So what's the big deal about Geek Toys,
Geek Games,
Geek Gadgets.. ..
.. Geek Anything ???

Geek geek geek ..!!! What does it all mean, anyway???

"What is a geek?" you ask. And more to the point, are geeks worth making such a fuss about??

History of the word "GEEK" -:

The term "Geek" historically referred to a carnival performer -- a wild man whose act usually included the chasing-down and biting-off the heads of live chickens to the amusement, derision, disgust, and reemergent amusement of audiences.

Such "Geek Shows" were a common attraction in the travelling circuses of early America and were often used as a lead-in to "Freak Shows", which in turn featured rarities of nature, such as heavily-deformed midgets, fire-eating and sword-swallowing acts, bearded ladies and other such attractions.

The word "Geek" by itself used to be simply defined as "a fool" or "a freak". The word traces etymological roots to the English, German, and Dutch languages.

The Geek of Today -:

In modern parlance, the use of the word "Geek" has become interchangeable with "Nerd" or "Dork" -- the common elements among all three seeming to be that they all refer to a bright young man who is grossly introverted, lacking any modicum of social skills, and more interested in developing an affinity for alternate realities (such as in fantasy, science fiction, movies or video games) than in developing any practical aptitude in social graces to fit in with the broad mass of his peers.

Most geeks today also tend to be obscenely knowledgeable in at least one field of study, pursuit or hobby. It should come as no surprise that the typical geek can manage intermediate algebra in his head, work out chemical equations while doing the Sunday crossword puzzle, and know the names of all Star Trek characters and actors -- from all incarnations in TV and the movies! -- and even know the politics and timeline of the Star Trek universe.

From the historical context to the modern incarnation of the geek, the one common theme seems to be that they remain to be the object of amusement, derision, disgust, and reemergent amusement of people who come to know them -- like the classroom nerd who eventually tutors the star athlete and helps secure an interschool championship, or the class dork who comes up with internet encryption methods that allow electronic-banking that is convenient and secure, or the obsessed outcast who championed Computer Graphics technology which makes today's blockbuster movies possible.

The Geek of Tomorrow -:

Now that we are in the 3rd millenium AD and some 3 decades into the advent of the information age, much time has passed to allow the Geek to outgrow the stigma of Society's Outcast. Indeed, the Geek is becoming more and more a figure that inspires our imagination. May the years ahead see the Geek provide us with more convenience and prosperity from his innovations -- applying the Science in what we know, to accomplish what we currently dismiss as contemporary Fiction.