Scott Martinez

Posted on May 25, 2022Read on Mirror.xyz

Take Refuge In Geek Culture

Given recent tragic events, and the unfortunate circus that follows, in the United States today many of us are in a somber mood. Times like these expose the ever growing cracks in our society and it is natural to be flooded with a powerful combination of emotions. 

While this is by no means a solution to the grave issues we face, I urge everyone to take a minute for themselves during these turbulent times. Hug your loved ones a little tighter, take that midday siesta, and retreat into your favorite geeky pleasure for a few hours of relative peace. 

May 25th is an auspicious day in geek culture. To start it is Geek Pride Day which many brands around the world tend to celebrate with content, sales and special releases. Fans of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy celebrate their community today as Towel Day by openly carrying a towel with them. Fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld also celebrate this day as 'The Glorious 25th of May', when they remember the fight for "Truth, Justice, Freedom, Reasonably-Priced Love and a Hard-Boiled Egg!" with Lilac cuttings. Needless to say, May 25th is a day to really let your geek flag fly!

In my personal life, geek culture has provided a consistent refuge even during the most difficult times. When your mind is lost in a magical world with elves and dragons, the troubles of our shared reality seem so far away. If I am really struggling nothing helps me get out of an emotional rut like a Studio Ghibli or Pixar movie. Some of the best creators weave tales more akin to parables because they convey meaningful messages that are applicable to our lives. For example, Jean Luc Picard is likely to drop an incredible amount of life knowledge in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. 

It may seem silly, or even an abdication of responsibility, to focus on geeky pleasures during a time like this. However I would argue that time spent enjoying our favorite fandoms during chaotic times is essential to maintaining a healthy mental wellbeing. While we should be present with our emotions it is easy to become overwhelmed with the gravity of the situation. Geeky pleasures provide us with a refuge where we can spend a few hours of peace enjoying something we love. Of course more work needs to be done to ensure all places in geek culture are safe spaces for everyone, as each fandom deals with toxicity in their own way, but many fans know of a special place where they can be alone with their favorite fandom and be safe. 

So with this in mind, I hope you will carve out a small reprieve in your busy day to enjoy some geeky 'me' time. Good luck and I’d like to leave you with some insightful words from Star Trek, "To all mankind — may we never find space so vast, planets so cold, heart and mind so empty that we cannot fill them with love and warmth".