Don't Be a Fake Geek

There is nothing more refreshing in a conversation than an eagerness to engage and a willingness to learn.

One issue that I take with pseudo-intellectuals, hipsters, fake geeks and the like is this haughtiness mixed with half knowledge.

I have a broad range of interests. As such, I know a good bit about those interests, but there are areas where my knowledge is lacking.

What engages me immediately is when I see someone's eyes light up with genuine enthusiasm for a topic they are passionate about. They lean forward, they smile, they engage. Most specifically, on top of sharing knowledge, they will also ask questions.

We all started out as novices. I didn't start drinking beer until I was 27. No really. It's not until the past few years that I really got into learning about craft beers. I'm still learning. I love talking with beer geeks about their favorite beers, learning about knew beer houses that may have just opened or in a territory I'm unfamiliar with.

Nothing makes me want to leave a room faster than when a topic is struck, and someone leans back, smug smile, thinking about how they are going to 'educate' the room with their vast and often haphazard knowledge.

Even if you are an expert, you can share that without being a tool.

If you don't know, don't lie about. The geeks will know. Whether a history geek, philosophy geek, beer geek, comic book geek. And it's not because we're sitting down, writing out lists. It's because you learn about the things that you're passionate about.

So in your passions, be genuine. Love, learn, share, grow.