Actually, reading has not been considered uncool since the first Harry Potter came out

Wow, I had wanted to make a topic like this for awhile now, never got around to creating it. Anyways, IDK if "geek" is fading, but I consider myself a geek. I love computers and games, I can't see my life w/o them both (and can't go a day without touching either), and I'm currently going for a computer science degree in college (alot of ppl would think this is geeky). The only problem is that, u can say that I'm fairly balanced with everything, I work out heavily (ppl usually don't think I look like a geek), I "groom" myself/keep my looks in tact (again ppl usually don't think I look like a geek), I am social and have no problems talking to girls (a negative stigma with geeks, ppl think im too "cool" to be a geek). All in all, I think there are more ppl that can be considered geeks, but they are not because it's just a part of them, it doesn't define them, like me.

well if more and more people become 'geeks', the question is, does the negativity surrounding the idea finally disappear?

 I like your slam dunk, avatar. On topic, the negativity will not disappear. People are always mocking what they don't understand, even when they are becoming what they are mocking. (fanboys, casual gamers etc...)

yeah to me, that picture on the manga was like.. 'holy shit they're actually gonna slap hands'.. *scan* :P

agreed. but isn't it a twisted cycle when the mocking is no longer being done from the external media, but rather within the internal camps themselves? that's just sad.

This is a quote from an article I read last year and I agree with it.

"Being a geek in 2007 is nothing to be ashamed of, the stereotype that once existed is long gone and there are several characteristics of geek culture that could almost be considered chic.  Consumating, Threadless, or even Apple are pretty good testaments to this fact.

The picture I'm about to paint is of the ideal, I'm not implying that every perl programmer or 15 year kid who plays WoW all day possesses all these qualities.
You're probably very smart.
It's hip to be geek. Everyone is familiar with the stereotype of thick glasses, a pocket protector, an obsession with star trek, and social skills akin to a sack of potatoes. Times have changed: geeks are often fashionable, hip individuals who are very aligned with the trends of their own generation
You geek out on more than just your computer.  Ever seen the movie collection of a film geek?  Ever had an automotive geek work on your car?  Ever seen the body of a fitness geek?  The tenacity of someone like us, when applied to hobbies outside computers and the like, can yield impressive results.
Geek humor is the best humor. This is perhaps a biased opinion, but I've never laughed as hard as I have while reading some of the random, funny things that came out of geek culture.
You listen to good music. Geeks have access to tools that allow us to hear music that extends well beyond top 40 radio. Want the entire discography of Aphex Twin by tomorrow afternoon? Ask a geek. Not only do they listen to good music, they can find just about anything you're looking for in a heartbeat.
You make good money. If there's one stereotype about geeks that usually rings true, it's that they rarely have trouble earning a decent income.
You fix stuff. Everyone loves a handyman, especially one that can fix one of the most frustrating devices ever conceived: a personal computer.
You've got your own stuff going on. You'll never meet a geek who runs out of things to do, they've got lots of hobbies and interests and are more than happy to dive head first into one of those when they've got some spare time. In other words: they won't rely on you to give them a life.
You're very articulate. Compulsively reading a few hundred RSS feeds a day yields a vocabulary that could put most college English majors to shame.
You're passionate. When a geek becomes interested in something, they tend to immerse themselves in it entirely. They'll strip a new gadget down to nuts and bolts and re-build it with an xhtml compliant grappling gun. This intense passion can extend to many areas of a geek's life, not just computers and hobbies."

Geeks are a little too passionate about nerdy things. I love comics and games and such, but a geek won't know when the right time to talk about these things is.

*goes to hot girl* I leveled up my paladin in World of Warcraft today!

*hot girl replies* Really? Let's have sex!

 lol

He means books with substance, any idiot can write a book about their own life.  Most of the time they don't even write it themselves but rather just provide the substance while a trained professional does the actual writing. Reading novels and such is still thought of as geeky.  I played hockey and rugby in college and was an overall athletic guy, but once a couple of "cool" kids found my philosophy books at the gym and started going on abotu how much of a loser this kid whose books these are is.   Then i said ummm yea they are mine and they were all surprised and said but your not a nerd.  so yea still exists and most likely always will but the criteria will change with each new generation.

i dunno, i just kinda figure that with all the mainstream pop icons delving in the 'geek' culture, maybe the whole idea will become the new mainstream pop.