"Nerd" culture is simply manufactured hyper-consumerism. It promotes a never ending desire for the latest tech gadgets while providing grown men permission to live out fantasias through action figures and RPG simulations.
It is a great way to keep potentially dangerous men in a state of detached artificial excitement.
I run a tabletop RPG over webcam. It doesn't cost anything. I don't even buy D&D books because that has sucked for more than a decade.
I am a patient gamer and my hardware is about six years old. I play older games and I get them on sale after all the hype has does down. This means I only play the good games.
I am into rebuilding motorbikes and I like RC racing, but I do those on a very limited budget.
So I ges you can go all hyper-consumer. If you want?
It's the same thing with games. I game similar to DemolitionsPanda. I hardly ever buy games full price when they are newly released. Everyone else will be playing and talking about the new hotness while you are playing something older still. It doesn't feel like you are part of much of a culture when you are frugal, patient, and discerning.
The manufactured trend of "normies" geeking out on established properties is an attempt to expand the market beyond educated consumers into trend chasers who will purchase new books and props until they inevitably become bored and look for the next trend to get excited about.
"Nerd" culture is simply manufactured hyper-consumerism. It promotes a never ending desire for the latest tech gadgets while providing grown men permission to live out fantasias through action figures and RPG simulations.
It is a great way to keep potentially dangerous men in a state of detached artificial excitement.
/feelsbadman
Well, perhaps the way you do it?
I run a tabletop RPG over webcam. It doesn't cost anything. I don't even buy D&D books because that has sucked for more than a decade.
I am a patient gamer and my hardware is about six years old. I play older games and I get them on sale after all the hype has does down. This means I only play the good games.
I am into rebuilding motorbikes and I like RC racing, but I do those on a very limited budget.
So I ges you can go all hyper-consumer. If you want?
That isn't nerdy though, it is just stupid.
Operative word in his post being "culture." If you aren't buying every garbage WotC release, it's arguable you aren't participating in "nerd culture."
It's the same thing with games. I game similar to DemolitionsPanda. I hardly ever buy games full price when they are newly released. Everyone else will be playing and talking about the new hotness while you are playing something older still. It doesn't feel like you are part of much of a culture when you are frugal, patient, and discerning.
City of Heroes is free to play now. Check out the Thunderspy server.
Yes. That is part of my point.
The manufactured trend of "normies" geeking out on established properties is an attempt to expand the market beyond educated consumers into trend chasers who will purchase new books and props until they inevitably become bored and look for the next trend to get excited about.