Geek

Freak (from English freaky, and this from freak, 'strange', 'extravagant', 'outlandish') or geek is a colloquial term used to refer to a person whose hobbies, behavior or clothing are unusual. The set of minority hobbies typical of geeks is called geekism or geek culture.

The group of geeks or followers of geek culture is usually called fandom.

In 2012, the Royal Spanish Academy added the term "geek" in the twenty-third edition of its dictionary, being defined with three meanings, one of which refers to "every person who excessively and obsessively practices a hobby ».

History

In the United States, the term freak was used as a stereotype to refer to people who were distinguished by having some malformation or physical anomaly (bearded women, elephant men or people of excessively tall or short stature) and that were exhibited in circuses between 1840 and the 1970s. An example of this phenomenon, the origin of the term and its meaning, can be seen in the film Freaks, directed by Tod Browning in 1932. Likewise, the Scottish guitarist and singer Mark Knopfler, former leader of Dire Straits, composed a song about this class of characters and their display in the so-called freak shows, entitled Devil Baby. The term was also popularized thanks to the comic The fabulous furry Freak Brothers from the late 1960s. ^{[citation required]}

In the mid-2000s the term began to be used in Spain to refer, albeit in another context, to those characters, such as Carmen de Mairena, Leonardo Dantés or Paco Porras, who with their extravagant behavior achieved fame and became famous. they gained the affection of the public through their numerous appearances on certain television shows.

Over the years, the word was used to refer to people who were classified as extravagant, the product of having at least one extreme or strange obsession with a specific subject, in which they were usually specialists. The classic topics of interest of geeks are characterized by not yet being accepted or well regarded by society, normally considering childish, immature and inappropriate tastes for the subject's age. ^{[citation needed]} These issues are commonly related to the development and manifestation of imagination, creativity and intelligence and are not necessarily related to the level of socio-emotional development of the individual, given that these hobbies can be lived in very different ways and depend on each one. Product of a common interest that arose among a number of people, many of the so-called freaks began to meet in specific groups, which are referred to as freak groups or types. >. ^{[citation required]}

Due to the media, the term freak became known in other languages and, over the years, the word freak evolved into freaki, friki, frikie or frik, in the Spanish language. The term geek does not have a specific translation in English because it is a fusion of several Anglo-Saxon concepts that refer to stereotypes, such as trekkie, geek i>, nerd, filipon, etc. ^{[citation required]}

Currently, especially in the Spanish-speaking world, friki and the meaning given to freak in Spanish have two main meanings: ^{[cita requerida i>]}

• The first use refers to a wider group of people, presenting a meaning different from that of freak. in their original language. In this way, the term Friki or freak. (in Spanish) is used to indicate to a person no longer only if he is obsessed, but is used to indicate to a person or group who is interested in a specific subject, which is commonly dominated or specialised in, and can therefore attract the attention of others. Them Frikis have different degrees of interest on the subject, that is, levels of Frikingthey go from having a simple hobby, to the point of being even a way of life.
• In the second, one Friki is someone who participates more or less in the so-called culture Friki, explained below.

Description

In the geek personality there are different levels of geekism, being the most extreme in which the individual takes their hobby or interest to the point of turning it into a style of life, for being an important part of it.

Normally a geek is interested in computers, electronics, science, mathematics, astronomy, stamp collecting, role-playing games, video games, comics, Japanese animation, movies, books and science fiction, fantasy or horror series. The term can be extended to many hobbies to alternative themes, with specific tastes. The geeks tend to be distinguished because, despite being not very social, they tend to hang out with other people with similar tastes.

The acceptance of the various topics of interest typical of geeks is diverse in society. Thus, some are accepted without problems, but others are not fully accepted, mainly because some hobbies are considered strange or inappropriate for their age. However, it must be taken into account that social acceptance may depend more on the behavior and expression of the hobby, and not necessarily on the hobby itself, since hobbies can be lived in very different ways, depending on each individual. individual.

The geek is also often associated with an introverted character or difficult to relate to people outside his hobby, interest, or the unconventional clothing he may wear. However, these characteristics are based on social prejudices that create a wrong geek stereotype. Thus, currently the term encompasses other characters and groups.

Recently, the word friki or freak has been used in Spanish to talk about people who like movies and TV series with extravagant characters, video games and more. In Spain, geeks are also defined as people with hobbies that, according to society, are not appropriate for their age.

It should be noted that geeks, in English, are known by the term geek (see also geek in Spanish), and the word freak in English is generally applied to people who in Spanish are called "fanatics" (people who are more or less obsessed with one or more issues or themes or who sometimes just want attention, and for this they do things or perform strange actions), who are often called frikis, breaking with the original meaning of the term in the Spanish language. Despite this difference in meaning, it must also be taken into account that the use of the word freak in the Spanish language has become synonymous with friki in its original sense. original in this language, leaving aside its meaning in its language of origin.

Geek Pride Day

In 2006, the blogger Señor Buebo organized the celebration of the first Geek Pride Day over the Internet. The event was well received and, since then, every May 25th, the geeks commemorate the premiere of the feature film Star Wars by George Lucas, coinciding with Towel Day (in honor of Douglas Adams, author of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and with the glorious 25th of May, Day of the rebellion on Treacle Mine Road, a street well known to fans of the Discworld saga, by Terry Pratchett (read Night Watch, published in Spanish as La guardia nocturna). However, some people radically reject the celebration of this day, considering it a celebration that shows the wrong stereotype of geeks.^{[citation required]}

The first day of commemoration was celebrated throughout Spain and on the Internet, after various media outlets, such as the newspapers El País and El Mundo, gave know about the initiative, although the heyday was in the Plaza del Callao in Madrid, where one of the most important scenes of the film The Day of the Bestia by Álex de la Iglesia was recorded, and where a group of people in costumes gathered to celebrate their day, between songs and a human pac-man. In 2008, the celebration reached the United States and Mexico, and in 2009, Canada.

Since 2009, Frikoño, Logroño's Friki Week, is also celebrated, coordinated every year by Tarilonte.