Observations of the Subcultural Tribe known as Gamergeeks

In the vast brick jungles of Broome Community College, there are many tribes to witness. The Gamergeek tribe resides in the mysterious Quad Temple, and I have watched them many times. Some members I am familiar with and know on a first name basis; some I recognize by face and not by name. I did not think they would mind being the subject of a social experiment, but of course, the true observer never affects what they are observing. She simply watches and waits. So, for two days in between classes, that is what I did.

The Gamergeek tribe often interacts socially with the Animegeek or Otaku tribe, known for their bright clothing and constant watching of parodies of Japanese cartoons on Youtube. Many lasting treaties have been formed, although an occasional troll may attempt to warmonger. Trolls are a strange phenomenon in the geek society, alternatively hated and revered. It depends on who you talk to. Trolls are members in the society who, with full aforethought and purpose, attempt to anger other members of the tribe. More often than not, the troll will utilize the most obvious way to antagonize a fellow Geek- telling sexist jokes around the hardcore feminist members, for example. For the most part, trolls practice their trade on the electronic gatherings known as “messageboards,” but recently some “real-life trolls” have been placing inflammatory posters on the cork boards which decorate the temple and serve as bringers of announcements. Their purpose is to create “lulz,” which is essentially laughter at the victim's expense. The more furious a Geek's reaction, the happier the Troll will be. They are revered for their courage and cojones, and hated for the way they hijack conversations and never stop bothering people.

Occasionally, one of the Gamergeeks will look up from his or her computer and sadly say, “I lost the game.” This begins a strange conversational ritual. Many of the Gamergeeks will groan and show frustration. Someone else will yell, “The bird is mine!” and sometimes yet another Geek will reply, “Hijack!” This unusual verbal banter will happen several times a day, but no more than once every half hour or so. The Game is an absurdist pastime. Really, it has no point other than amusement. The point of the Game is to not think about it. At all. When you think about the Game, you've lost it, and must announce that you have lost the Game. This will start a chain of other people losing the Game, but you're saved from losing the Game if you claim the Bird. This is done by claiming it verbally, e.g., “The bird is mine!” However, a knowledgeable Geek can take the Bird and its safety from you, simply by saying the word “hijack.” Then the Game starts over again, but no one says anything more about it to avoid more losses. The Bird can only be claimed every half hour, so the claimant (or hijacker) is safe from losing the Game only for that period of time. There is no such thing as winning the Game, because as soon as you wonder if you've won it, you've lost.

The Gamergeek society is a very open one. Members come and go, food is shared, as are both laughter and lulz. People of any race, creed, sexual tendency, and gender are welcome in the society, provided they have a love of electronic entertainment and a sense of humor. Members are very likely to complement each other's fashion sense. Most of the members wear black garments, or t-shirts with sarcastic slogans on them. Almost everyone wears jeans and sneakers. Some distinctive personalities shine through, though, usually through interesting hats. I think the worlds would be a better place if the Gamergeek society were adapted into the mainstream, for in it, no one takes an offense seriously. Even the Trolls, after the desired reaction is obtained, go back to cooperating in peace as if nothing ever happened. If the world could learn not to feed the trolls (overreact), we could probably avoid war and conflict.