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The Geek Hierarchy

Frequently Paraphrased Questions

What about morris dancers/cosplayers/people who do ice sculpture based on David Brin's "Uplift" books?

The Geek Hierarchy v. 2.0 incorporated a lot of categories that didn't make it into v. 1.0. Given RAM enough and time we might be able to include finer gradations and more categories, and maybe there'll be a version 3, but right now you can pretty much assume that if you're into something too specific and/or rare to make it onto the unabridged chart, you're way geeky.

What about computer programmers, sysadmins, tech writers and so forth?

Occupations didn't make it in, because in the author's experience they don't really matter. Java programmers who are into LARPing aren't seen as any more or less geeky (in the pejorative sense) by their peers than tech writers or gas station attendants who are into LARPing. In a theoretical future version, technological hobbies like overclocking and making a lot of noise about Open Source may be incorporated.

I fit into more than one category. How geeky am I?

Look into your heart. Your answer to this question tells you a lot about yourself.

As a Ren Faire person, am I more or less geeky than someone who writes fanfic?

This sort of conundrum is the very essence of the complex web of status and discarded candy wrappers that is the Geek Hierarchy. Your position as a fan of science fiction literature (a category which includes nearly all geeks to some extent or another) puts you above fanfic writers, but fanfic writers can say the same to you. Embracing this paradox will lead to understanding of the Geek Nature.

Who died and left you boss?

Isaac Asimov.

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