I am still trying to make reading lots of non-fiction books into a cool geeky thing but so far, I have failed. But The Traeger smoker geeks arguing with the Green Egg geeks, yes that is real.
There is a level of “being interesting” at a geek consumer level that isn’t defining, but rather supplemental, and based on real effort of research, experience and practice. I see it as more a manifestation of passionate interest and a desire to share information.
Please never refer to women as "females" again, thanks.
Also, only insecure people give an F about being "interesting." Be you and the genuine will flock to you. Don't put on a show and definitely don't spend money to impress others in the name of "individualism."
No wonder we're all talking about Rene Girard now. Amusingly, I thought that talking about mimetic theory was geekily interesting until I noticed that everyone was on the bandwagon.
Mountain biking and skiing are bad about this. So many different component/gear combinations, rich guy brands vs normie affordable brands, used/older model vs brand new, all sorts of costumes, fashions and anti fashions, core vs weekender, etc.
My role in society is listening to others in order to help them feel interesting. Plenty of people who want to be interesting, not enough people to help them feel interesting. Excess supply, insufficient demand. The demand side is where I can do the most good.
But there are limits. Ultimately the quest for interestingness becomes simply another form of narcissism. In fact, strike the "ultimately" - that's exactly what it is.
An ex-girlfriend used to say that self-obsessed people are the easiest to manipulate. You see what they want, ration it out, and lead them around by the nose.
What’s historically new is the scale of this self-curation behavior, because it’s larger than the population of clinical narcissists...like the aristocrats before them, it’s a lifestyle.
Is this type of status-seeking behavior different from any other time though? Haven’t there always been fashions and trends in consumption?
Or maybe what you’ve identified is a craving for expertise? Maybe everyone wants to be recognized as having special knowledge in something? You opened this essay with a nod to your decades of scholarship in this area, which felt very meta.
I’ve been wondering lately if all this “me, me, me” behavior is a result of growing loneliness? (Another trending topic). I felt sorry for the guy who blurted out that he’s interesting. That sounds to me like someone who is terrified that nobody gives a damn about him and hopes that maybe a new smoker will win him the love and respect that we all need from each other.
I love this article! (I’m coming into it late.) My husband has long gone off on what calls the “substitute personality people”—for example, the guy at work who thinks he’s cool because he’s in a band. Like no, you’re just a dork with a bass guitar. This type of person really doesn’t have much going for him or her, but the fake hobby or interest at least gives the person something to talk about.
My brother and I were talking the other day about how you can’t just have a hobby or interest anymore; you have to be completely obsessed with it—particularly an arcane aspect of it—in order to enter a conversation about it.
You can’t just crochet or play DnD or whatever anymore.
Great article, as always. And for anyone who doubts the logic, just ask them, how many times have you read a book, and NOT told someone about it?
I am still trying to make reading lots of non-fiction books into a cool geeky thing but so far, I have failed. But The Traeger smoker geeks arguing with the Green Egg geeks, yes that is real.
There is a level of “being interesting” at a geek consumer level that isn’t defining, but rather supplemental, and based on real effort of research, experience and practice. I see it as more a manifestation of passionate interest and a desire to share information.
Je suis votre « geek ».
Please never refer to women as "females" again, thanks.
Also, only insecure people give an F about being "interesting." Be you and the genuine will flock to you. Don't put on a show and definitely don't spend money to impress others in the name of "individualism."
No wonder we're all talking about Rene Girard now. Amusingly, I thought that talking about mimetic theory was geekily interesting until I noticed that everyone was on the bandwagon.
Mountain biking and skiing are bad about this. So many different component/gear combinations, rich guy brands vs normie affordable brands, used/older model vs brand new, all sorts of costumes, fashions and anti fashions, core vs weekender, etc.
My role in society is listening to others in order to help them feel interesting. Plenty of people who want to be interesting, not enough people to help them feel interesting. Excess supply, insufficient demand. The demand side is where I can do the most good.
But there are limits. Ultimately the quest for interestingness becomes simply another form of narcissism. In fact, strike the "ultimately" - that's exactly what it is.
An ex-girlfriend used to say that self-obsessed people are the easiest to manipulate. You see what they want, ration it out, and lead them around by the nose.
What’s historically new is the scale of this self-curation behavior, because it’s larger than the population of clinical narcissists...like the aristocrats before them, it’s a lifestyle.
Is this type of status-seeking behavior different from any other time though? Haven’t there always been fashions and trends in consumption?
Or maybe what you’ve identified is a craving for expertise? Maybe everyone wants to be recognized as having special knowledge in something? You opened this essay with a nod to your decades of scholarship in this area, which felt very meta.
I’ve been wondering lately if all this “me, me, me” behavior is a result of growing loneliness? (Another trending topic). I felt sorry for the guy who blurted out that he’s interesting. That sounds to me like someone who is terrified that nobody gives a damn about him and hopes that maybe a new smoker will win him the love and respect that we all need from each other.
I love this article! (I’m coming into it late.) My husband has long gone off on what calls the “substitute personality people”—for example, the guy at work who thinks he’s cool because he’s in a band. Like no, you’re just a dork with a bass guitar. This type of person really doesn’t have much going for him or her, but the fake hobby or interest at least gives the person something to talk about.
My brother and I were talking the other day about how you can’t just have a hobby or interest anymore; you have to be completely obsessed with it—particularly an arcane aspect of it—in order to enter a conversation about it.
You can’t just crochet or play DnD or whatever anymore.
Everyone is Comic Guy from the Simpsons