Were you guys ever shamed for liking trek or any other nerdy hobbies?

[dcm]

I was.

Scifi, Comic books and anything seen as weak or nerdy, was disparaged in my household and my greater community. Certain things were okay, if you were a kid. But if you read comics or watched cartoons(except south park) past a certain age, you were bullied and relentlessly made fun of. By your peers and your parents.

Star trek especially so, was perceived very negatively. I didn't get into trek until my late teens, because as curious as I was about it. I didn't want to be known as a trekkie. Because the community's reputation well preceded it(I think you all know the people I'm talking about.) I think that star trek shares the same problem as the sonic community. A small but very vocal core community creating a bad rep for the rest of the community.

To this day I refuse to call myself a trekkie. Because, I'm a very casual fan. And there is still a negative stigma surrounding the trek community(At least where I'm from.)

I do have some nerdy interests. But I cant really get into them because I feel shame for liking them. And tbh I feel embarrassed for being associated with the more hardcore elements of the fanbase. Their obsessive nature kinda freaks me out.

 

[Markonian]

No pressure. You enjoy what you enjoy.
Had to keep my affection for Star Trek a secret back in the days of living in rural Germany. But my friends learned of it and it was one of the things they could tease me about for being “weird”.

It was only in my 30s, in England, that I encountered common folk in person for whom an interest in Star Trek is as acceptable as any other TV show.

The arrival of the Internet has made things easier.

 

[dcm]

No pressure. You enjoy what you enjoy.
Had to keep my affection for Star Trek a secret back in the days of living in rural Germany. But my friends learned of it and it was one of the things they could tease me about for being “weird”.

This is why I still my keep my interest in trek and other nerdy hobbies a secret. Because if the wrong people knew, I liked what I liked. I'd be a laughing stock.

It was only in my 30s, in England, that I encountered common folk in person for whom an interest in Star Trek is as acceptable as any other TV show.

I live in a new city. And yes, nerdy hobbies are more tolerated and accepted. I have a hard time associating with those who share my interests. Because I'm embarrassed to be around them.

The arrival of the Internet has made things easier.

Yes and No. It's made it much easier for me to indulge in my nerdy hobbies. But it's also given the rest of the world a better window into the more unsavory aspects of nerd culture. Things that were kept hush-hush long ago are now being spoken about openly. And it's kinda disturbing to the masses. Erotic fan fiction anyone?

 

[Tosk]

For sure.
The worst was an early teenager when you're just expected to "grow out" of the stuff you liked.
But I was never overly concerned with concealing it, with the possible exception of if it was a girl I liked.
Pretending to be into other stuff just seemed exhausting.
By the time I was in my 20s I was fully in the "I don't give a fuck what someone else thinks of me" phase, and I'm still there now decades later.
If they have a big problem with what I'm into, I don't care to know them anyway so it's equally beneficial.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

I guess I'm lucky, I grew up in a more recent era where nerdy hobbies are more acceptable / tolerated.

 

[Markonian]

I guess I'm lucky, I grew up in a more recent era where nerdy hobbies are more acceptable / tolerated.

I think Big Bang Theory (Sheldon Cooper show), regardless of its other shortcomings, established being a nerd or geek as socially acceptable in the early 21st century.

 

[Jedi Marso]

Growing up in the 70's and 80's?

All the time.

And I still wouldn't trade it for the mess today's society has become.

 

[Unicron]

Since this is not really a Trek Tech-specific topic, I'm going to move it to General Trek Discussion.

 

[Henoch]

I'm still a little embarrassed that I'm a trekkie and collected comics starting ~50 years ago, and I've been playing D&D now for 45 years. I feel better now with the social popularity of the Star Trek franchise, Marvel/DC Superhero Movies and D&D 5e.

 

[Vger23]

Yes and no.

I was lucky enough to be very well-rounded (good academically, socially, athletic, outdoorsy, and also nerdy) when I was a kid. So even though everyone knew I loved Star Trek, it wasn't my defining characteristic. Also, I had a number of friends who also liked Trek, and that made it easy.

But, there was always someone who would try and use that against me. It never worked much, though, because I didn't give a shit.

 

[fireproof78]

Yes.

Especially for liking TOS when my Trek friends preferred TNG, DS9 or VOY.

The older I get the less of a shit I give. People don't care about my opinions; why should I care about their's?

 

[1001001]

Anyone gave me shit for being a Trekkie I gave them the ol’ Vulcan Nerve Pinch.

That shut them right the hell up.

 

[Captain Jollydark]

And tbh I feel embarrassed for being associated with the more hardcore elements of the fanbase. Their obsessive nature kinda freaks me out.

I went to a SF convention in Santa Fe 1977 in the hopes of meeting SF writers because I was an aspiring writer. (I met Ted Sturgeon!) I also met a woman dressed as Spock who remained in character throughout the three days, even when ordering breakfast in the hotel restaurant. I was mortified. Honestly. I loved Star Trek. Star Trek was the reason I started reading and writing science fiction. But I just couldn't reconcile that level of commitment (or delusion).

Now I think it's charming and it makes me happy I'm not alone in my love of all things Trek. (Except for some of the nonsense on these forums.)

 

[at Quark's]

Most of my close family likes and watches Trek - multiple series

But they still consider posting on a Star Trek forum (such as this one) 'nerdy'.

The older I get the less of a shit I give. People don't care about my opinions; why should I care about their's?

The older I get, the more I try to care for people but not their opinions. Not always easy, though.

 

[HotRod]

Growing up in semi rural Ontario, I can safely say that I was indeed shamed for liking Trek, Sci-fi, monster movies, etc.

I was always a big Godzilla fan and somehow, some older kids got wind of this and started calling me "Rodzilla." Being a somewhat larger kid, but thankfully tall for my age, this was not a term of endearment.

Getting older didn't make things much easier. It being somewhat of a "hickish" environment, if you weren't into "muddin," excessive drinking, hockey, or snowmobiling, you were automatically called an "f word" that I will not repeat in good company.

My one saving grace was that I was into cars and Hot Rods and such, so that was my "in" with my friend group.

Over the years, I slowly was able to be more of myself around them and even convert a few of them into fans of the stuff I love.

As soon as I was able to drive, I made for the city at every available opportunity, where I was able to visit comic book and hobby shops and actually connect with those who shared my passions.

I look back on those days in the 90's and I'm grateful I'm able to raise my son in an environment where people are far more accepting, regardless of what they like.

 

[fireproof78]

The older I get, the more I try to care for people but not their opinions. Not always easy, though.

I don't mind caring for people because people usually are in need of that, having been wounded at some point in the past. I get that. But opinions? Yeah, I give less care to that. I am more interest in the person behind the opinion but that is difficult to do in an online environment.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

I'm still a little embarrassed that I'm a trekkie and collected comics starting ~50 years ago, and I've been playing D&D now for 45 years. I feel better now with the social popularity of the Star Trek franchise, Marvel/DC Superhero Movies and D&D 5e.

IMO, D&D 3rd & 4th Edition seems better written than D&D 5th Edition for the base rule book.

 

[Jedi Marso]

IMO, D&D 3rd & 4th Edition seems better written than D&D 5th Edition for the base rule book.

You know what I discovered recently and bought the core books for, was Castles and Crusades. Gygax worked on it after being forced out of TSR and it is basically a logically, well-written system that bridges 2E and 3E D&D. People say it's what 3E would have been if Gygax had stayed on. I haven't had a chance to run it yet but I really like what I've read in the rulebooks. And it's easily backwards compatible with 1E/2E.

 

[Oddish]

Most of the people I associate with are either kids on my bus or fellow fandom geeks. So, not much trouble.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

You know what I discovered recently and bought the core books for, was Castles and Crusades. Gygax worked on it after being forced out of TSR and it is basically a logically, well-written system that bridges 2E and 3E D&D. People say it's what 3E would have been if Gygax had stayed on. I haven't had a chance to run it yet but I really like what I've read in the rulebooks. And it's easily backwards compatible with 1E/2E.

Speaking of TSR:

Spoiler: Extra Credits - The History of D&D Hasbro Refused to Learn From

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A nice summation of D&D's long history with Legal Battles & Quandries including what happened recently .