by
Tue, Feb 19 2013 23:54:13

geek+

i think a lot about geek culture. these are my thoughts on how we can improve our geek cultures and spaces. it's also a manifesto for how i plan to act from here on out.

  1. it's maybe important to acknowledge my own standpoint here: i'm a white queer boy who's a geek about story games, post-apocalyptica, teen paranormal romance, surrealist erotica, and weird twitter.
  2. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    geek is about enthusiasm, not knowledge. geek culture is about giving each other permission to have bottomless enthusiasm and energy.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:20:52
  3. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by learning that there is no One Way to be enthusiastic about a thing, and no hierarchy of enthusiasms.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:21:20
  4. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by learning to discern between valid criticism and plain hatin' (and refusing to ever validate the hatin').
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:22:13
  5. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by acknowledging where our interests are problematic, and that it's okay to like problematic things.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:23:05
  6. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by accepting only one entry credential: do you love a thing and want to celebrate it with us?
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:26:05
  7. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by listening to people when they say they feel marginalized, hurt, oppressed, insulted, or objectified.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:28:18
  8. GeekGirlsRule
    Geek Girl What Rules@GeekGirlsRule
    @mcdaldno dudes need to call out other dudes for bad behavior. If all women avoid someone, maybe find out why.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 16:19:35
  9. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by being in love with body diversity, and giving props to cosplayers regardless of size / gender / skill.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:30:54
  10. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by remembering why we're here in the first place: to love stuff, together, and to stick it to the haters.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:31:47
  11. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    i've fucked up on a bunch of those principles. and so i'm writing to myself as much as anyone else, right now.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:32:36
  12. IshaiBarnoy
    Ishai Barnoy@IshaiBarnoy
    @mcdaldno We make lonely things collaborative, we make bad things forgivable, even enjoyable, by being social about it.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:26:13
  13. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    i want geek culture to be a place that i can invite people to visit, knowing they'll be accepted and celebrated, regardless of demographics.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:33:32
  14. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    it's not there yet. and sometimes that makes me want to leave. but that's not the right reaction. i'd rather stay and improve the sitch.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:34:13
  15. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    in a couple years, my younger siblings are going to confess their weird love for [something], and i want geek culture to welcome them in.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:36:01
  16. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by recognizing ourselves as potential allies to everyone who wants space to love their weird thing.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:38:52
  17. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by resolving to no longer shit on dudes for being poorly groomed or having weird conversational quirks.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:40:10
  18. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    i'm hella guilty of that one, and it stemmed from a place of self-hate and self-judgment, and i'm ready to end that crappy behavior.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:40:44
  19. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    both @RyanMacklin and @davidahilljr responded about grooming. if shaming doesn't work to improve our public spaces, how do we engage this?
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:51:18
  20. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    i think the answer is: we can improve our geek spaces by offering to lift one another up, to demonstrate self-care, and to offer mutual aid.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:52:06
  21. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    @davidahilljr @RyanMacklin There's a gap in that advice, though. We have no good way to say, "hey, can i help you step up yr grooming game?"
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 16:01:05
  22. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    @davidahilljr @RyanMacklin But I think first steps are: love yourself, love yr tribe, offer mutual support, invite others to love thmselves.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 16:01:44
  23. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by remembering to celebrate enthusiasm, even when it's not *our* enthusiasm.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:42:47
  24. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by learning to share without inundating. restraint lets others engage more easily.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:43:42
  25. mcdaldno
    Post-Teen Mcdaldno@mcdaldno
    we can improve our geek cultures by asking questions rather than making judgments (there's no endpoint here. keep asking & learning.)
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 15:44:58

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Post-Teen Mcdaldno

are we going to look like this when we die? will we even care?

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