Guys, guys, guys... we are not cool. Not only do we play RPGs we also post on a geeky website where we discuss geeky games geekily.
...A Whole big paragraph was snipped from here....
....... but please please please never ever try to pretend you are cool.
I have to disagree with most of your post in general. What some people are failingbto recognize is that what used to be cosidered 'geeky' or nard behavior has actually shifted over and becaome a subset of "Cool Behavior" or at least mainstream accepted behavior.
The thought in the thread title or enworld thread is close to 10 to 12 years out of date - the trouble may be that terminology has not caught up yet.
Think about it - "Big Bang Theory" is actually a ratings success. The reason? Most people have some part of those characters as themselves these days. (or thier boyfriend/girlfrien or spouse) The Big Bag characters 20 years ago would have been the 'odd' flavor characters on most sitcoms - now they are the heroes the general public roots for and we enjoy it when Penny starts accidentally absorbing the 'geek culture' references.
World of Warcraft - is a HUGE mainstream hit. Let's admit it , it has become "Cool". That game is basically boiled down D&D on a computer network.
Two years ahgo I went shopping with a female friend (a married friend) to the local HUSTLER store - while talking with the really nice looking sales clerk ...she admitted that she played WoW ...but she was worried poeople would think she was a geek.
See? Secret "Geek Girl" blending in at the adult book store.
Mire recently, this past week I'm shopping at the MEIJER store....
I'm at the counter browsing at a promotional booklet for the newest 'RESIDENT EVIL' game
.(the one with the orange cover and two fighters with rifles) - this guy asks me "You play that game , man?"
ME: "NO, I just liuke the artwork...I was thinking of borrowing for my Roleplaying game. " me pausing "I don't really like video games much"
Let me describe the guy talking to me : Tallish young African-American in an oversize white t-shirt there with his two friends dressed in mostly the same way. All three wearing denim pants and big sneakers/ Gym shoes on. When I say tall - I mean tasller than me....and I'm 6',1". When I told him my group had been 3 girls and 1 girl playing for about four years plus he said "That not that common". Turns out he and 1 of his friends had played D&D before at least 3 or 4 sessions. These guys would never normally fit some people's view of what 'geek' or 'nerd' looks like.
From what I can see I can see in and and around these suburbs - the world of subcultures and what is and is not 'cool' has changed massively, but not everyone has realized it yet.
- Ed C.