Post #522391 by woofmutt on Tue, Apr 6, 2010 1:51 PM

This was a thread I have been long meaning to return to as Cammo pieces were really well written. At the time of their original posting I hadn't seen the movie (and I hate any comments or insights or blurbs about plots of films or books I plan to see or read) so I didn't read the longer posts on the film. (The film was great.)

My friends (and my dad and youngest sister and her husband) are big Star Trek fans.* I'd never think of any of us as Trekkies (other than the sister and brother-in-law) but we wouldn't be put off by Trekkies. It seems odd to me that the people in Cammo's circle found Trekkies to be so annoying that they wouldn't consider seeing the film when Cammo wanted to.

People who would be put off by the presence of Trekkies are probably people who are seriously concerned with their image and how "cool" they appear. Being at an event full of geeks/dorks/nerds would bother them because they'd be worried that others might think they're one of the people they themselves look down on. And since most people who constantly worry about their image are extremely insecure about that image they wouldn't want to risk the association.

Cammo's (and Son-of-Kelbo's) comments of the similarities between Tiki fans and Trekkies were interesting and a comparison that wouldn't have occurred to me. The parallels with Trekkies and Tiki people are really strong. I wouldn't ever consider Star Trek to be Tiki but the passion and behavior of the two cultures are strikingly similar. Tiki people have far more in common with Trekkies than sports fans.

The Trekkies at the Star Trek screening with their toys wasn't so odd, the desire to get together with people who understand your passion is just as strong with Tiki people.

Trekkies have the benefit of being into a part of pop culture that the general public is aware of but Tiki people don't have the oustider/loser stigma that Trekkies do.

And Tiki people have cooler stuff. Vintage Star Trek items are limited, most Star Trek stuff is modern collectibles made for fans. I personally find the saddest aspect of the Trekkies to be the collectiong of overpriced mass produced MADE IN CHINA resin junk which is only manufactured to take advantage of their passion. Tiki people would never be so gullible.

*Except for Deep Space Nine and Enterprise, a show which I think was hampered by one of the worst TV show theme songs ever recorded.