Jimquisition: Fake Nerd Girls

[Jimothy Sterling]

Yes, and likely that is what many of the complainers already mean, when they comment that "Lol, that ad just pulled a Fake Nerd Girl", or "that actress is just played up for Fake Nerd Girl appeal".

But your video just covered the worst possible conclusions of why one might use the phrase, while associating them with everyone else as well. That the very idea is inherently stupid, and everyone should feel bad about themselves for considering to bring it up.

Shaming everyone who might use a phrase or discuss a trend, rather than the people who misuse it.

It's a horrible term regardless, that puts the focus of the blame on the women themselves. And the stuff I've seen hasn't been about this manipulation, it's attacked hard working people, and just women in general -- usually just *concepts* of them, with nobody singled out as an actual basis.

I honestly wonder if half the outrage has just been contrived from smoke.

 

[jmarquiso]

It's not my responsibility to educate people in being interested in something, especially if they already pretend to know about it. I will gladly play with anyone who asks and answer any question they might have, provided I can answer it.
But I'm not going to justify bad behaviour by condoning it. It may not be enlightened, but it's certainly not elitist, unlike the statement you made.

I can understand that. Though I don't think "bad behavior" is dressing like cool video game characters that they appreciate the design of. This is possibly the most that they have done, and they get chastised for it.

There is no bad behavior here at all.

Remember, even Felicia Day was recently called out on this (by a Destructoid contributor no less), a woman who built her entire career and production company around a show based on an MMO guild. She was asked to produce her "credentials" so to speak. Whereas Jim, Angry Joe, Total Biscuit have never been asked.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

This is indeed ridiculous. All I'd want out of a girl is the sense that she respects the hobby and industry. I wouldn't care if she couldn't name all the Pokémon in a row or break down the Indoctrination Theory for me - all I'd want is her being able to have a sit-down, grab a controller with me, and have some fun for an hour or two.

That's it. I'd even take a girl who prefers casual gaming, because there would still be common topics we could approach.

To all those who really obsess over this, I'd like to ask if that really changes anything. More to the point, how does knowing all the Pokémon by heart or hundred-percenting Skyrim qualify as a worthwhile accomplishment? In the meantime, people are writing novels, composing music, putting businesses together or creating other art forms. You're just checking items off a list in an admittedly fancy manner.

I mean, I'm a gamer. I'm aware that I derive pleasure out of things a lot of other people consider to be pointless. I'm just not going to argue that MY self-indulgent pointlessness is in any way better than a woman's just because I'm slightly closer to the so-called hardcore demographic.

 

[Taunta]

Repeating Jim's comments: is this a thing, Internet? Really?

Yes, I would like to get that question answered too. Is this something you see done a lot? Because I certainly haven't.

OT, even if it was a thing, like Jim said, what of it? It's not hurting anyone, at least not now, nor is it enforcing any stereotypes, except of those of alone angry gamers who don't like social interaction with other gender.

Yes, I've seen it tons of times before. Example 1- girl on the bus shows off Pikachu t-shirt, can't name one main character from the show or another one of them.
Example 2- girl pretending to play DS, turns out she's just scrolling around in the menu. Original DS, mind.
Example 3- girl flaunting her knowledge of video games, lists Farmville, Cityville, Call of Duty, and Pet Society. She can't think of any more.
Example 4- girl saying that she loves video games, can't name a single console other than PS3.
I have tons more of these experiences. I don't get bothered by it, but I know someone who is, and I need to show him this ASAP.
Just listing some examples because it really does fucking happen, people

1- Maybe she just thinks Pikachu is cute. Last time I checked, there was no "must know source material" requirement for t-shirts.
2 - Maybe she was legitimately scrolling through the menu trying to do something, or idling around while she was trying to figure out what to play.
3 - Those are all video games. My "Fucking casuals" mindset alarm is going off.
4 - She got tested on video game consoles, she named a console. I don't see the problem here. Do you need to be able to name a certain number of consoles to be considered a "real girl gamer"?

The problem is, what are people gonna do about it? Why do girls 1,3, and 4 need to be tested in the first place?

OT: Because the point of the video is this leads to some sort of witch hunt which only affects women, which is fucking stupid. If you're a man, and you say you play video games, people take you at face value. If you're a woman, you have to prove that you have a right to exist. What are the requirements for being a "genuine" gamer girl? Do you have to own X number of video games? Must have a certain level of unattractiveness? Must play X Y Z genres?

I'm sorry, I must have missed the part where we went back to third grade. When did trying to share someone's interest in order to get their attention become a bad thing? When did video games become a secret elitist club? Why, instead of being excited that they're interested, and showing them more, is the response "EWWW, GIRLS ARE ICKY"?

 

[Ashoten]

Seriously Jim? Fuck you on this one. This a far more complex issue of social interaction that relates to all male/female interaction(Including transgender and homosexuals of course) and not just gamers in particular. Why do think those movies about 3 buddies that get broken up by a random set of breasts appearing keep getting made?

A lot of male nerds have toiled to establish the nerd culture(just as you said) specifically or indirectly because they didn't have female companionship to distract them. So now that The nerd culture is bigger and more acceptable it is only natural for old timers to be suspicious of any new comers. The poser knows no gender but in my own credulity I have witnessed what happens when a random poser usually a girl enters the scene.
Groups break up,feeling are hurt, and friends no longer speak to each other. Maybe this isn't the girls fault maybe the guys in the group let their testosterone take control. I have had legitimate nerd girls in my circles of friends and it was cool but the painful times when things went bad are the ones that stick out in our memories.

What you are seeing is real concern and fear that is always exhibited when previously unknowns are introduced. Interactions between men and women are real chemical reactions because they are different in some very distinctive biological ways. Of course since I am a Fat chud white heterosexual male neck beard in his early 30's you can dismiss my opinion as short sighted egotistical rantings.

And for the record men don't get off judgement free Jim. You always have to worry about weather you are perceived as an alpha who leads or a beta who follows or risk being outcast because you don't have a defined role.

 

[Cecilthedarkknight_234]

I only have one thing to say, Olivia munn.

 

[ShadowKirby]

Lots of fake geek guys around here, yup.

 

[getoffmycloud]

The only issue I can think off is these people is they do exist are likely to be the same kind of people who 10 years ago would have bullied someone for liking games so I can see the problem there.

People who at one point would not like a thing, than ten years later do? That's what people call progress.

Sorry I didn't mean the exact same people but the same groups of people who only like something because it's popular and gets them attention.

So you're saying that something that wasn't popular 10 years ago, but is now, is a bad thing?

You realize that what this means is that the people bullying outliers for beginning to like games now are treating them the way gamers were treated 10 years ago, too, right?

No I am not saying that games being popular now is bad I think its awesome I am saying that these people aren't interested in games they are just pretending to be to get the attention.

Basically my issue is that a person like that is pretending to be someone there not just to try and look cool and that annoys me.

 

[Callate]

Well, the episode definitely made me laugh. Partly because being happily married is a nice, safe vantage point from which to be snide about the foibles of younger, single people.

With the awareness of this rather undeserved sense of being above it all and that I'm probably making gigantic generalizations, I can't help but wonder if some men are "up in arms" because the promise of a "gamer girl" to them is of someone they can just talk about all their geekier fixations with who will also gratify them romantically (if not just sexually) without having to go through all that hard work of showing interest in their life and being sweet and so on. Ah ha! It's the long awaited short-cut to "being in a relationship" for socially awkward men! Victoly!

...Except it's not! These women still want you to show interest in non-game interests and be nice to them! BETRAYAL! They aren't what was promised at all!

Okay, I recognize that's very snide and cynical. And others have raised a valid point that whether you're selling beer or video games, no one likes feeling they're being yanked around by their vulnerabilities. Still, I can't help but wonder if there isn't a subset for which the above description isn't fairly accurate.

 

[stonemaskstoryteller]

It's a little up-your-own-arse to assume that anyone who pretends to be nerdy, for whatever reason, is 'unworthy' to do so. That attitude just makes us sound snooty and elitist.
Besides, if people really want to spend their lives only 'pretending' to like something, then that's fine! I don't care, i've got my own life to deal with as do most people...i hope?
Personally, I find it great that even people who have never played a game in their life still find it worth their time to talk about freely.

Wether they truly like it or not, just decided how much of that time they're wasting. =/

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

There are lots of reasons. First off, being a nerd isn't bad at all. There's a huge community surrounding games, comics and themes, such as steampunk. It's easy to feel welcome there, to share thoughts while feeling comfortable and not being judged for them.
It's a safe zone and since we're highly social creatures, seeing a group calmly enjoying themselves seems appealing.

... and the harm in that is what? Isn't that exactly why all the male gamers are there - a safe environment to enjoy their interests?

And yes, nerds have a community. They've had one for years. That didn't/doesn't make Star Trek conventions any more accepted.

Insecurity is another reason. If they don't feel they fit in anywhere, they'll pretend to be interested, just to be around people.
Attention is another reason, since "nerds" are easy people to manipulate and cheat, because they're inherently open people and don't have the experience to tell the difference between a good and a bad match - because boobs.

I call bullshit.

There are easier communities to fake one's way into. Sports for one. Jocks don't care if you can't name the whole team roster so long as you wear the proper t-shirt and watch the game with them.

And you know what - I find sports DULL. Boring. I don't want to be part of that community - I want to be part of a community that shares my interests.

I was president of my college anime club (undergrad) and was in gaming clubs through both undergrad and gradschool. I have never seen any woman fake being a fan to get things from the men involved.

I have seen women fake being interested in a given guy to get things. I've seen that a lot. It didn't matter if the guy was in anime club or not. I've even seen a girl who was in the anime club string along people who weren't in the club, getting them to come to the club and turning them INTO anime fans while she sucked the money from their pockets.

So yeah, so far as I can tell, the "pretending to be into gaming to steal money from male gamers" is a lie. There are easier ways to do that.

However, it is possible that a female gamer might ALSO be a monetary predator. That's fine. It doesn't make the girl any less a gamer. It just makes her a gamer AND a manipulative *****.

 

[MrBaskerville]

I think I need to watch the first half again. I got distracted by that frankly baffling game footage with the chunky people running through walls...

Why haven´t you bought the game of the generation yet? Get out there, get a wii and download Muscle March dammit! it´s worth very penny!

Actually, seriously... the game is really fun .

 

[irmasterlol]

We're not pissed at the concept of the fake gamer girl. We're pissed at the attention whores and the posers. I look at them the same way I look at the guy who buys all the most expensive snowboarding gear and always talks about how he can't wait for the season to start, but can't ride worth a hot, steamy shit. Or the Tae-kwon-do white belt who insists he super deadly because he learned how to do some forms and punch the air, but can't fight his way out of a paper bag.

I think the poser lady nerds may get it worse because people get their hopes up. "What's this?" we say, "A lovely lady who shares my interests and with whom I can discuss them on an intellectually engaging level? Indeed, this must be true love. I think I shall ask her opinion on this related issue about which she must be informed if she loves anything geek-related... oh she doesn't know. Well maybe she knows about this other nerd thing? Nope? Well fuck dat noise, G, homie don't play dat. Homie's an OG and don't tolerate dat posah shit." (I assume everyone starts speaking jive when they're upset, but it could just be me.)

 

[Dire Sloth]

Poor Jim. You look like you could use a hug. And caffeine.

Thank you for calling the guys out on their calling the girls out. I work in a video game store, and on more than one occasion I've actually had some guys go as far as to ask me, "Why do you even work here?" Once I answered the phone and on the other end there's a guy asking if he could speak with a MAN on duty. Who does that???

I've only ever met one "poser" girl, and it was the other day working at my second job - clothes and swag and shit. She was buying a butt-load of Batman gear. I asked he if she liked the last movie, and she told me, "I've never seen the movies. I don't read the books either. Or play the games. I just really like Batman." It was kiiind of annoying, but hey. In her defense, Batman does have some pretty sweet swag.

 

[Taunta]

Okay, I recognize that's very snide and cynical. And others have raised a valid point that whether you're selling beer or video games, no one likes feeling they're being yanked around by their vulnerabilities. Still, I can't help but wonder if there isn't a subset for which the above description isn't fairly accurate.

But taking that to its logical conclusion, it gets very conspiracy theorist. "Fake girl gamers" are all evil, cruel women who just want to use your interests to manipulate you into getting attention from them! THE HORROR, THE HORROR!

...When in reality, these "fake girl gamers" are either a) Not "fake" or b) not very knowledgeable about the subject, but are interested. That should be an opportunity to teach them, not to shun them out of your secret club.

 

[Sylveria]

So a few weeks ago Jim was decrying the occupation of Booth Babe... and today he's defending what is essentially the same thing, just less likely to be pulling a pay-check for it?

I'm growing increasingly concerned about the mind-set of gamers. First you have people like Movie Bob actively bashing on fan-service in games and basically saying have any even remotely attractive women in a game is either misogynistic or exploitative and stupid stuff like that.

Then, you have expos banning both babes because having attractive women around apparently drives all the men in to a rapacious frenzy and makes all the other women self-conscious and people seem to be okay that we've basically said that this form of modeling or advertising is wrong.. but only for games.

Now there's a problem with attractive girls who may have a passing interest in games or enjoy aspects of gaming but not the actual act and this offends the guys?

Okay, boys and girls, especially boys.. I know there's a lot of self-hate and masochistic tendencies among gamers, especially if you're in your 20s or older now and you had to suffer through the dark days before Halo came out and the "cool kids" played video games to, but this is getting pretty sad. There's girls out there who at least have some interest in your hobby. They may not play WoW 18hrs a day like you do, but they're not looking at you as the Cheeto encrusted blob they would have even 5 years ago. How about instead of kicking them in the shins and pushing them in the mud, you get a hair cut, take a shower, put on some CLEAN clothes, and say hello.

When you do stuff like bash on attractive characters in games and attractive women at cons or just showing interest in something video-game related.. frankly.. it makes you look like you hate women.. or you're gay.

 

[jmarquiso]

No I am not saying that games being popular now is bad I think its awesome I am saying that these people aren't interested in games they are just pretending to be to get the attention.

Basically my issue is that a person like that is pretending to be someone there not just to try and look cool and that annoys me.

The price of something being cool, is that a lot of people is going to pretend to know about it. This happened with alternative rock, with hippies, beatniks, even impressionists. It isn't and won't be anything new.

Guess what? Games are popular now. This is a good thing. People are going to try to get into the in crowd, and you know what - that also means they may even be interested enough to join in!

I remember being looked down upon for gaming. I also remember being looked down upon by gamers since I couldn't afford the latest system or game. I've had a friend who was almost jailed committing credit card fraud to have the latest and greatest hardware. That's an extreme example, sure, but it was that kind of elitist attitude that inspired people to go that far. Especially now that I'm an adult, the attitude looks stupid all around and I refuse to repeat the cycle.

Someone goes to a convention dressed in a costume. Big fucking deal. I don't understand it taken as a personal affront as much as people do. If you don't like it, ignore it. If you feel they don't know enough, be there to educate and answer questions about the hobby you take so much ownership of.

 

[Mordekaien]

Repeating Jim's comments: is this a thing, Internet? Really?

Yes, I would like to get that question answered too. Is this something you see done a lot? Because I certainly haven't.

OT, even if it was a thing, like Jim said, what of it? It's not hurting anyone, at least not now, nor is it enforcing any stereotypes, except of those of alone angry gamers who don't like social interaction with other gender.

Yes, I've seen it tons of times before. Example 1- girl on the bus shows off Pikachu t-shirt, can't name one main character from the show or another one of them.
Example 2- girl pretending to play DS, turns out she's just scrolling around in the menu. Original DS, mind.
Example 3- girl flaunting her knowledge of video games, lists Farmville, Cityville, Call of Duty, and Pet Society. She can't think of any more.
Example 4- girl saying that she loves video games, can't name a single console other than PS3.
I have tons more of these experiences. I don't get bothered by it, but I know someone who is, and I need to show him this ASAP.
Just listing some examples because it really does fucking happen, people

I still fail to see what is wrong with it. I mean, I used to wear sports T-shirts, yet I don't follow any of the mainstream sports (hockey, soccer) and everything was OK.
The only one who gets away from your examples as the dumb one is the girl in question.
Also, keep in mind that not everyone has to know every game, console and everything around gaming culture to be considered gamer. Hell, by those standarts, I can't be the part of video game community too. (That is specially true for your 3rd and 4th example)

 

[MonkeyPunch]

I found the start to be hilarious actually. The part where he pulls out the cheese really had me laughing, turning in to a roar when some black thingymajig was stuck to it.

Also Jim, check a few links on that fake nerd girl thing. I read a lot of ladies getting pissed out about it. Maybe fewer than the lads (mainly because there still are fewer gals in gaming than lads) but the ladies were a lot more vocal and angry about it than the blokes.
Maybe it's because some female gamers feel that at least they had the nerd thing to gain them more attention and to set them apart from the typical hot chick and now some of those fit lasses are encroaching on that territory too!