/@maradydd/when-nerds-collide-31895b01e68c