# Trekkie vs. Trekker? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008 "2013-07-20T04:04:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/61 "2013-07-22T15:13:40Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > Based on some of the posts in this thread, self-described “Trekkies” really, _really_ want self-described “Trekkers” to be insecure. That’s… _interesting_. Based on some of the posts in this thread, self-described “Trekkers” really, _really_ want self-described “Trekkies” to be maladjusted, pew-pew loving social rejects who can’t understand that not being offended about being called a word that ends in an “ee” sound means that you’re too _gauche_ to really appreciate the sociopolitical allegory and deep themes of the _speculative fiction_ that is “Star Trek.” That’s… not surprising at all. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/62 "2013-07-22T15:32:38Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’m sorry, that is unacceptable. The correct answer was, “Who are Alex Trebeckers?”😛 Sure, if you’re that insecure and nerdy. Us average folks self-identify as “Who are Alex Trebeckies”. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/63 "2013-07-22T15:37:31Z")
This is how it all happened: First, the term was Trekkies. It was the typical thing you’d name a group of people with a common interest in the 60s. Trekkies were fans of the show, who liked to discussed the scientific and social aspects of the show. They also liked the details, the actors, the sets, continuity, all that stuff that people like to talk about in relationship to any TV show, movie, book, etc. Then suddenly there were people who thought they were on the show. They began to make their own Star Fleet uniforms, stick pointy things on their ears, and tried to talk in Klingon, even though they had to make up most of the words. People who were leading productive lives and didn’t live in their mom’s basement did not want to be associated with that kind of thing, so we started calling ourselves Trekkers. The Trekkies immediatly took offense and began firing their toy phasers at us. We ignored them, we were too busy having sex. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/64 "2013-07-22T15:40:52Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Are you a fan of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California, United States, Northern and Western Hemispheres, Earth, Sol System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Universe? 😛 I don’t even regard the game they play as baseball, if that answers your question. And if it doesn’t, no, I’m not. Nor am I a supporter of any designator for them other than “California Angels.” ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/65 "2013-07-22T15:41:57Z")
I wager 400 quatloos on the newcomer! (That’s trekker, I guess?) ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/66 "2013-07-22T16:49:43Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > People who were leading productive lives and didn’t live in their mom’s basement did not want to be associated with that kind of thing, so we started calling ourselves Trekkers. The Trekkies immediatly took offense and began firing their toy phasers at us. We ignored them, we were too busy having sex. Few things are sadder in this world than nerd jocks. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/67 "2013-07-22T17:02:28Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > I wager 400 quatloos on the newcomer! > > (That’s trekker, I guess?) Yeah, but it’s a sucker bet. Or a suckie one, if you prefer. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/68 "2013-07-22T17:26:27Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > People who were leading productive lives and didn’t live in their mom’s basement did not want to be associated with that kind of thing, so we started calling ourselves Trekkers. The Trekkies immediatly took offense and began firing their toy phasers at us. We ignored them, we were too busy having sex. I honestly think you have those backwards. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/69 "2013-07-22T18:11:28Z")
But! He is half black… on the RIGHT side! :eek: I am half black on the left. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/70 "2013-07-23T22:17:21Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I honestly think you have those backwards. No, **TriPolar** is describing the historical path to the nomenclature, including her own personal class bashing. The term “Trekkie” was applied by a science fiction editor (Arthur W. Saha) to the visible Star Trek fan base, and it stuck. Some Star Trek fans were put off by the over-the-top nature of other fans, so they created their own term by using the standard noun form of a verb. To _trek_ is to go on a journey, one who goes on a journey is a _trekker_. Since that’s a more real word than\* trekkie\*, it fit the desires of the group wishing to distinguish themselves from the obsessive types to use the more “refined” term. So one group includes people that are obsessive about Star Trek to the point of being the root of the negative stereotypes, the other group is obsessive that they are not associated with those others and thus are hung up on the label in order to distinguish themselves. Which is the group that takes themselves too seriously, again? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/71 "2013-07-24T10:21:28Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Which is the group that takes themselves too seriously, again? Clearly, it’s those nerds who tried to start a Jedi religion. … What? (/joke) ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/72 "2013-07-24T11:32:44Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > No, **TriPolar** is describing the historical path to the nomenclature, including her own personal class bashing. It was a joke. I was calling “Trekkers” basement-dwelling weirdos. I understand the history behind both words. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/73 "2013-07-24T12:07:29Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Fans of the area of New York’s lower Manhattan comprising the triangle below canal street are . . . _ding ding_ That would be, Who are Tribeccers. We would have also accepted Tribeccies as well. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/74 "2013-07-24T12:45:54Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > _ding ding_ That would be, Who are Tribeccers. We would have also accepted Tribeccies as well. Actually, the correct term is “rich hipster douchebag.” ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/75 "2013-07-24T19:29:24Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’m sorry, that is unacceptable. The correct answer was, “Who are Alex Trebeckers?”😛 Then your first post should have been People who are fans of Jeopardy Voyager, who got tangled up correcting Trebek’s use of scifi when I was on Jeopardy! (Cut, thank Og.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/76 "2013-07-24T19:33:02Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I was told, back in the 1960s or 70s, that people who were not in the field or who only read it casually called it scifi. Scifi, to people who really knew the field, described such classical works as _Revenge of the Giant Ant-Men_, whereas science fiction was for works like _Childhood’s End_. IOW, scifi was used as a sneering term for potboilers by some people, who would use SF or science fiction or spec fic for more serious works. Scifi was invented by 4sj, who had an excessive love of puns. Today alas, it is used something like this Person 1: I love scifi. Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien, Person 2: I like those too, and I also like books such as Childhood’s End Person 1: It comes in books? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/77 "2013-07-24T19:39:08Z")
4sj? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/78 "2013-07-24T19:40:49Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > 4sj? her? The “class bashing” part is right though. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/79 "2013-07-24T20:42:40Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Scifi was invented by 4sj, who had an excessive love of puns. Today alas, it is used something like this > > Person 1: I love scifi. Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien, > > Person 2: I like those too, and I also like books such as Childhood’s End > > Person 1: It comes in books? Yep. I mention that I like science fiction, and I get people telling me how they love various movies and TV shows. I mention various books, and I get blank looks. I can’t decide if the blank looks are better or worse than the responses of how the person just LOVES Anne Rice and/or Twilight. > [@Irishman](#): > > 4sj? Forrest J Ackerman. He loved puns and science fiction and collecting. He was not discriminatory in his collecting, either, if it related to science fiction at all he’d collect it. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/80 "2013-07-24T22:18:25Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Scifi was invented by 4sj > [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Forrest J Ackerman. Yeah, this kind of insider jargon used in general public where one cannot expect everyone to have insider knowledge is one of the things that gives Trekkies a bad reputation. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008.md?page=5)