Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture

By Stephen H. Segal, N. K. Jemisin, Genevieve Valentine and 2 more

The essential companion for the geek era: a fusion of inspirational quotes, philosophy, and pop culture drawn from the entire cult-classic canon of film, TV, books, comics, and science.
 
Celebrate nerd culture by taking a page out of your all-time favorites, like Star Wars and Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings and Dune—and much more!
 
Computer nerds are our titans of industry; comic-book superheroes are our Hollywood idols; the Internet is our night on the town. Clearly, geeks know something about life in the 21st century that other folks don’t—something we all can learn from. Geek Wisdom takes as gospel some 200 of the most powerful and oft-cited quotes from movies (“Where we’re going, we don’t need roads”), television (“Now we know—and knowing is half the battle”), literature (“All that is gold does not glitter”), games, science, the Internet, and more.
 
Now these beloved pearls of modern-day culture have been painstakingly interpreted by a diverse team of hardcore nerds with their imaginations turned up to 11. Yes, this collection of mini-essays is by, for, and about geeks—but it’s just so surprisingly profound, the rest of us would have to be dorks not to read it. So say we all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Aug 2, 2011
• ISBN: 9781594745300

N. K. Jemisin

N(ora). K. Jemisin is an author of speculative fiction short stories and novels who lives and writes in Brooklyn, New York. Her work has won the Hugo Award for best novel (The Fifth Season); been shortlisted for the Crawford, Gemmell Morningstar, and Tiptree Awards; and been nominated for the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards. She also won a Locus Award for Best First Novel (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms) as well as multiple Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Awards. Jemisin's short fiction has been published in pro markets such as Clarkesworld, Postscripts, Strange Horizons, and Baen’s Universe; semipro markets such as Ideomancer and Abyss & Apex; and podcast markets and print anthologies. Her first six novels, a novella, and a short story collection are available from Orbit Books. Jemisin is a member of the Altered Fluid writing group. In addition to writing, she is a counseling psychologist and educator (specializing in career counseling and student development), a sometime hiker and biker, and a political/feminist/anti-racist blogger. N. K.'s stories include The City Born Great and The Fifth Season.

Reviews for Geek Wisdom

[nx74defiant · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fun Hallmark book.

[court09 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the introduction about Science Fiction being a religion. It was very well written, topics were well selected, and it was humorous while still being thought-provoking and explaining the subjects. Many ideas were covered, some already very familiar to me, others new; I highly enjoyed content on both new and old ideas.

[chellerystick · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Some cute gems, but not a lot of depth here, nor enough quotes and juxtapositions to really change my life or make me want to experience more geek culture.

[darthdeverell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture, Stephen H. Segal et al. argues that, "if geek culture can offer fresh, new, alternative paths to all the eternal truths that religion and philosophy have managed to discover over the past few thousand years - paths that welcome those who've been turned away from the more traditional routes - then I say, let there be geekery" (p. 11). If geekdom is a new religion, then Geek Wisdom is its Book of Hadith, but whereas the Hadith draws from the sayings of Muhammad, Segal casts a wide net, quoting film, television, books, video games, cartoons, comic books, scientists, philosophers, and more.Segal and company dare to draw comparisons between Yoda and George Washington Carver, Optimus Prime and Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rod Serling and Thomas Jefferson, all while using his selected quotes to speak to issues of truth, beauty, perseverance, and the struggles of being an outsider, whether due to one's interests or as a result of sex, race, or gender identity. He exhorts his readers to enjoy their passions without resorting to attacking or alienating their fellow geeks.Segal and his co-authors open familiar texts to new interpretations, showing how these media are not simply cheap entertainment to be scoffed at. More to the point, as geek culture grows ever more mainstream and becomes an indelible part of our collective cultural mythology, Segal and company offer a way to interpret the texts of geekdom so that all may benefit from their wisdom and gain a greater enjoyment by pondering on the entertainment they consume.

[paperloverevolution · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm not going to finish this. I'm not actually sure where I put it. I didn't particularly like or dislike it. It was enjoyable for a few minutes, but didn't have much substance. Segal's tone was a little wary, which I thought gave the book a tinge of defensiveness and a little too much detachment, but who can blame him? No geek wants to discuss Geekdom with normal people within earshot, not really. And if this book fails to give an accurate depiction of the sincere and deeply held ethical beliefs of geeks, well, that's not what this type of book is for. You wouldn't blame "365 Zen" for failing to provide a thorough introduction to Zen Buddhism, either. And maybe - maybe! - non geeks will pick this book up and learn a little something about the rest of us dwelling quietly in their midst. I think not, though. Probably geeks (and our cousins, the nerds) will buy this hoping to feel validated.

What I really wished I was reading was something that doesn't yet exist: a Geek Bible. I think people, if they were being fair, would find it hard to argue with the assertion that religious and moral systems are constantly adapting and evolving. Geekdom has always attracted the visionary, the over-educated, and the rebellious: the perfect combination for developing a new ethical system. Normal people, please: I am not talking about Dianetics here. I am talking about the collective wisdom and, yes, the spiritual beliefs of Geekdom. What if we had a Bible of our own? It would contain the optimistic belief in human wisdom that filled Star Trek, the Eastern-influenced spiritual ethos of Star Wars, the ecological awareness and self-control advocated by 'Dune'. What geek, in a time of crisis, hasn't found solace in the Bene Gesserit litany against fear?

Maybe this little book is a step in that direction. An actual collection of geek wisdom would, of course, be difficult to pull off. We'd have to appoint a Geek Council of Elders to select and compile the texts. Maybe a Geek Pope to oversee the project. There would be epic disagreements, accusations of heresy, persecution, schisms. But if something could be hammered together, it might become apparent that Geek Wisdom really does have something meaningful to offer our brave new world.

[gilroy_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a fun book pulling from references throughout media to bring explaanations to the Geek World. It is definitely designed to be flipped through, caught from time to time, but not read as a normal book might. Each quote or phrase then offers a philisophical consideration. From my reading, I'd say these considerations are to ask the reader to dig deeper, to think about what's being said, rather than just place the plate in front of the reader. After all, this is Geek Wisdom, which suggests thinking. For something to stimulate philisophical thought processes, I can recommend this book.

[aerrin99 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is what I'd call a 'bathroom book' - little snippets meant to be read in tiny bits and pieces. It's meant to highlight moral truths that we learn from famous 'geek' sayings taken from fantasy and science fiction franchises. Each snippet is written by someone else - which means that they vary wildly in quality. Most aren't really that interesting, let alone that profound. This was disappointing to me, as someone who's spent most my life steeped in 'geek' culture, because I've long believed that these modern fairy tales have a lot to say about morality and human nature. Most of the bits in here just aren't that deep. It's bad when the quote they're discussing carries more weight than the discussion itself. Many times the discussion is basically a rehashing of the quote itself, or the context, without any deeper digging. "With great power comes great responsibility." You don't say? Huh. If only I could have read (or watched) a story that explores that more fully...For a bathroom reader, or something similar, it's fine. It was free (ER book). It's cute and gimmicky and easy to skim. But I wouldn't go out of my way for this one.

[krau0098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I got a copy of this book to review through Librarything's Early Reviewer program. It was a super fun read especially for those who are fans of all things geeky.The book is split into four or five parts each encompassing life lessons: wisdom about the self (My name is Inigo Montoya), wisdom about the universe (Billions and Billions), wisdom about the future, etc. Within these sections each page has a quote on top of it and then the quote is discussed in greater (and often humorous) length below. There are usually additional footnotes containing miscellaneous facts about the quote or the person who made it.This book has quote from everything from the Princess Bride to Star Wars to the Big Bang Theory to Edward Scissorhands and even Tolkien. The book pretty much spans a wide horizon of geekiness. There is a lot of humor in here but there is also some seriousness; how to apply geeky quotes to living your everyday life is discussed. The issue of being geeky and a woman is touched on a few times too; usually with a sensitive, yet humorous bent to it. I also enjoyed the discussion on steampunk fans, the new and less objectionable version of a goth.My whole family really enjoyed this book and I think it is a wonderful gift/coffee table book for those self-proclaimed geeks in your life. Just reading the quotes and footnotes are fun. It is also fun to see how many of the quotes you are familiar with. I quizzed my husband on some of them to see which ones he remembered. My son enjoyed the Star Wars ones and got to learn a few new things. Overall this is a super fun book and I really enjoyed reading it. I started reading it with my family and then was surprised when I ended up sitting down and reading the rest of it in one sitting. Aside from all the fun there are some thought-provoking discussions in here as well. Highly recommended!

[stretch_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Geek Wisdom is full of some of the greatest geek quotes of all time, add the quick philosophical blurbs and this book is certainly more than meets the eye. Truth be told I only requested this book with a train wreck mindset, so I was a bit hesitant when I actually won it. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this book, it's funny, often witty, insightful, and never seems to take itself too seriously. Quite the accomplishment considering all the directions that this book could have gone. Like all book of quotes there is always going to some quibbles over ones left out and may appear dated decades from now, but who really cares when your looking for a fun quick read.

[magus_manders · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Heheh, what a fun little book. In the introduction to Geek Wisdom, Segal glibly states that as a child, his religion was science fiction ( full disclosure, so was mine). He and his co-writers have done their best to sum up the most important lessons in life through the medium of the geeky bon mot. Movie quotes, internet memes, quirky tee-shirts, it's all here. Each quote gets its own page, which expounds upon what we've learned of human nature, good and evil, ourselves, and the universe, through the media we consume. Some are quite funny, some serious, and some a bit far fetched, but all of them are loving and hold special places in the geek's (or at least my) lexicon. There are points where Geek Wisdom can't decide if it's being written for an audience of categorical media-consumers or the average mundane, but it takes itself with enough humor that one can vest in it as much or as little weight as one chooses.

[tmyers526 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I got this through the Early Reviewers program, and I loved it! So many of the quotes were from things I already enjoy. The footnotes were informative and funny. It did bring me to the conclusion that I might be a much bigger geek than I originally thought.

[esquiress · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am primarily a fiction reader, so I wasn't sure how I would do with what seemed like the equivalent of Chicken Soup for the Geek's Soul, but I knew I had to have this book; after all, I am definitely a theatre, literature, and D&D nerd. Geek Wisdom definitely did not let me down, as I laughed out loud several times while reading it. My husband and his best friend also read it; they are both certifiable geeks and enjoyed it too. I kept finding random bookmarks placed throughout, because all three of us actually ended up reading the book simultaneously.Geek Wisdom is a great waiting room book, or a book to read when you don't have a lot of time to sit down and really get into a book. You can read one or two pages or half of the book (both of which I did), and you can get just as much enjoyment out of it either way.I feel smarter having read Geek Wisdom, and that's just about the best thing a geek can ask for in a book. Even though I haven't seen/ played/ experienced everything quoted in this book, I now know enough to not be left out of "inside geek jokes" when I'm hanging out with fellow geeks. I'm going to be passing copies of this book around to several friends and colleagues in the coming months, and I plan to hang the poster that came with my review copy in our home office. I think that's saying something, isn't it?

[bragan_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Stephen H. Segal has gathered a collection of quotes from a wide variety of sources that don't have much in common except that they can all be described as "things enjoyed by geeks." So we've got Yoda and Kurt Vonnegut, Inigo Montoya and Nikola Tesla, Rod Serling and Carl Sagan and Monty Python and two different characters named Morpheus. For each, there's a little page of commentary on the quote or the character or the source material, relating it to some aspect of life, the universe, and everything. (And yes, of course, Douglas Adams is in here, too.)As someone who deeply loves the stuff of "nerd culture" and who is infinitely more likely to ask herself "What would Mr. Spock do?" than "What would Jesus do?", this seemed right up my alley. But I'll admit I was a little trepidatious going into it. There are so many ways something like this can go wrong. It could be another insipid attempt at "inspirational writing." It could be painfully over-earnest or embarrassingly self-mocking, or even just a cynical attempt to cash in on an audience that tends to be enthusiastic to the point of obsession. I've seen stuff like that before. I don't remember All I Really Need to Know I Learned From Watching Star Trek very well -- which may be for the best -- but I do remember thinking it was terribly lame.So I'm delighted to be able to report that this book avoids every one of those pitfalls. It really is genuinely thoughtful, sometimes even surprisingly insightful, but it doesn't take itself too seriously, either. In fact, it's got a terrific sense of humor; I repeatedly found myself laughing out loud. And the contributors are plugged into geek culture in a way that's impossible to fake. I can tell they love this stuff just as much as I do, and that alone is enough to make this entertaining in much the same way as those long-ago dorm room conversations in which my friends and I would sit around analyzing Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes. And who knows? Maybe the next time I'm feeling in need of a little nugget of geeky wisdom, I'll pull it back down off the shelf, flip it open, and see if Gandalf or Galileo or has something worthwhile to say.

[readerspeak_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I requested and received this through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. I thought several of my high school boys would enjoy reading this, but I'm enjoying it too much to hand it over to them just yet! I like that it educates me, inspires reflection, and makes me laugh all in just a couple pages at a time.

[dschander_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Now this is a keeper. Geek Wisdom is a funny and surprisingly insightful look at the statements we geeks have taken to heart. Each entry begins with a quote -- mostly well-known, though occasionally obscure -- from a book, movie, video game, etc. Segal and his writers then examine the words for a life lesson. I found myself nodding along in places, giggling in others and sometimes thinking "cool, never thought of it that way". What could be trite is affirming instead. It's not a book you'd normally read cover to cover -- just open it up at random and see what you get, I'd say; you'll be glad you did.I also have to give a shout out to the designer. This is one fine book. The dust jacket is quirky and fun, and the actual cover of the book (with "geek" spelled out) may be even better.

[phantasma_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

By turns hilarious and thought-provoking, this book gathers together some of geek culture's most bandied-about phrases and reinterprets them in a more philosophical manner. And I couldn't have been more entertained. The writers show us why these phrases are so beloved and how, by embracing them, we somehow also embrace ourselves.

[quilted_kat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Geek Wisdom is a collection of geeky and pop-culture movie and literary quotes, followed by philosophical explanations. Partly a celebration of the religion of science fiction, and partly a celebration of geek culture itself, it is a fun read through oft-repeated quotes and their context.

[andycyca-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What can we learn from Geek culture? As it turns out, a lot.This book is sourced from a ton of books, shows, movies and even a few internet memes from at least the last 30 years, so you can expect a lot more that just a cheesy "5 things I learned from videogames" crappy listicle.It's made of several column-like articles with a quote or two from geek media and the lesson one can learn from it, grouped in six big categories: The self, relationships, humankind, conflict, the universe and the future.I think it's a great book, under certain circumstances and for those who want to learn (I wrote more about that here). If you're looking for pre-digested feel-good "wisdom", you won't find it here. Instead, this book can show you how lessons can be learned anywhere, from pretty much anyone. In that sense, this is a great book for geeks and non-geeks alike.

[marklacy-355086 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

"Geek-hood," I realize, is all relative. I'd like to think that I have the street cred to call myself a geek or nerd. Graduate degrees in science. Book-lover. Technophile. Fantasy author. But as I read through the snippets of "wisdom" in this book, I kept thinking perhaps my grown daughter is more of a geek than I am. I got most of the pop culture references, but I think she might've gotten more of them. And (a look of embarrassment crosses his face) I am Doctor-Who-illiterate (gasp!).

The "sacred teachings" were at times mildly humorous, or cute. But surely the editors could've found some profound gems of wisdom to throw in! Perhaps I expected too much. I just didn't get much out of this.

And there was no mention of "Nerds," the candy. Too bad.

[detailmuse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A nicely put together collection of approximately 200 quotations from mid- to late 20th-century popular culture (science-fiction/fantasy books, film, television and video games), each accompanied by a short essay that illuminates the quotation’s philosophical (“sacred”) teaching, and some footnoted with a bit of playful trivia about the quotation’s source.For example:It’s people. Soylent green is made out of people. --Detective Thorn in the 1973 film Soylent Greensuggests that, whether it's a food supplement made from the recently dead or “children in sweatshops or migrants working under substandard conditions, the lifestyle of comfort that we likely take for granted has been built on a foundation of systemic dehumanization. It’s made out of people.”Or:Fantasy is the impossible made probable. Science fiction is the improbable made possible. --Rod Serlingdiscusses geeks’ interest in other worlds -- maybe to escape personal dissatisfaction or maybe to daydream an increase in human satisfaction.A few of the quotes were totally new to me and quite a few of the sources were relatively unfamiliar, so I wanted more background and context. But the true-geek audience won’t need that and besides, it’s not the purpose of this collection -- the philosophy is. And here, the philosophy is individually encouraging and societally positive.

[kaelirenee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I became a geek at an early age, when I started putting library-card style checkout cards in the back of my books. I wore my nerdiness indelicately for the first 20 years or so. Then I embraced it with both arms. This book in an homage to the geeks who came of age in the 70s, 80s, and 90s—before nerdy could possibly be cool. It understands the difference between wearing glasses to looks trendy and actually needing glasses because every waking moment is spent reading fantasy or trying out a new line of code. Not only does it give a geek a chance to revel in his own geekiness by remembering the quotes and how often he has gleefully recited the speeches from the Knights who Say Ni (quotes which are amazingly absent from this book), it points out the depth that these quotes often hide. The editors capture much of the lessons we’ve taken from our popular culture touch stones. This book covers a myriad of important lessons about our role in society, our responsibilities to each other, and what the future holds for humanity. Most of my fellow geeks certainly picked up this book with full intention of pointing out what was missing from this handy little guide, possibly ready to guffaw at the immense number of quotes from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and the paucity of quotes from Monty Python. This is admittedly what I did during my first read through. Then I started reading the comments, which I expected to be about how the quote fit into the movie. The comments made the book. The authors took insight out of pop culture and cult classics. They showed the wisdom in everything from “Snozzberrys. Who’s every heard of a snozzberry?” to “Good, bad? I’m the guy with the gun.” This book is enjoyable, insightful, and funny. Because a book is almost always the perfect gift for a nerd and because we are ridiculously hard to shop for, I suspect this will be given to many geeks as gift. Whether you are a geek, know a geek, or are trying to coax a geek into embracing his geekiness, this is a great book to share.