# Is it just my age, or am I too much of a Star Trek geek? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 18, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947 "2003-02-18T19:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/21 "2003-02-19T05:24:32Z")
I used to have a bumper sticker that said **He’s Dead, Jim**. Most people knew what it meant…except for the one oddball guy who pulled up next to me at a red light and thought I was “trying to tell him something” because his name was Jim. Cheese Louise… My brother has a Star Trek MasterCard. Who’s the geekier of the two? ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/22 "2003-02-19T11:25:01Z")
Thanks to the mod who moved this thread! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/23 "2003-02-19T13:03:50Z")
You’re not a geek. As **Pepper Mill** pointed out the other day, Trek Culture has infected the Mainstream. There’s a car ad on TV with the tag line: “Resistance is Futile”. As for Tribbles, they showed up not only in TOS, but in the animated series, the movies (Star Trek III), and on Deep Space Nine. He’s had plenty of chances to learn about tribbles. ---
**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/24 "2003-02-19T13:57:32Z")
I think most people, of varying age, Trekkies/ers or no, recognize references to Tribbles, “He’s dead, Jim,” “Beam me up, Scotty,” and various other Star Trek Cliches, which have pretty much infiltrated common vernacular. It’s the same as with other concepts drawn from pop culture - most of us would get “May the Force be with you,” “Hasta la vista, Baby,” and the like. So, no, **Baker** , it ain’t your problem. It’s your dishwasher, who’s been living under a rock his whole life. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/25 "2003-02-19T15:24:24Z")
Not too long ago, one of my co-workers had to explain to another co-worker the significance of red shirts. The poor guy had just never watched Star Trek. He doesn’t know what tribbles are either (I just asked him.) ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/26 "2003-02-19T15:30:54Z")
I was in class the other day, and the prof was taking about some Roman general and how he kind of made up rules as he went along, and she said, “it’s kind of like a game of fizzbin. Anyone know the game fizzbin?” And, thinking that it must not be what I thought it was, I didn’t answer. Shame on me, because what I was thinking was exactly what she was talking about (but only on Tuesdays). Oh, and I’m 23. The only non-public television I remember from my formative years was watching ST reruns with my mom every weeknight at 7. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/27 "2003-02-19T15:54:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > As for Tribbles, they showed up not only in TOS, but in the animated series, the movies (Star Trek III), and on Deep Space Nine. He’s had plenty of chances to learn about tribbles. Heck, there were tribbles in the first Harry Potter book, although Rowling didn’t actually use the word “tribbles”. The little fuzzballs are ubiquitous. The dishwasher has clearly been living under a rock…in a cave…somewhere under Antarctica. Of course, there was a time when I could turn down the volume, face away from the TV, and say every line of “The Trouble with Tribbles” in perfect sync. Am I a geek? Yes! ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/28 "2003-02-19T17:15:41Z")
Nah, you’re not too geeky. If you wore a Starfleet uniform for jury duty, that’d be too geeky. (Or a good way to get out of jury duty, if that was your intention, of course) ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/29 "2003-02-19T19:51:12Z")
If I may (you may) gloat for a moment, I am personally acquainted with David Gerrold, the man who wrote “The Trouble With Tribbles.” [Cartman] You may touch me now. I SAID YOU CAN FUCKIN’ TOUCH ME! Yes, yes, that’s right, don’t crowd… [/Cartman] Esprix ---
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/30 "2003-02-19T19:57:33Z")
\>If you wore a Starfleet uniform for jury duty, that’d be too geeky. (Or a good way to get out of jury duty, if that was your intention, of course)\< It was simply illogical human stubbornness during the jury selection phase that caused the Prosecuting attorney to dismiss me. He simply refused to recognize how the Prime Directive applied to judicial proceedings…:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/31 "2003-02-19T20:11:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Esprix \* > If I may (you may) gloat for a moment, I am personally acquainted with David Gerrold, the man who wrote “The Trouble With Tribbles.” So, could you politely suggest that he get off his duff and finish the “War Against the Chtorr” series? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/32 "2003-02-19T21:32:40Z")
My favorite scene from the whole of TOS is the barfight scene in “The Trouble With Tribbles”, and the dialogue leading up to it. “Laddy, don’t you think you’d better rephrase that?” “You’re right. I should.” And so on and so on… ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/33 "2003-02-19T22:30:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balance \* > > So, could you politely suggest that he get off his duff and finish the “War Against the Chtorr” series? I’ll mention it next time I see him. 😃 He also said his latest is up for a Lambda Award, which is pretty cool. Esprix [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947.md?page=1)