Unique Together
This week, I have been reflecting on Gen Con. I realize that many readers may not be familiar with this event, now in its 45th year, so here's a little introduction and history. Gen Con began as a smallish gathering of wargame fans in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Less than 100 people participated, playing mostly military miniatures battles and a few other strategy games. This was so much fun and considered such a success that it became an annual event, growing each year to more than 41,000 attendees at its most recent. The convention has moved around a bit over the years, settling in Milwaukee for a time, then moving to Indianapolis a decade ago. (I first went during its Milwaukee years) As it expanded, it became more and more inclusive. Other types of games were represented, role-playing, card games, board games and video games. Related interests like art, film, writing and costumes were welcomed. Events and seminars for all sorts of skills and hobbies were added, both for the gamers and for their non-gaming companions, spouses or children. I met one such non-gaming attendee in the hotel lobby on the final day of the convention last weekend, and she was glowing with excitement over the whole experience. It was her first time at Gen Con, and she was amazed at all the opportunities for creativity and exploration, and at everything the convention offered regardless of your interest in games.
Still, this is a geek con, one of many which focus on varying aspects of geekdom. Now, by "geek", I certainly don't mean to offend. I consider myself part of that tribe, and I know I'm in good company. Nearly all of the truly brilliant people I have known could be considered geeks in some fashion. Most of them have been odd. Most of them have been gamers. A room full of gamers is like a sea of brains who spend their spare time solving imaginary problems and contemplating possibilities. Their minds are almost always switched on, and it's wonderful practice for the real puzzles life tends to hand you. They are like a mass of resourcefulness and creativity just looking for a direction that's interesting enough to hold their attention. But there's no denying geeks think differently. They're interested in different things, and they see the world in different ways than the bulk of the population. Appreciation for that is growing (and it's certainly greater than it was in the convention's early years,) but although geeks are claiming the label with some pride these days, many still feel out-of-step with the world they live in. A geek con, like Gen Con, allows us to feel like we fit in somewhere.
And yet, it also allows us to stand out.
The unique and unusual are celebrated at these kinds of events. Creativity and innovation are king. To say that gamers (or geeks) gather because they are alike is oversimplifying. There are many different shades and many different groups based on the angles of their geekdom. Historical military gamers might shake their heads at the anime crowd. LARPers may not fully get those who want to sit still and paint miniatures. Video game afficionados may not see the elegance of pencil and dice roleplaying. Even within the groups, there are stripes of interest that set the individuals apart. Yet, overall, there is a sense of community. We, who don't always fit in our everyday worlds as well as we might, we who don't even really match each other, can all be unique together. With gamers, it doesn't matter that levels of interest may be different, you still play. You play because that's how games work. And you appreciate the different interests even when they're not your cup of tea because on some level, you can identify with the passion.
Geeks may be treated as outcasts sometimes, and their strangeness may cause others to brand them socially inept, but in this, they are particularly socially wise. Every human being on this planet is unique. We may fool ourselves into feeling alike because our interests or habits are more conventional, but there are always differences. Nobody exactly matches another in passions, talents or experiences. In spite of that, there's no reason to reject what's not enough like you to be comfortable. We can learn to treasure that variety. We can be inclusive and feel our community grow. We can come together where there is sympathy and play a while. We can all be unique together.
Still, this is a geek con, one of many which focus on varying aspects of geekdom. Now, by "geek", I certainly don't mean to offend. I consider myself part of that tribe, and I know I'm in good company. Nearly all of the truly brilliant people I have known could be considered geeks in some fashion. Most of them have been odd. Most of them have been gamers. A room full of gamers is like a sea of brains who spend their spare time solving imaginary problems and contemplating possibilities. Their minds are almost always switched on, and it's wonderful practice for the real puzzles life tends to hand you. They are like a mass of resourcefulness and creativity just looking for a direction that's interesting enough to hold their attention. But there's no denying geeks think differently. They're interested in different things, and they see the world in different ways than the bulk of the population. Appreciation for that is growing (and it's certainly greater than it was in the convention's early years,) but although geeks are claiming the label with some pride these days, many still feel out-of-step with the world they live in. A geek con, like Gen Con, allows us to feel like we fit in somewhere.
And yet, it also allows us to stand out.
The unique and unusual are celebrated at these kinds of events. Creativity and innovation are king. To say that gamers (or geeks) gather because they are alike is oversimplifying. There are many different shades and many different groups based on the angles of their geekdom. Historical military gamers might shake their heads at the anime crowd. LARPers may not fully get those who want to sit still and paint miniatures. Video game afficionados may not see the elegance of pencil and dice roleplaying. Even within the groups, there are stripes of interest that set the individuals apart. Yet, overall, there is a sense of community. We, who don't always fit in our everyday worlds as well as we might, we who don't even really match each other, can all be unique together. With gamers, it doesn't matter that levels of interest may be different, you still play. You play because that's how games work. And you appreciate the different interests even when they're not your cup of tea because on some level, you can identify with the passion.
Geeks may be treated as outcasts sometimes, and their strangeness may cause others to brand them socially inept, but in this, they are particularly socially wise. Every human being on this planet is unique. We may fool ourselves into feeling alike because our interests or habits are more conventional, but there are always differences. Nobody exactly matches another in passions, talents or experiences. In spite of that, there's no reason to reject what's not enough like you to be comfortable. We can learn to treasure that variety. We can be inclusive and feel our community grow. We can come together where there is sympathy and play a while. We can all be unique together.
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