Is a geek a type of gamer, or a gamer a type of geek? What do you think?

[ideus]

 

[swagpiratex]

Gamers are subset of geeks, but require a specific subset of traits.

[SmallFry]

Gamers are subset of geeks, but require a specific subset of traits.

Eh... ever played on Xbox live with any super good 5 year olds? "I can hax da Xbox into PS5 pm me 1600 M$ poinzt!" No geek there whatsoever. Heh.

[noisyturtle]

Geeks are cool and useful nerds. A gamer is a subset of geekdom. Not everyone who plays games is a gamer, not everyone who wears glasses and watches Avengers is a geek.

[ideus]

Gamers are subset of geeks, but require a specific subset of traits.

What traits?

[ideus]

Geeks are cool and useful nerds. A gamer is a subset of geekdom. Not everyone who plays games is a gamer, not everyone who wears glasses and watches Avengers is a geek.

And what if I do both?

[hashbaz]

If you're charting a hierarchy of hobbies or personality types or whatever, gamers and geeks are not necessarily related classes at all.  Many people are both gamers and geeks, but there are non-geek gamers and non-gamer geeks.

[tp4tissue]

Geek really just translate to someone who puts a disproportionate amount of free time or resources into a hobby..

Key trait, is neglect of other higher return opportunities..

[sth]

you are a geek

[Hak Foo]

They overlap but are not a subset-superset relationship either way.

[ideus]

If you're charting a hierarchy of hobbies or personality types or whatever, gamers and geeks are not necessarily related classes at all.  Many people are both gamers and geeks, but there are non-geek gamers and non-gamer geeks.

I am not trying to define either one, just wanted to open a discussion on an old cliche we are kind of part of because of this board and our interests.

[ideus]

They overlap but are not a subset-superset relationship either way.

I agree

[Lanx]

we all know that the term geek comes from the circus/sideshow profession? basically geek - odd/different.

but no, in this "time" i separate geek and gamer entirely.

before when there was no internet and all we had was a neighborhood of friends and a board game, sure geek and gamer, especially when you programmed your own game from computing mags and their code? but now with a xbox in every house, no i cannot say a geek is a subset of a gamer they are totally different.

you really cannot call a rhoid rage call of duty jock a geek, i mean really? but you can call him a gamer.

[JoeC]

I guess a gamer can be a geek, and a geek can be a gamer.  But one does not necessarily qualify as the other, except purely by the supposed association, which is just stereotyping.  So, I say not either way is correct.  Games and the people that play them, not to mention society's views on the definition of 'games', have changed so much that I believe the terms 'gamer' and 'geek' have gone so far as to not even associate one with the other automatically.

(Edit for clarity and spelling.)

[Grim Fandango]

I think they are two very separate things. But of course, gamers can be geeks. Most of the people I know that I consider geeks ( in a good way) are actually not gamers.