[NeonAges]

The time has now come to be that the harassed are loved, but it isn't the way that it was expected to happen. Over the last few years anti-cool has become an escalating trend. This was a subtle and passive method of rebellion for some, as they all tried so hard to deperately proclaim themselves as "Unique". Many came to the realization that the ultimate way of standing out, is to not fit in (What a concept!). So it is thus that they have looked to geeks for inspiration.
The problem with emulating geeks to stand out is that, well, geeks really DO fit in, just not with the "Cool" crowd. Within these crowds, technological and intellectual prowess will raise your social standing and as these skills become more and more prominent, geeks all over have started to break the stereotyped mold of "Dorky kid with huge glasses and a social and speech impediment". Parallel to this development, you have the people that adamantly despise the Norm. Their perceptions are skewed, though, as they somehow came to decide that this subculture of "Geek" is the culture they want to emulate.

They decide to label themselves as Geeks and Losers so that they can say "Oh look at me, I'm not like you sheep that all follow your trends and labels, oh look at me being so very Unique and Independent upon your trivial societal groupings and cliques!"
They naively put a label upon themselves and declare that label as their own, so that they may parade around proclaiming how much better they are than all the "Sheep" that they hate so much. Thus, they undermine the whole basis of the subculture, and actually TRY to fit into something, which is the exact lifestyle they're trying to flee!
"So if that's not right, then what IS the Geek subculture supposed to be?"

Hell, I'm not one that should be able to answer that, because each network of Geeks has a different workings and social hierarchy. Generally, it's all just a group of friends who happen to be able to talk about the same subjects, whether it be Games, Computers, or even Art. There really is no -belonging- to the entire subculture of Geeks. If it must be defined though, I personally would find that "A societal network that bond and connect through interest in similar subject, usually technological in function."

So if I'm not defining Geeks as a stereotypical "Jocks/Nerds" progression, then what's the problem of pretentious geek-i-tude? Well, it's really just a matter of defending a namesake. Geek isn't supposed to be the label that many people are trying to put on anymore, as people have all moved beyond that. The namesake has advanced in such ways that many aspects of geekdom have become mainstream.

We have, firstly, the Video Game Geek. Games have become such a mainstream hobby that many, many more people can accurately be called geeks than just a few years prior. This has created a sort of inflation on the severity of the term geek, because if the general definition of "Anyone that plays Video Games" holds true, then the impact or, I guess, worth of the title of Geek has been undermined. This, as a natural course of progression, has been argued by many to change, as Geek is now not only determined by the hobby of Video Games, but how much dedication is put into gaming to differentiate from the "l4merz"
This subculture has bloomed in huge ways that there is even a dialect developed that is spoken by those who truly try too hard to hold on to the title of Geek. This blossomed mainly on the hometurf of the truly dedicated geeks, the internet. (As a sidenote, anyone reading this is probably atleast familiarized in this, so it's not really an eye-opener)
This subculture has now started to become exploited as the gaming industry has been so successful. Companies everywhere are now marketting that it is truly cool to be playing their games and that everyone should buy them, because being a gaming geek is where it's at today. This has been happening for a few years now and a line is finally being drawn between Geek and Not. It is by no doing of any individual, or even a group of individuals, but just purely by human nature's need to hold on to what they have originally and protecting it from becoming someone else's.

While Gamers have been experiencing that, another subculture of Geeks are only starting to feel the experience of Mainstreaming.
Comic Book Geeks.
Oh everyone loves to make fun of Comic Book Geeks. The fabled ones who live in their parents' basements. Those who will not have successful lovelives. Those who are chunky.
For long have they been treated thus and I'd expect that this will continue, if only for those who hold true to their roots.
But even this species of Geek is in danger of Mainstreaming. Why? It is because companies, again, want to exploit all that they can to try and make some almighty bucks. They do this through a venue that has, for a long time, had an established schism that seperated Geek from Not.

Film is a medium that is amazingly versatile in that it bridges the gap between Geek and Not. As there are films that cater to the Film Geek, there are also Movies that cater to the Mainstream. Companies have been using this trait to try and expand their market share by presenting Geek material in a Mainstream form. But while the companies are succeeding, as many Comic Book Movies have had GREAT reception, the Comic Book Geeks are still very much secure. Perhaps this is because the form itself is so geeky in nature that it has natural resistence to Mainstreaming.

So as time has progressed, the Essence of Geek has gone through many changes, from its beginning as a label and stereotype, to its initial Mainstreaming, and finally to its final refinement as the True have differentiated themselves from those pretentious ones.

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